Tasty Weird Foods

Self | November 6, 2001 | PJ-Comix

[PJ-Comix]

Just to take a break from politics for a bit, I was wondering if there are others out there who also have a taste for weird exotic foods. I thought I was one of a kind in this regard until I read a newspaper article that said that there are many folks who have a hankering for exotic foods that others may find yucky.

I've eaten sea urchin eggs directly from sea urchins, cooked ox tails (or "tako" as it is called in the Phillipines), raw quail eggs, all manner of spicy European sausages such as the very garlicky Kabanosi, blood sausages in Argentina, alligator meat, and I don't even have to be drunk to eat the worm in the Mezcal bottle (although I usually am since I have to drink my way to reach it).

So what are your favorite "yucky" foods? I am always on the lookout for new exotic foods so I will be most interested in reading your comments and food suggestions.

[null and void]

If you can find an authentic Thai restaurant try the Cow Phad Ghai (Thai style chicken fried rice). The bits of meat include the part of the chicken removed from rooster to make it a capon. Actually quite yummy...

[null and void]

Spam is actually very popular in Hawaii for some reason.

World War Two...

[PJ-Comix]

The price of fame for the farmers of Vidalia, Georgia, is that squat, tasty, sweet onions are called "Vidalias" by local grocers in my state even if they are grown in Washington, not Georgia.

Um....I think there might be a law against that. How can you call an Onion a Vidalia if it is not grown in Vidalia? Remember, it's not just the onion species. The taste of the Vidalia is strongly determined by the soil it is grown in.

[The_Reader_David]

Ok, sushi (even sea urchin or salmon roe) is too tame.

I nominate cold jellyfish salad (a Chinese dish: it may have a dressing, but it's mostly just strips of jellyfish)--my wife and I order it whenever it shows up on a Chinese menu.

For runner up: unaju (fresh water eel, a Japanese dish). When I ordered this in Japan, my Japanese colleagues repeatedly tried to disuade me, insistently asking "Do you know what that is?". I had to say, "Yes, it's eel. I've had it before, and I like it. I am not being adventurous," before they would relent.

For Fraulein: the weirdest vegetarian dish (invented by my bishop during a fast, when Orthodox Christians are more-or-less vegans--we're allowed foods from animals without backbones, but as tasty invertebrates tend to be expensive, we're mostly vegan during fasts): peel and trim a carrot, smear peanut butter on a piece of pita, and place the carrot in the middle, sprinkle liberally with tabbasco (sp?) sauce, roll up and eat.

Actually if you've had Thai or Indonesian dishes which combine peanut and chilis, this isn't such on odd thing after all, but it really sounds weird at first.

[Kevin Curry]

Um....I think there might be a law against that.

Well, citizen PJ, you have no choice but to notify the onion police immediately. Get on it.

[UofHoustonRepublican]

I discovered some insanely wild snack foods at my local Asian market.

They were humongo-sized dried peas with a crunchy wasabi crust. I called it Japanese popcorn, because with the wasabi crust on them thats what they looked like. Believe me, you'll never worry 'bout sinus pressure after a bag of those bad boys!

[Mr. Mulliner]

We've gone this long in this thread without a mention of the "King of Fruits"?

What is a durian?

     Well...simply put, Durian is a fruit: a big, green thorny fruit. But wait, it is not just another exotic and expensive fruit from South East Asia. In fact, it is considered "King of the Fruit" throughout the region. Personally, I think that is an understatement of the millenium since we Asian are humble people. In fact, the actual status of Durian is "THE GOD OF ALL FRUIT!". No kidding! Yeah, yeah, I know, some (unadventurous) people would rather die than to smell the STINK of a durian. Heck, a few countries even BAN the presence of durian in selected public spots due to its offensive smell (that, to me, is a hopeless rule just like outlawing fart, when we know that it is such a pleasure and EVERYBODY secretly doing it!). Look here, I can go on and on here but let hear it from non-biased sources okay. Click HERE to see what other people have to say about durian.

[Leroy S. Mort]

Um....I think there might be a law against that. How can you call an Onion a Vidalia if it is not grown in Vidalia?

Sale of Agricultural and Forest Products: Protect the Vidalia Onion Trademark

"Summary:The Act, known as the "Vidalia Onion Trademark Act," authorizes the (Georgia) Commissioner of Agriculture to create and protect a trademark for use in connection with the sale of Vidalia onions and Vidalia onion products. The Act also authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture to impose and collect license fees or royalties for the use of the trademark.

Effective Date:July 1, 2000

[connectthedots]

The Walla Walla Onion Growers Association will not be pleased. LOL

[HomersNose]

Has anyone mentioned Fish Sauce???? I just started cooking with it...it's great! I use it in place of table salt now....only not in desserts. I use only the "Grade A"....and oh how I love Thai food! Learning how Fish Sauce is made is enough to make you gag....but this sauce really does make your taste buds stand up and beg for more. It's good for the ol' bod too.....high in protein and rich in B vitamins. Try it!

[tallhappy]

They were humongo-sized dried peas with a crunchy wasabi crust. I called it Japanese popcorn, because with the wasabi crust on them thats what they looked like. Believe me, you'll never worry 'bout sinus pressure after a bag of those bad boys!

Yeah, I've had those. And you are right about that sinus pressure thingy.

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

Best: Oven baked, garlic butter dipped snails

Worst: Oven baked, garlic butter dipped snails, minus the oven baked, garlic dipped part, replaced with fresh slime and packed in a can. Yes, it tastes as bad as it sounds. Can be found in Taiwan.

Honorable mention: fried grasshoppers...disgusting, but kosher (little known fun fact)...found in Philippines....Korea has fried crickets I believe, for a variety on this theme...

[connectthedots]

I see you are a gourmet cook. where'd you take your training?

[KneelBeforeZod]

ha! baby ducks... how about "1,000 year old eggs?" actually those are terrible. so it would be a lousy weird food.

How about a tasty weird sauce....Oyster Sauce. Sounds bad, smells BAD, but oyster beef is awesome....

[KneelBeforeZod]

"I 've spent a lifetime eating fried bologna sandwiches."

do you cut it so it doesn't get that hump in the middle?

[BunnySlippers]

Nice site. I've bookmarked it for later exploration.

[Mr. Mulliner]

I've had my share of weird foods and I can get to like most anything. Durian (see #127 above) is repulsive to many Americans, but I love it.

I should also mention a meal I had in Tibet made almost entirely of yak parts: yak meat, yak lung, yak tongue, yak stomach, yak butter tea. Sounds exotic, but what is yak but a cow that has adapted to cold weather through more hair?

In my childhood, I hat monkey stew and crocodile meat. Everyone always asks what the crocodile tastes like. I was only 5 at the time, but my answer is that same as just about everyone else's for any exotic meat: "It tastes like chicken."

[BunnySlippers]

Funny site. How 'bout that "Hot Water Soup"?

[Eagle9]

Has anyone mentioned Fish Sauce????

I've smelled it, but never tasted it intentionally.
It's used on practically every dish in Vietnam. They call it nuhcmao (phonetic spelling), but
maybe chesty puller will give the correct spelling. He knows, and loves the stuff.

BTW Chesty, could you mention a few of those delicacies that you've described on Paltalk?

[nopardons]

Yes, I'll usually flute the edges, but I don't mind that puffy thing in the middle. Fried balogna has always been a " treat " in my family. It's best on rye bread, but I'll eat it on white bread too. : - )