Want something different to eat?

[crazycanuck]

This link is NOT for the faint of heart or of odd stomachs. I don't think haggis should be on the list as it's oooo soo yymmmmmyyy :D

http://www.news.com.au/travel/gallery/0,23607,5038894-5007153-4,00.html

I wonder what fried spiders taste like? I might want to have some Gastrolite at the same time ;)

I wanted to try a few local delicacies in the Philippines but chickened out as I could not face a bad tummy on the long bumpy bus ride ahead..

[shootingstar]

A sister and her hubby tried fried insects (can't remember what type) when they were vacationing in Vietnam just 3 years ago. It was fine. After all, they've been cooked.

There are some (rare) Asian delicacies, where it's considered gourmet to eat it live. Like squirming shrimp. This most definitely I could not stomache.

When I was up in the Arctic, Iqualuit I could not bring myself to try seal blubber. With modern convenience, it can be had frozen, then thawed.

Let's see, I better rehydrate some dried wood ear fungus (mushroom floppy thing that grows off of trees) one day. That pkg. has been sitting around in our pantry..plus the dried tiger lily buds (for steamed meat dishes).

[andtckrtoo]

I don't have a particularly odd or weak stomach, but there's a lot there I could not eat. Spiders give me the heebeejeebee's even when they're small - I could not eat a big spider. *shudders*

I just am thankful that my DH is East Indian and his family is vegetarian. I can eat any form of vegetable, so I'm okay there.

[shootingstar]

I just am thankful that my DH is East Indian and his family is vegetarian. I can eat any form of vegetable, so I'm okay there.


This would include all types of underwater vegetables, ie. seaweed? Meaning in its original, washed leafy/linguini-like form (depending on the type of seaweed)? :rolleyes: The toasted, pressed seaweed sheet for sushi, nori is abit different.

[TsPoet]

One of my biggest disappointments in myself has been that I didn't eat fried caterpillars when I had the chance. I was in Mbare Zimbabwe in 1995. It was a fascinating experience, young children kept running up to me and rubbing my skin, but when I reached out for them, they'd run away. (I'm white as white, with a tendency to flush red at any provocation).
I watched some women make bags out of milk cartons (their version of sandwich bags), and they offered me what they were snacking on like french fries - fried caterpillars. I turned them down (hopefully politely) and have always regretted it.

[andtckrtoo]

This would include all types of underwater vegetables, ie. seaweed? Meaning in its original, washed leafy/linguini-like form (depending on the type of seaweed)? :rolleyes: The toasted, pressed seaweed sheet for sushi, nori is abit different.

I'd TRY it - not sure I would eat more than a bite or two, but I would try it, yes. I could not even venture to try some of the stuff on that site. *shudders*

[gnat23]

http://www.thesneeze.com/mt-archives/cat_steve_dont_eat_it.php

Don't read any time near any meal. Other than that, it's a hysterical review of eating potted meat food, pickled pork rinds, cuitlacoche, Beggin' Strips...

-- gnat!

[wackyjacky1]

http://www.thesneeze.com/mt-archives/cat_steve_dont_eat_it.php

Don't read any time near any meal. Other than that, it's a hysterical review of eating potted meat food, pickled pork rinds, cuitlacoche, Beggin' Strips...

-- gnat!
That is one of the funniest things I have ever read!!! :D :D :D

[shootingstar]

Will say this:

When my mother first immigrated to Canada from China, she couldn't stand the smell of yogurt for the first few months. She wanted to vomit. It IS fermented milk.

It depends on the food the person grew up with. A matter of cultural context.

[cylegoddess]

The first site was scary, Im a veggie!
By the second one( steve dont eat that) I was looking at it while eating my salad. if that isnt a sign that I no longer have a eating disorder, I dont know what is? ( Oh SOOO gross!! I wont spoil it but worth a look. 0
I really want to try that tree mushroom now! Yum, fake chicken!

[badger]

I hate to say it, but most Asian cultures sure eat the grossest things. One of the things I actually like, but would never try if I've never had it before is "natto", fermented soybeans. Stinks, is sticky beyond anything you can imagine, and has a mushy consistency. Who in the world decided to EAT it?! (in reality it's actually quite good for you)

[cylegoddess]

Ive eaten it. Some varietys are yum, yum, pigs bum! A co cop near me amkes the best natto in the world, Smells great and is marvelous on mashed. Too bad Im now not allowed soy:(
Of all things to mention though, esp after PIG LIPS!

[smilingcat]

We have a saying, "Anything between heaven and hell is fair game". Well this applies to the Chinese.

People of Hunan are notoriously famous or is that infamous about their culinary adventure. Even the Chinese have a saying regarding the people of Hunan, "They will eat anything on four legs except a chair." Yes they will try dogs. Yes they have a dish called Phoenix, dragon, and tiger. I'm not sure the order. Phoenix is chicken??, dragon is a snake and tiger is a house cat.

Nope I don't think so. But then again, I will have pork every once in a while. Beef every once in a while and definitly no fried rat. I've had horse meat but not here in US. Muslims and Jews may not appreciate pork and Hindus may not appreciate beef. South east asians with the fried rat may be disappointed if you pass on the fried rat.

Natto... I'm Japanese and I can't stand that stuff. The first person who tried the stuff must have been awfully hungry or desperate. The smell, the sticky texture, and the brown color. All the way gross. My younger sister used to taunt me with the stuff on hot rice to make it more "aromatic". But that's okay cause she thought green bell pepper, aka capsicum, was gross, yummmm.

No bugs though. No sea cucumber or other nudabranchs (sp). Closest thing to a bug is honey.

[OakLeaf]

I don't know why a land bug is any different from a water bug (shrimp, lobster, crawdad, langostino)? Other than eating the exoskeleton I suppose, but you eat the exoskeleton of shrimp heads if you get tempura heads with amaebi.

I don't care for the texture of sea cucumber. It's pretty similar to tongue.

I don't think I've ever had fresh raw sea vegetables, but I love reconstituted dried ones. Arame is a little strong flavored for me though. The seaweed salad that you get in restaurants or pre-packaged in stores, I'm not sure how that's prepared, but that's tasty too.

Fermented products I think are very much an acquired taste in any culture (except alcoholic beverages I guess :D). I grew up with Chinese preserved tofu, but I'm a little scared to try natto. The way I understand it, most people who grew up in cultures where dairy isn't eaten, are repelled by dairy cheeses (although this is the first I've heard about yogurt, which is pretty mild flavored). I've turned DH into almost as adventurous an eater as myself, but he can't stand the smell of kimchi, can't even have it in the house, which is such a bummer because I love the stuff. If I buy a jar I have to take it outside to eat. :D

It does seem that there's a strong cultural bias to that story. Why show the Bolivian version of "Rocky Mountain oysters" when they're a familiar food to anyone who raises cattle in the USA or around the world?

[smilingcat]

Oh... Oakleaf just reminded me of something.

Yes amaebi is yummy. It's a bug you say?? same with crabs, lobster and longastinos??

Okay so I like bugs. Spaking of which, land bugs. Oh just remembered, I love Escargot. But then, you are mostly eating butter, garlic, parsley and salt. ;)

BTW Oakleaf, I see your avatar is now a morel. Please and them over to me.

[uk elephant]

One of my biggest disappointments in myself has been that I didn't eat fried caterpillars when I had the chance. I was in Mbare Zimbabwe in 1995. It was a fascinating experience, young children kept running up to me and rubbing my skin, but when I reached out for them, they'd run away. (I'm white as white, with a tendency to flush red at any provocation).
I watched some women make bags out of milk cartons (their version of sandwich bags), and they offered me what they were snacking on like french fries - fried caterpillars. I turned them down (hopefully politely) and have always regretted it.

I did try them, when I was in Botswana. The kitchen staff used to cook them up in a bit pot with tomatoy sauce for their own dinner and brought us out a taste one day. The caterpillars themselves didn't taste of much, but felt a bit weird to eat with the prickly crunchy yet soft (because they were cooked) exterior. I never quite got around to tasting them as a dried snack. There were people selling them from huge sacks at the market and I should have had a try. Next time...

[Zen]

I think I need some buttered toast and tea right about now :o
Or maybe saltines and gingerale

[PamNY]

I think I need some buttered toast and tea right about now

In Tibet, they put the butter in the tea.

Pam

[OakLeaf]

That would be rancid yak butter I believe. :D

[PamNY]

That would be rancid yak butter I believe. :D

So I've heard. But I didn't want to mention it until Zen has a chance to finish her ginger ale.

Pam

[tctrek]

I have one word... YUCK!

[Fujichants]

My Chinese grandma eats turtle soup...there's a whole turtle in there, shell and all. Yuck.

Anybody remember that dinner scene from Indiana Jones (was it even Indiana Jones?), where they cut open the snake and all the baby snakes slither out? I was a kid when I saw that, and to this day it still creeps me out.

[cylegoddess]

I had a good and interesting snack yesterday.
Fried, compresses and healvily salted, garlicky and chilied seaweed. Ate the whole bag. About 300 cal for the whole bag. Yum yum , pigs bum!

[OakLeaf]

"Fried and chilled"? Okay, you got me. That's gross. :p

[shootingstar]

I just discovered the Chinese herbal soup recipe my mother occasionally made and fed some of us. It was when we had mouth cankers..well, won't get into the Chinese folk medicine terms on this.

http://www.homemade-chinese-soups.com/healthy-chicken-soup.html
Chinese wolfberries = gonji berries that is the hot chic thing these days. Not sure if other people even realize it has been used in herbal soups for centuries.

I actually appreciated having the soup as a kid. Only a small bowl was necessary to do its thing.