NationStates Jolt Archive

This is a thread about unusual foodstuffs. I've seen threads on food here before, but my intention is to have this one be specifically about foods that you enjoy which are unusual, or which you have been ridiculed or just generally looked askance at for enjoying.

One of mine is goat's milk. Just about everyone loves feta (though it's often made with ewe's milk, which is similar), but not too many like the raw material. It tastes like goat - there's no denying that, and in my experience, that's very offputting for most people. Some enthusiasts will deny its distinctive taste when compared to cow's milk, thinking they're doing a service, PR-wise, and it's sad, because there's nothing wrong with goatiness. In fact, I'll take alfalfa or general browse-fed goat's milk over the usually-milder grain-fed milk any day. It's just great. Might be a little expensive if you live on the East or West Coast, but being a midwesterner for much of my existence has meant good, affordable milk for me.

So that's the sort of thing I'm interested in. Is any food like this to you?

Poll question, just out of curiosity: would you roast and consume an amputated limb if you had the option? I don't mean one that has been mangled in an accident. I mean one that has been severed cleanly by a surgeon in sterile conditions and dressed by a qualified butcher. I absolutely would if it were my arm, although it would be partly out of spite, since I have an arm that causes me bewildering and almost unbearable pain most of the time, for reasons unknown. It's not uncommon for people with paralyzed limbs to choose amputation, and, imagining that scenario, I can't help but relish the thought of taking revenge on my increaingly-useless arm by enjoying it as a delicious roast.

Sorry if that sounded a bit out-of-left-field, but mentioning it to an acquaintance earned me a very disapproving look, which I don't think I deserved. I could use a little validation. :p

Err no eating human limbs is for fucking psychopaths.

I quite like Taramesalata (or however the hell you spell it), and know a lot of people who don't.

Err no eating human limbs is for fucking psychopaths.

I quite like Taramesalata (or however the hell you spell it), and know a lot of people who don't.

It'd be cruelty-free, remember. That was my scenario.

Taramasalata's a new word for me. Looks good, though, in pictures.

It'd be cruelty-free, remember. That was my scenario.
Yeah cannibalism is from a time where humanity was fucking lame and couldn't go to the shop for a pizza or whatever. Shine on all that shit.

Strangest food I ever encountered was "drunken shrimp" at a catered dinner party in Beijing. It's a pretty literal name: live shrimp in a pot of liquor. The shrimp passes out from the alcohol and the human eats it alive.

I thought this was amazingly decadent anthropocentric hubris even by damn Chinese standards.

Yeah cannibalism is from a tribe where humanity was fucking lame and couldn't go to the shop for a pizza or whatever. Shine on all that shit.

Ancient Europeans and Asians were cannibals equal to any that you're probably thinking of. But I understand the taboo. I'm proposing a scenario that I think would vitiate that taboo, but I don't expect everyone to agree.

Strangest food I ever encountered was "drunken shrimp" at a catered dinner party in Beijing. It's a pretty literal name: live shrimp in a pot of liquor. The shrimp passes out from the alcohol and the human eats it alive.

I thought this was amazingly decadent anthropocentric hubris even by damn Chinese standards.

I've heard of Japanese restaurants serving still-technically-alive fried fish, but your story is better. Did you try it? How was the taste compared with shrimp in general?

I've heard of Japanese restaurants serving still-technically-alive fried fish, but your story is better. Did you try it? How was the taste compared with shrimp in general?

I tried it. The taste was pretty much liquor. The texture was "raw shrimp flesh and carapace". It didn't repel the tastebuds but it wasn't proactively delicious either.

Many people think that some foods I like are strange, or plain disgusting, like:

roasted frogs
ragout of snails
eels
cow brains, liver, kidneys
tripe


Oy by the way, I guess that if you plunge a living being into liquor, it dies (it doesn't just pass out).
As for goat milk, yeuch. Not because of "goat", because of "milk". I hate milk - I like it only if duly transformed into butter, cheese, bechamel or yogurt. I find strange that people like milk. Bleah.:p

Many people think that some foods I like are strange, or plain disgusting, like:

roasted frogs
ragout of snails
eels
cow brains, liver, kidneys
tripe

Oy by the way, I guess that if you plunge a living being into liquor, it dies (it doesn't just pass out).
As for goat milk, yeuch. Not because of "goat", because of "milk". I hate milk - I like it only if duly transformed into butter, cheese, bechamel or yogurt. I find strange that people like milk. Bleah.:p

I have to admit that the idea of eating snails has always disturbed me a little, and probably without cause. They're out of my price range by a good sight, so I haven't had the option of trying one yet, but after stepping on so many as a kid, it's just hard to get my mind around tasting one. :tongue:

I tried it. The taste was pretty much liquor. The texture was "raw shrimp flesh and carapace". It didn't repel the tastebuds but it wasn't proactively delicious either.

That makes sense. Weird. :)

Many people think that some foods I like are strange, or plain disgusting, like:

roasted frogs
ragout of snails
eels
cow brains, liver, kidneys
tripe


Oy by the way, I guess that if you plunge a living being into liquor, it dies (it doesn't just pass out).

I do hope it died before I chewed it up. Now that I think of it, before it died of alcohol poisoning the shrimp probably died first from the liquor's composition being different from that of its natural salt water environment :)

I live in central Queensland at the moment, so while its rather urbane and boring to most people now, I always get strange looks when I explain what sushi and sashimi consist of. And worse looks when I say I eat it.

another food that causes consternation among some of my friends when I say I eat it is plain cheese (cheddar or tasty) and honey sandwiches.

another food that causes consternation among some of my friends when I say I eat it is plain cheese (cheddar or tasty) and honey sandwiches.

That sounds like an interesting mix of flavors. Did you come up with the idea, or is it common with some people?

I've eaten duck tongues, chicken feet, sea cucumbers, cow brains, tripe, kidneys, pigs' ears, coagulated hog's blood, pate, oxtail, pork snout, etc., etc. I want to go to Slovenia and try dormouse.

I eat peanut butter and bacon sandwiches. Apparently this is unusual? I get strange looks and weird questions sometimes from other people in the kitchen.

Snails are good too.

EDIT: Also, I've eaten chitlins, live octopus, pizza made with American cheese (it is substantially worst tasting than it sounds, and it sounds pretty damn nasty) and cow's brains. I didn't like any of them (did I mention that pizza topped with American cheese taste nastier than it sounds, and that it should sound pretty damn nasty to anyone whose had the misfortune of eating American cheese?), so I guess they don't qualify.

I eat peanut butter and bacon sandwiches. Apparently this is unusual? I get strange looks and weird questions sometimes from other people in the kitchen.

Snails are good too.

EDIT: Also, I've eaten chitlins, live octopus, pizza made with American cheese (it is substantially worst tasting than it sounds, and it sounds pretty damn nasty) and cow's brains. I didn't like any of them (did I mention that pizza topped with American cheese taste nastier than it sounds, and that it should sound pretty damn nasty to anyone whose had the misfortune of eating American cheese?), so I guess they don't qualify.

Peanut butter and bacon was the original peanut butter sandwich, before the idea of adding a sugary substance to it was considered, at least according to the History Channel. I believe it, though. Peanuts and meat go well together, and unsweetened or less-sweetened peanut butter with meats sounds pretty good. American cheese, on the other hand, is good for almost nothing, other than grilled cheese sandwiches. :tongue:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casu_marzu

Article speaks for itself.

I am well known in my circle of friends for having an insatiable appetite for Indian pickles. I go through gigantic jars of the stuff within a few weeks, when it really should be lasting me months, if not the whole year.

Live octopus.

I once also had a meal in London. Never again.

live octopus, live squid. goat cheese pizza. live fish. dog meat. horse. not much i wotn eat if a culture somewhere considers it food.

Peanut butter and bacon was the original peanut butter sandwich, before the idea of adding a sugary substance to it was considered, at least according to the History Channel. I believe it, though. Peanuts and meat go well together, and unsweetened or less-sweetened peanut butter with meats sounds pretty good. American cheese, on the other hand, is good for almost nothing, other than grilled cheese sandwiches. :tongue:

And it all came back crashing with the Fool's Gold Loaf. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fool's_Gold_Loaf)

And it all came back crashing with the Fool's Gold Loaf. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fool's_Gold_Loaf)
That makes me feel somewhat nauseous. Not the jelly part, I've considered sticking jelly into a peanut butter and bacon sandwich before, but the idea of a whole pound of each.
Eugh.
I wonder what the texture is like when you eat it. I imagine it would be a huge fucking mess.

I've eaten duck tongues, chicken feet, sea cucumbers, cow brains, tripe, kidneys, pigs' ears, coagulated hog's blood, pate, oxtail, pork snout, etc., etc. I want to go to Slovenia and try dormouse.

Duck tongues: overrated.
Chicken feet: overrated, a lot.
Sea cucumbers: never tried, it's a protected species here.
Cow brains: nice.
Tripe: great.
Kidney: fundamental, how can one prepare a good ragout without kidney?
Pigs' ears: meh. Nothing special.
Coagulated blood, aka sanguinaccio: very good.
Paté: is that a strange food? Really? Anyway, fois gras rules.
Oxtail: never tried, next time I'll go to Rome I will (coda alla vaccinara is tipical over there)
Pork snout: nothing special.

Oxtail: never tried, next time I'll go to Rome I will (coda alla vaccinara is .

Get Oxtail in Seoul. much better.

live octopus, live squid. goat cheese pizza. live fish. dog meat. horse. not much i wotn eat if a culture somewhere considers it food.

I like my octopus DEAD, and roasted with parsley, garlic, olive oil and red chili (polpo alla livornese).
Squids, meh. Nothing special unless fried.
Horse meat is very good, but tastes strange the first time because it's sweeter than ox meat. I eat horse steaks, horse bresaola, and horse brasato.

Anyway, anyone should try donkey. It's wonderfuckfulalicious.

I like my octopus DEAD, and roasted with parsley, garlic, olive oil and red chili (polpo alla livornese).
Squids, meh. Nothing special unless fried.
Horse meat is very good, but tastes strange the first time because it's sweeter than ox meat. I eat horse steaks, horse bresaola, and horse brasato.

Anyway, anyone should try donkey. It's wonderfuckfulalicious.

As for squid a little sesame oil and sesame oil and served fresh works really well.
I also left out rattle snake. when i went to the rattle snake round up in sweet water Texas.

Get Oxtail in Seoul. much better.

Mh.
Milano - Roma. 100 € hi-speed train ticket (there and back again).
Milano - Seoul. 1428 € economy-class airplane ticket (there and back again).

Somehow, I have a feeling that I will first try the roman-style oxtail.
;)

I also left out rattle snake. when i went to the rattle snake round up in sweet water Texas.

Meh. If I'll ever go to Texas I'll give a try. Here we have only vipers.

Mh.
Milano - Roma. 100 € hi-speed train ticket (there and back again).
Milano - Seoul. 1428 € economy-class airplane ticket (there and back again).

Somehow, I have a feeling that I will first try the roman-style oxtail.
;)

such a rip off price line is offering Milan to Seoul for 800 dollars round trip.

such a rip off price line is offering Milan to Seoul for 800 dollars round trip.

WTF? Bloody Alitalia. I hope they go bankrupt for good, the bloodsuckers.
And the european KAL site was clogged, I couldn't see it. :(

WTF? Bloody Alitalia. I hope they go bankrupt for good, the bloodsuckers.
And the european KAL site was clogged, I couldn't see it. :(

korean Airlines gives a big discount to American passport holders.

I like many sorts of offal that, back home in the US are looked down on. Let's just say chicken gizzard sashimi is mighty tasty.

Perhapse the strangest animal bit I ever ate was roasted chicken beak. Vey crunchy...

Snake, racoon, Chinese venison "tartare", blow fish, pickled fish guts, whole roasted sparrows (eyeballs a'bulging and bones a'crunching), whale sashimi (unbeknownst - I'd have objected on grounds of the ultra high PCBs and mercury levels), jelly fish, et all

I haven't had dog, cat, or a proper horse steak yet (lots of horse, just not a steak...)

Err no eating human limbs is for fucking psychopaths.

Or for people who are starving who see no other food source available.

But that generally requires a serious breakdown of social order, on the scale of a nuclear war or a Dies the Fire Change scenario or something.

Cruel and unusual nourishment. Isn't that unconstitutional?:D

I've eaten a few unusual things, raw horse sashimi, steak tartare, snails a few times, lamb brains, chicken feet, frogs legs, emu steak, camel sausages, etc.

I'm willing to try most things. Insects I think I would find difficult though, I really don't like insects, they make my skin crawl.

I don't think I'd eat human flesh thoug, unless I was truly starving.

I've eaten a few unusual things, raw horse sashimi, steak tartare, snails a few times, lamb brains, chicken feet, frogs legs, emu steak, camel sausages, etc.

I'm willing to try most things. Insects I think I would find difficult though, I really don't like insects, they make my skin crawl.

I don't think I'd eat human flesh thoug, unless I was truly starving.

Insects, in my experience, are usually kind of bland. That's where the deep fryer comes in. :p Nacho cheese mealworms are killer.

Given the results of the poll, I guess I'm probably motivated at least partly by bitterness in wanting to eat my arm if I were to have it amputated, since it seems that most people aren't much in favor of the idea. But that's okay. It's good to get an opinion at any rate.