What is the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten?

[VespertineIconoclast]

It may not necessarily be strange by your standards, but maybe by other people’s standards. For me, it was blue crab innards. My friends and I were having a blue crab boil and I saw my good friend from northern China eating everything inside the opened crab shell – I had never seen that before. My curiosity was piqued so I tried it. It wasn’t bad and I didn’t get sick or anything.

So, what weird thing have you eaten? Did you decide to eat it randomly or for another reason?

[Lyric]

1. Fried river eel

We were staying with some family friends who live waaaaay out in "the country" in southern West Virginia, and they eat the eels they fish from the rivers quite often. I tried a piece one night--it tasted like very strongly-flavored fish, with a mouthfeel identical to fried fish. I didn't like how heavy the "fishy" flavor was, but people who DO like strongly-flavored fish would likely enjoy it.

[VespertineIconoclast]

10. Eel does have a strong fishy flavor.

Even though it's not my favorite type of fish to eat with sushi and sashimi, it's tastes okay to me.

[dropkickpa]

2. stir-fried crickets

they were good!

I've also eaten pickled pigs feet, which, if I recall correctly, weren't bad either.

[VespertineIconoclast]

15. Crickets are probably one of the few insects that I could get over my ick-factor to try.

Where did you get the stir-fry crickets? Or did you cook them yourself?

You need to come down to the South! We eat ALL parts of the pig -- you name it I've probably had it. ;)

[dropkickpa]

26. It was at some festival I went to

I come from a long line of farmers, my great uncle raised his own hogs for family use, I have seen EVERY step of the process, from mating to slaughter, and he introduced me to some interesting things, to say the least.

[VespertineIconoclast]

61. My grandmother has many stories about her life on the family farm.

From all that she has told me, it is definitely the place to learn about the great circle of life.

[Kali]

3. sea cucumbers, shark oil soup

caviar

The sea cucumbers and shark oil were presented as part of a VERY elegant Chinese meal for my father when we spent some time in Taiwan.

Caviar - had the chance to try it (twice) so did out of curiosity the first time, politeness the second. Not really something I would care for, strange in fact, but not too gaggingly so. (much better washed down with ice cold vodka than champagne, in my opinion! haha

[querelle]

13. Heh

Anything is better when washed down with ice cold vodka!

Q

[VespertineIconoclast]

18. Did you find the flavor of the dishes to be okay?

To me, it seems that Asian seafood dishes tend to celebrate strong fishy flavor and it takes time to develop a palate that acclimates to it.

[Kali]

23. ...

texture was more of the problem for me - sea cucumbers are just gelatinous or rubbery - no discernable flavor - they were served in a brown sauce that had an earthy flavor (read: tasted like mud)

She shark oil was fishy and oily - VERY oily, unpleasantly oily

Caviar - yes fishy-salty but the bursting texture was actually rather interesting

Not to denigrate another culture but Asian and especially Japanese food tends to the "wierd" and slippery. Sort of like lets see just how strange we can get. I realize it is good use of available resouces, but :scared:

[VespertineIconoclast]

63. My Chinese friend has given me a lot of things to try from their cuisine.

It seems to me that the Chinese people are not afraid to eat ANYTHING.

[spooky3]

65. Spam spam spam spam spam spam spam

[querelle]

4. Cerveau de Veau (Calf Brain)

I was dining with a friend at a restaurant in Montreal and he ordered it. He offered me a bit from his plate and I tried it. It wasn't bad, but I'd be too squeamish to order a whole plate of the stuff. Just the idea.......

Q

[Lyric]

6. My East European grandmother used to eat pork and calf brains

fried together with scrambled eggs. I was never quite brave enough to try it myself!

[Lyric]

7. Potted Meat!

I almost forgot that one. I still eat that from time to time. My grandma got me eating it when I was a kid, and I still enjoy potted meat sandwiches now and then. It has tripe and heart, among other questionable meat products. :rofl:

[justgamma]

94. That's my favorite meal!!

Hog brains and scrambled eggs.

[VespertineIconoclast]

20. I can understand the squeamishness.

It's a mind game of "Oh my G-d! I'm going to eat an entire plate of calf brain."

[SPKrazy]

5. Tripe, Tendons, And Other Things...

in Pho

:puke:

I will eat Pho with other things in it and love Pho, but I won't eat it like that again.

:shrug:

[VespertineIconoclast]

25. Was the texture too tough?

I know you have to cook tendons a REALLY long time to soften them up and even though I never tried tripe before I imagine it's tough too because it's the stomach. Tendons don't have much flavor and tripe seems like it wouldn't either....

[SPKrazy]

125. No, they were tender

it was just the thought

I felt bad too because a friend of mine who is Laotian took me to lunch and he was teaching me how to properly eat Pho and he ordered the gigantic bowl with all of these things in it like tripe and tendons and I forget what else. I ate half of it and I got full and the thought of eating tendons and tripe just got to me.

:shrug:

[VespertineIconoclast]

132. It's just good that you tried some it.

Sometimes it's difficult to quiet your mind when you are eating something so new and different than what you are used to eating.

[SPKrazy]

138. Especially When The Pressure Is On

to eat it with chopsticks and like it

I just couldn't do it

:rofl:

[JackBeck]

8. Reindeer.

Not really that strange, but the Swedes were making fun of me the whole time. Seeing how we idolize Rudolph and whatnot.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

12. That's not weird.

I mean, it's just a deer, albeit not the kind that ran into my Jeep last winter.

[JackBeck]

22. I must say, though,

it was really yummy.

[ronnykmarshall]

62. You are too much!

:spray:

[VespertineIconoclast]

27. Haven't had reindeer, but

I have had regular white-tailed deer meat. The reindeer meat should have been good if the deer meat I tried was anything to go by.

[JackBeck]

54. It was delicious.

Very tender. Almost light and fluffy, as compared to American beef.

[VespertineIconoclast]

71. That's what I remember about deer as well.

That's also one reason I liked it.

[crim son]

29. I had reindeer in Stockholm.

It was very good!

[JackBeck]

53. That's where I had mine, too. n/t

[Bjornsdotter]

82. Smoked Reindeer

...is my favorite. In fact I have some in the frig.

Cheers

[JackBeck]

86. Enjoy.

Mine was in burger form. It was yummm-ohhh.

[auntAgonist]

9. Some folks think Haggis is strange

or gross or unappetizing. I love it!

Haggis , mashed potatoes and turnip.

I also like tripe when cooked right, simmered with onions and cubed potatoes.

aA
:hi:

[VespertineIconoclast]

30. Enjoying the dish is the most important part!

:hi:

Do you prepare your own haggis and tripe?

[auntAgonist]

33. I've never made Haggis from scratch ..

I've always gotten it from a butcher. I can't find anyone who sells it here in my area of Michigan. It was more readily available in Ontario Canada, more Scottish butchers there I suppose.

I don't cook tripe anymore, my husband won't even consider eating it hehe.

aA

[VespertineIconoclast]

68. When you have to cook for other people, it can limit your own food choices.

I circumvent this by getting a much smaller portion of whatever it is I want to eat and cooking whatever the others want for them -- so there's no complaining that I'm trying to poison anyone. ;)

[SmokingJacket]

96. My grandfather used to say it's not really haggis unless there

are maggots falling off it.

Mmmmmm.... maggots.

[jane_pippin]

11. Haggis

It was kind of like spicy meatloaf.

[VespertineIconoclast]

31. I usually like spicy foods.

I've never tried haggis -- is the texture like meatloaf too?

[jane_pippin]

35. I've only had it once, but yeah, kind of.

I don't know if it varies depending on the person who makes it or what. But when I had it, it was like meatloaf but a little more "crumbly" I guess. I only had a little, but it wasn't that bad. It was at a local Scottish society dinner and they had this rather elaborate blessing of the haggis before they served it so they had the chef and about half a dozen chef underlings parade it out to the dining room in "encased" form, the society's president said a toast in its honor, and then when they served it it was in "crumbly form" on a platter. I don't think I could have eaten it if they served it still in its casing. They also toasted to whisky with whisky. It was a fun night. :D

[VespertineIconoclast]

69. Sounds fun!

Good food, good drink, good folks. :thumbsup:

[auntAgonist]

102. a Robert Burns Supper ( celebration.)

We used to go to those. Lots of fun. The consistency (I think) is much like blood pudding or black pudding, blood sausage, sort of mealy.

anyway ......

Address To A Haggis
by Robert (Rabbie) Burns

http://www.worldburnsclub.com/begin/address_to_a_haggis.htm


Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o' a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An' cut you up wi' ready sleight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn,
they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve,
Are bent lyke drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
"Bethankit!" 'hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi' perfect sconner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him ower his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thrissle.

Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer,
Gie her a haggis!


TRANSLATION:

Fair is your honest happy face
Great chieftain of the pudding race
Above them all you take your place
Stomach, tripe or guts
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm

The groaning platter there you fill
Your buttocks like a distant hill
Your skewer would help to repair a mill
In time of need
While through your pores the juices emerge
Like amber beads

His knife having seen hard labour wipes
And cuts you up with great skill
Digging into your gushing insides bright
Like any ditch
And then oh what a glorious sight
Warm steaming, rich

Then spoon for spoon
They stretch and strive
Devil take the last man, on they drive
Until all their well swollen bellies
Are bent like drums
Then, the old gent most likely to rift (burp)
Be thanked, mumbles

Is there that over his French Ragout
Or olio that would sicken a pig
Or fricassee would make her vomit
With perfect disgust
Looks down with a sneering scornful opinion
On such a dinner

Poor devil, see him over his trash
As week as a withered rush (reed)
His spindle-shank a good whiplash
His clenched fist.the size of a nut.
Through a bloody flood and battle field to dash
Oh how unfit

But take note of the strong haggis fed Scot
The trembling earth resounds his tread
Clasped in his large fist a blade
He'll make it whistle
And legs and arms and heads he will cut off
Like the tops of thistles

You powers who make mankind your care
And dish them out their meals
Old Scotland wants no watery food
That splashes in dishes
But if you wish her grateful prayer
Give her a haggis!

[jane_pippin]

109. That's exactly what it was. Thanks for posting that!

I'd meant to look for the blessing on the web somewhere but it slipped my mind. It was such a good time!

[auntAgonist]

134. you're welcome

I was born and raised in Scotland, my parents kept with traditions when we moved to Canada. My sister and I played in a pipe band and got to go to all the Burns' suppers. They were a lot of fun. (till a lot of scotsmen got drunk )

:)

aA

[QMPMom]

14. Llama

I ate llama once - at least that is what I was told. It was so late at night and I was so hungry that I didn't care. We'd just gotten off a plane in a distant land where one is only let off the plane in groups of 10 at a time and met at the bottom of the plane stairs by armed military. I wasn't going to say a word when a plate was set in front of me and was told that it was llama. It was actually good.

I had duck tongue the very first time I had Dim Sum. It wasn't bad but it was very tedious to eat. They also had duck feet which were pretty good.

[VespertineIconoclast]

34. I see you aren't afraid to take risks.

The armed escorts from the airport would have gotten to me. I wouldn't imagine that there was that much meat on the bones for the duck feet -- and weren't they more tough to eat than the duck tongue?

[QMPMom]

174. No, there's not much meat on the duck feet but more than

on the duck tongue. I didn't know what Dim Sum was at the time. My husband was at a conference and I went with him. I had spent the morning shopping and we had agreed that we'd meet at this restaurant at noon. We had decided on it because it was close to the conference. Close to noon I went to the restaurant and got a table. Being several months pregnant, I was starving so when this guy came past my table and asked me if I wanted this dish he had I said yes. It was Shrimp Toast. My husband and one of his colleagues arrived soon after and it was then that I learned what Dim Sum was. I just thought it was a unique way of serving appetizers. My husband and I have always been interested in different cultures and foods and he recognized that this was a Dim Sum restaurant right away. When they offered the duck tongue and duck feet we immediately wanted to try them. We've been hooked on Dim Sum ever since.

[philosophie_en_rose]

16. Probably potted meat on toast, during childhood.

Mmmm.... beef heart.


:puke:

[VespertineIconoclast]

36. Nothing like childhood experiences that scar you for life.

;)

[Nikia]

17. Turtle

A guy, to whom my mother was engaged but did not marry, took us to their annual family reunion where they had turtle every year. I don't think that it was an ethnic thing. It was just something that they did. I was only 5 or 6 at the time.

[VespertineIconoclast]

37. Turtle is an interesting dish to have for annual family reunion.

Do you remember liking it?

[Nikia]

43. It was alright

I would have rather had hamburgers or bbq chicken, but I didn't dislike it.

[oregonjen]

19. Couldn't eat it, but raw lobster served in it's shell with it still

alive. The poor little eyes were moving around looking at it's surroundings, while people were enjoying it's meat. Made me so sad and sick to my stomach.

[VespertineIconoclast]

39. Eating a live lobster...

would freak me out too.

[Blue-Jay]

21. I'm not gonna pick the low-hanging fruit on this one.

I thought about it, but no.

[VespertineIconoclast]

41. The low-hanging fruit

as you aptly put it is usually the cut-off point for even the most exotic eaters.

[carly denise pt deux]

24. rocky mountain oysters

aka. calf testicles....was not aware of it at the time, was told it was something else.....gross
Carly

[VespertineIconoclast]

42. Did it become gross...

after you found out what they were? Or were they just gross?

[w8liftinglady]

143. I had them battered and fried...delicious

[carly denise pt deux]

184. initially I didn't care for the taste, then when I found out what they were they tasted even worse

They were sorta bland
Carly

[momophile]

28. pig brain

and it tasted just like I imagined it would - terrible. Almost sent me running to the outdoors.

My host family offered it to me in the Peace Corps - I couldn't say no. Well, I could have said no and they probably wouldn't have been offended, but how many times are you offered pig brain? I had to try it.

[VespertineIconoclast]

45. You're that much stronger for trying it.

;)

But, I'm sorry that it almost sent you running like that....

[Initech]

32. Pho with about 20 different kinds of meat.

[VespertineIconoclast]

47. That's a lot of different types of meat!

Were they just different body parts of the same animal? Or the muscles (flesh) from a multitude of animals?

[Initech]

105. Various types of tripes, tendons, Vietnamese meatballs, a bunch of other stuff.

It was quite tasty, I might add!

[VespertineIconoclast]

106. Sounds interesting.

The most important thing is that you enjoyed it.

[QMPMom]

175. Pho is the food of the Gods! I love Pho. It is a wonderful

cure for whatever ails you! If we're feeling down for any reason in our family, a trip to Little Saigon for Pho will make us feel better.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

38. Tofu.

:puke:

[sakabatou]

40. By itself, it's disgusting

However, it's pretty damn good with other foods.

[VespertineIconoclast]

48. Ha ha ha!

You sound like my father -- you couldn't pay him to eat tofu!

[jobycom]

123. They said weird, not great.

Can't find a yum smiley...

[azmouse]

44. Rattlesnake

Tastes like chicken... :7

[VespertineIconoclast]

49. The mouse that ate the snake...

I like that! :)

Did you get the rattlesnake from a restaurant?

[Left Is Write]

46. I've never eaten anything all that weird - snails and alligator are about the weirdest.

[VespertineIconoclast]

50. Alligator meat is good.

I've never tried snail, but I wouldn't imagine that it's all that bad.

[Left Is Write]

51. The snails were okay, but I wouldn't go out of my way to have them again.

I think they might have been a little overcooked. There wasn't much flavor other than the garlic butter we dipped them in.

[VespertineIconoclast]

72. Overcooking is the best way to ruin invertebrates during preparation.

A tough, rubbery texture turns you away from the flavor.

[Seabiscuit]

52. Dog brains, tripe, and cow's tongue. All in Paris, France. Never again.

No one told me what I was eating until it was too late.

Escargot tasted fine in that nice sauce, and all, until I began reflecting on the rubbery texture and what it was I was actually eating.

[VespertineIconoclast]

57. Dog brains...!

In Paris no less...? I'm sorry you got tricked into eating those things. I find that once I've made the decision to eat something it's best not to think about it too much because that's the best way to get through it....

[Seabiscuit]

161. Actually, no one tricked me. I picked out the dishes.

It's just that the people I was with didn't tell me what it was until I was *almost* finished, which is probably the cruelest way to handle it. Each time it was at a student restaurant. My French friend, a medical student at the time (I was studying at the Sorbonne), was someone I'd hosted in the U.S. as a foreign exchange student during my senior year in high school. He had a twisted sense of humor.

[VespertineIconoclast]

163. With friends like those....

:D

[Seabiscuit]

166. Mind you, this was 1966. I haven't seen that guy since 1971.

[hippywife]

55. Live ants.

But not on purpose. I used to drink kool-aid and would take a glass to bed with me at night. One time I woke up in the morning and took a drink in the dark. I soon found a few of them crawling on my chin and couldn't figure out at first where they had come from...until I got a little light on and looked at my glass.

[VespertineIconoclast]

58. That had to have been an unpleasant surprise.

Hopefully, they didn't sting you too badly.

[Nikia]

66. My dad ate live ants on purpose

As part of teaching boy scout wilderness survival.

[ronnykmarshall]

56. Pickled tongue

I love it. I have it when I go back home to Bakersfield. It's served at Basque restaurants. There is a large Basque community there. Some of the best food I've eaten. I grew up on the stuff.

Even Barbra Streisand and James Brolin have eaten at one of the restaurants (Wool Growers) in Bakersfield.

[VespertineIconoclast]

59. Pickled cow's tongue?

I tend to like almost anything that is pickled.

[ronnykmarshall]

60. Yeah.

It's really good. When I was a kid we would go out for Basque food and I would NEVER eat it. I tried it and I loved it. My mom made it a few times. mmmmm! mmm!

[HuffleClaw]

64. when i was a young teen my dad raved about steak & kidney pie

that was available at a place that was famous for its pies. i almost vomited. blech. i've since has sushi, escargot & haggis.

[VespertineIconoclast]

67. If you're not prepared for it...

the flavor of beef kidney and liver can throw you. I remember the first time I tried it....

[smitty]

70. Sea cucumber. Tried it, it was O.K., wouldn't go out of my way

to eat it again.

[VespertineIconoclast]

76. With sushi, right?

Yeah, sea cucumber is sort of unimpressive as far as flavor.

[William Bloode]

73. Other than a few of my teeth, hog testicles.

Not too mention brains and eggs, rattle snake, and gator. The snake and gator were common when i was in and out of Florida. The teeth, testicles, and brains are a staple here in hillbilly land.

[VespertineIconoclast]

77. Eating your own teeth couldn't have been fun.

You have tried quite a lot of things. Do you eat any of them on a semi-regular basis?

[William Bloode]

90. I don't know, i thought i was having a ball!

Hogs balls are good on occasion. I would eat snake, and gator more if it was available where i live now.

[VespertineIconoclast]

99. When you said eating your teeth...

I just pictured a fight and the accidental swallowing of teeth....

[William Bloode]

100. That was the case.

But i like fighting, and was a pro/semi pro for many years.

[VespertineIconoclast]

103. Thanks for explaining.

There is a commercial on Spike TV for their UFC show. If you haven't seen it, this guy gets his face kicked in by his opponent and his teeth go flying in slow motion. It makes me grimace every time.

[MissB]

74. Black and White pudding, in Ireland.

Which of course isn't really pudding. It was served at every freakin' breakfast on our two week trip, except one.

[VespertineIconoclast]

78. I haven't had either puddings.

I know that the black pudding is made with blood and the white pudding is made with a lot fat. Would you eat them again?

[MissB]

130. Never, willingly.

I tried them the first time around, not knowing what the hell it was.

[NewJeffCT]

75. One area I'm conservative is food... some fungus was the strangest I've eaten

No strange meats that I can recall.

[VespertineIconoclast]

79. Nothing wrong with that....

:)

[graywarrior]

80. Natto.

And I lurve it.

[VespertineIconoclast]

81. All this talk about natto around DU...

is making me want to try it. I had never heard of the stuff until today....

[graywarrior]

93. Some people HATE it. I love it.

Mix it with mustard and scallions. OMG.

[VespertineIconoclast]

95. Add mustard and scallions...

two of my favorites. I'm definitely trying this natto stuff. :thumbsup:

[GoneOffShore]

83. Strange is as strange does

As far as what I eat is concerned the weirdest thing I've ever eaten were Chicken McNuggets - artificial chicken taste, hot, salty, and a synthetic mouth feel.

The only things listed here that I wouldn't eat are the insects and some of the more obscure Chinese dishes - mostly based on how a lot of Chinese food feels in the mouth.

[VespertineIconoclast]

85. Chicken McNuggets...

great answer! The food industry loves to push it's processed animal parts on us and call it real food.

[GoneOffShore]

159. I'm so glad that you got that

I'm in the middle of The Omnivores Dilemma right now and am determined not to turn into a walking corn chip.

[Bjornsdotter]

84. Horse

I've eaten horse meat. Weird for the states but not for Scandinavia, although it really isn't as common anymore.

Cheers

[VespertineIconoclast]

88. When I read your response of horse...

the movie "O Brother, Where art thou?" popped into my head.... How did the horse taste?

[Bjornsdotter]

91. Okay

As a child I had it in burger form and just a few years back on a sandwich as a lunch meat.

If you are ever in Sweden and the package of deli meat says "hamburger"....it's not. :evilgrin:

Cheers

[VespertineIconoclast]

97. Those evil Swedes!

Trying to trick us innocent Americans with their mislabeled meat! :evilgrin:

[undeterred]

87. elephant with pineapple

I was out in the middle of the jungle forest in Central African Republic. The elephant was killed by some hunters for its ivory tusks, and the local people cut up the animal and cooked/served ate it - in an area where food was badly needed.

I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that I was eating elephant. Tasted like smoked, gamey meat. No refrigeration out there, so it has to go quickly. The grain on the meat was huge. No ill effects from it, and I was pretty hungry that day.

The pineapple was awesome.

[VespertineIconoclast]

89. Wow! What an unique experience you had.

I can imagine that the grains of the meat would be huge with an animal that large.

[undeterred]

92. It changes the way you think about food

when you are around people who are hungry a lot of the time.

If you were hungry all the time it would make you angry that people give food to dogs and cats when humans are starving.

If you were hungry all the time you would not think too hard about eating the meat of an endangered species.

I was in tribal africa, living with missionaries, and somewhere during the summer I found out that the tribe where I was living used to practice cannibalism. Of course the missionaries put a "moral" stop to that practice. But I never understood if the practice was related to a belief system or had anything to do with hunger.

[VespertineIconoclast]

98. Absolutely.

I'm a big believer in traveling and trying new ways of life. Few here in the US will get the opportunity to try the things you did.

[RevolutionaryActs]

101. Not me personally, but my dad once ate Capybara while traveling

in South America. He said it tasted kind of like chicken. :shrug:

[VespertineIconoclast]

104. Those capybaras are huge ass rodents.

I can see them having some good meat on them though.

[Pushed To The Left]

107. I ate a fish eye a few years ago!

My dad, both my sisters and myself went to a Mexican restaurant. I ordered fish, and the fish was looking at me! I don't remember how intentional it was, but I do remember eating a fish eye. It was okay, but the rest of the fish was much better! A little less weird: I had escargo for the first time a few months ago. Very similar to mushrooms, even though it's snail meat.

Now, as a kid, it was weirder than that. I liked eating the powder my mom used for her face! I guess I liked the chalky texture. I also ate some of our dog's jerkey treats in my youth, which actually weren't too bad.

[VespertineIconoclast]

113. Quite the exotic palate you have there.

:)

When I was a child, I liked to eat Elmer's paste.... Thank goodness I grew out of it!

[Nicole]

108. Ostrich and Emu

Both tastes like chicken. Cliche' but true. :rofl:

[VespertineIconoclast]

114. I would love to know how the birds were prepared.

:)

I bet it was delicious.

[Nicole]

131. They were both grilled.

They were cut into steaks, marinated & then grilled. It was delicious. :9

[VespertineIconoclast]

133. Sounds delicious.

And if they taste like chicken -- I love grilled chicken! :thumbsup:

[achtung_circus]

110. Muktuk. nt

[VespertineIconoclast]

115. Did you eat it in the traditional method?

How did it taste?

[achtung_circus]

120. Traditional manner, yes, being careful of my nose.

It was greasy and disgusting- I choked down one bite, machismo, or to be able to post in this thread, I don't know. It was about 20 years ago.

[VespertineIconoclast]

128. That had to have been an interesting experience at least.

Whale blubber -- I think I would have choked it down myself....

[Saphire]

111. a cow tongue and cow heart,.. oh, and some goat.

[VespertineIconoclast]

116. Jamaican jerk goat is so good.

Beef tongue and heart can be overwhelming in large quantities....

[Sabriel]

112. Head cheese

It's actually quite tasty.

But then again, I like lutefisk, too....

[VespertineIconoclast]

119. I'm a fan of head cheese myself.

But where I'm from, we call it souse and I agree it is quite tasty.

I've never had lutefisk though.

[jobycom]

127. I liked it when I was younger..

Haven't had it since moving away from Mississippi. Now I've vegetarian, so I have a good excuse never to test my memory of it again. The main thing I remember are all the white flecks...

[WCGreen]

117. Trixie....

[VespertineIconoclast]

121. ...

...? I'm going to play dumb. ...I don't know what your response means....

[leeroysphitz]

118. A junebug.

When I was three.

[VespertineIconoclast]

122. The beautiful curiosity of a child.

I bet your parents never let you live it down. :)

[leeroysphitz]

136. My mom still gets creeped out when she remembers the crunching

sounds... Yuck.

[VespertineIconoclast]

141. Ha ha ha! n/t

[jobycom]

126. I've eaten those

Always wear a helmet.

[Generic Brad]

124. Deep fried shrimp shell with the antennas and legs

I will ingest anything. The only thing I have seen on this list I have not tried is llama.

[VespertineIconoclast]

129. Do you travel a lot?

Some of the things listed are definitely regionally specific.

[Generic Brad]

135. I do not

But I am a firm believer that you cannot understand other cultures unless you eat their food. My wife and I have a pretty eclectic set of friends from all over the world. Food is the gateway to international peace and some pretty interesting conversations.

But now I see two foods on the list I know I have not tried -- dog brains and junebugs. Everything else I have sampled. The thing I liked the least was natto. I think that is a guy thing.

[VespertineIconoclast]

139. I agree with your philosophy.

The elephant and muktuk seem like the most difficult on the foods listed above to me simply because both foods come from endangered species. But, your friends must be pretty well connected or something....

[Generic Brad]

147. There's elephant on the list? I never ate one of those big boys

But we have run with a pretty international since we met over 20 years ago. There is nothing like a potluck with people from six continents bringing food.

[VespertineIconoclast]

149. Post #87

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=6203169&mesg_id=6203797
The explanation behind the elephant feast was good too -- post #92 http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=6203169&mesg_id=6203839


I have international friends also and it's amazing how they help expand your perspective on things. Food is an excellent way to connect people. :)

[Chan790]

137. I chew espresso beans at work.

mostly for the caffeine, but also for the taste. They're sweet and smoky and earthy. Yum!

[VespertineIconoclast]

140. You must have an iron-cast stomach.

;)

I can't even drink espresso because it goes right through me.

[Chan790]

144. Well...

I'm a barista so the 900 cups of coffee, tea and latte I drank during training pretty well shellacked my guts against any future illness.

[VespertineIconoclast]

148. That is the greatness!

:D

[w8liftinglady]

142. mountain oysters-bull testicles

of course-battered with bar-b -cue sauce....delicious

[VespertineIconoclast]

150. Did you know what they were while you were eating them?

But, I'm glad that you enjoyed them.

[w8liftinglady]

152. well..I was somewhat intoxicated...but-yes

[dysfunctional press]

145. this one goth chick i met in a bar...

nt

[VespertineIconoclast]

151. ...

...I'll pretend you didn't take the thread there.... :yoiks:

[w8liftinglady]

153. LOL!!!...let's not go THERE

[City Lights]

146. Bear, rattlesnake, lion, and alligator.

It was an odd gift given to the brother of a guy I was dating. His wife prepared all of it for the rest of the family.

[VespertineIconoclast]

154. The bear and the lion is throwing me.

Both of those are apex predators in their regions of habitat. Did you like them?

[City Lights]

155. It was a long time ago, but IIRC, the bear or lion reminded me

of a pork chop. The bear and lion were tolerable, but the rattlesnake and alligator were not.

[VespertineIconoclast]

156. Sounds tasty.

Too bad you didn't like the rattlesnake and alligator because they are so much more easily accessible than lion or bear.

[City Lights]

158. I've gone vegetarian since then.

I also ate some unidentified bugs at the bottom of a bag of peanut M&Ms. I thought they were bits of peanuts. When I looked more closely at the bottom of the bag, I discovered they were moving. :puke:

[VespertineIconoclast]

162. You have to love how those wonderful insects get into everything that's open.

I'm sorry that you got a mouth full of live bug....

[Mr. McD]

157. Haggis

Good stuff. :)

[VespertineIconoclast]

160. I'm glad you enjoy it.

Do you eat it semi-regularly?

[Mr. McD]

178. No. I only had it on 6 occasions

On a trip to Scotland, It is not to common in the USA.

[Danger Mouse]

176. oops

nevermind. posted in the wrong place.

[alarimer]

164. Probably cabbagehead jellyfish

At one point, there were so many in the bays that some of the Vietnamese shrimpers thought they could sell them, so our agency investigated to see if there really was a market. You have to dry them out (they are 90% water) until they become sort of flat discs. It had the consistency of water chestnuts or something. Very crunchy but no flavor. I don't think the project flew.

[VespertineIconoclast]

169. Those cabbagehead jellies are prolific!

I do like water chestnuts, but I can see how the project probably wouldn't fly especially if the jellies have no flavor though.

[Lost-in-FL]

165. Gator and cow tongue

Yuck for gator, yumm for cow tongue...

[VespertineIconoclast]

170. Yuck to the gator...

you may not have had the correct person cooking them.... ;)

[Generic Brad]

173. Gator sausage with Cajun seasoning is terrific

I have yet to meet either a sausage or a Cajun dish I have not heartily enjoyed.

[Glorfindel]

167. Raccoon - it's not bad at all

Kinda gamey and dry. Usually served with sweet potatoes. Elk, moose, fried duck's feet, goat, doves, mud turtle.

[VespertineIconoclast]

171. Quite a list you got there.

Your list reminds me of the possible cuisine you would see in the countryside Northwest or some such area (Midwest possibly) with the elk and moose. Did catch you any of the animals listed?

[KitchenWitch]

168. Alligator on a stick!

Tasted like chicken.

[VespertineIconoclast]

172. Nothing beats gator on a stick!

:)

[Danger Mouse]

177. chicken feet. don't ask me how ya eat em, cause i don't get it either.

but I sure tried to.

[VespertineIconoclast]

181. An important question is...

did you like it? Was the meat tough or tender?

[doc03]

179. squirrel brains

[VespertineIconoclast]

182. How did that come about?

Were you actively hunting squirrel for the brains? Or something else?

[doc03]

185. When I was young my dad would go squirrel hunting

for a week every fall in the mountains of West Virginia. On a good year he would bring home 30 or more squirrels and the brains was my dads favorite part. My dad was raised during the Depression in West Virginia and nothing went to waste, you ate what you caught or went hungry. I tried them a couple times I still hunt squirrel but don't eat the brains.

[chknltl]

180. Live ants reply #2

Many MANY years ago when I was in Kindergarten I left my plastic toy harmonica in the yard overnight. That morning I went out, picked it up put it to my mouth and blew...nothing happened...oops musta had it in backwards... so whats a bright fellow like me going to do? Yep I did exactly that and sucked in a bunch of live ants too. I got over my phobia about harmonicas a few years back...I am still working on that "thinkin things through BEFORE doing somethin stupid" trick.

[VespertineIconoclast]

183. It sucks when stuff like that happens.

I'm sorry that you inhaled a mouth full of ants when you were younger. Hopefully, they didn't sting you too badly.