Monday, August 8, 2005

Monday Morning question

Krissy asks her Monday Morning Question:  What is the most unusual thing you have eaten.  Her answer, snails.

Snails, yes, ONCE, so I could say that I have.  Prepared with enough garlic butter they tasted okay, but the thought of what they were was chilling.
Squid, called calimari, it is edible, but like snails, you'd rather not know.
In the plant world, Avocados, Artichoke, Asparagus.  I'm not giving you an alpabetical list, it just happens that they all begin with A. 

In the fruit realm, mango, pomegranate, and my all time favorite taste treat, Cumquats.  I could eat them my the handful.  Sweet peel, and tart fruit on the inside. Red grapefruit and blood oranges aren't very unusual, but are somewhat rare.  Tiny Tot canned sardines from the North Sea are rare, and expensive.  You eat the whole fish, smaller than a lead pencil.  Head and all.

And Grunion.  a fish you catch by hand.  Nets and scoops not allowed.  At certain phases of the moon the high tide washes schools of grunion onto the southern California beach to spawn.  You are allowed to catch as many as you can... by hand.  You have the lenth of time between one wave and the next.  Yes, you get wet, and no, you dont get many.  Like tiny tot sardines, you fry em and eat 'em whole. They have laid their eggs by the time you grab them so you are not upsetting the balance of nature. Besides you have to be lucky enough to be on the right beach at the right time. Many young lovers have gone on a sucessful "grunion hunt" and come home happy, wet, and sandy, having never seen a fish.

Paula in comment below says she has eaten deer and wild hog.  That is pretty unusual.

Venison is pretty rare.  someone gave us a side of deer, all frozen and wrapped.  We ate none so put it out for trash man, who recovered it and took it home.  Enough for weeks. Wild hog sounds interesting, too. Have heard of folks who eat Bear, and Possum, and Coon.  I guess people in general will eat anything that doesn't eat them. And some things who do... like shark. Japanese eat dolphins and whales... in such quantities that the species are endangered.

And for some really bizarre entrees, read all the comments below. Thanks folks.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Guess I live a boring life. Can't think of a thing unusual I have eaten. I do like to eat though and sure like my chocolate. Use to eat vinison and wild hog, but don't even do that anymore. Paula

Anonymous said...

I love avacados and artichokes.  Asparagus is good too.  Pomegranates are to die for, as are red grape fruits and blood oranges. (See, I told you my Dad fed us well, lol.)   I have never tried deer or wild hog or any of those other gamey things and I never will, lol.  

Krissy
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink

Anonymous said...

I had Beluga caviar and real foie gras five years ago on New Year's Eve.  The caviar was the best I'd ever had.  Of course you have to like fish eggs, and I've been hooked since I tasted salmon roe in sixth grade.  And you can't think about how they make foie gras [force feeding geese] or you could lose your appettie. Ours was the authentic French stuff, sent by someone's mother  over there, whose neighbor down the road makes it for friends. It was delicious and smooth and buttery, not coarse like chicken livers.  I also had elk on my birthday last year out in Montana.  Wow, fantastic. It tasted like beef steak.  Not gamey at all.  This is making me hungry.  Mrs. L

Anonymous said...

Oh! I forgot to tell Krissy that I've tried buffalo and ostrich too. LOL

Anonymous said...

I've always wondered what a kumquat tasted like. I may just have to try if I can find one. Love that sweet 'n sour thing. I'm not very adventurous myself, but have tasted raw fish, octopus and calamari. Venison too - although I was tricked into that one and made my mom feel so bad about serving me "Bambi" haha. ~ Lori

Anonymous said...

I'm from the country chittlins use to be something we all had at my grand fathers during the fall at hog killing time. I love all things I've ever eaten i'm a country girl all the way and from a family of hunters and fisherman.

come on over and visit my girlfriends new journal to j-land and give her a big j-land welcome

Anonymous said...

Love elk, deerantelope never tired bear yuck. What about rocky mountain oysters (bull balls) not my parents say they are good yuck

Deb

Anonymous said...

Oh, Chuck, Some more really gross things!  I didn't know there were so many gross things in the world!  

Love, Krissy
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink

Anonymous said...

I have ate raw oysters and Quail. Hubby wants me to eat Menudo but he told me it is the inside of a cows intestines or stomach lining. I don't know about that since it is pretty much raw. It is just warmed up.   But my sons love Menudo. http://journals.aol.com/kraztweety2/MyBoringLifeInHesperia

Anonymous said...

The worst thing i remember eating [and this was many years ago]..was horsemeat..they sold it at the corner market..im guessing it may not have been for human consumption..tho i could be wrong there..[this was in the '60s]..but my parents use to buy it on a regular basis..it was wickedly dry and digusting.. i remember crying [literally] when it was served..but there was little money and i was a hungry bear!..thankfully they did stop purchasing 'ed' after a while ..not sure if it was taken off the market..haha..or the fact that none of us[5 kids]..wanted to eat it!

Anonymous said...

Chuck,
Enjoyed your mussings. keep it up.
Cathy