(just a reminder, write your entry and then come back and respond to others)
What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten? Ants from
Columbia? Pancreas from Spain? Cow heart from Peru? Deep fried grilled cheese
from the Kern County Fair?
Alternatively, if you are not that kind of eater or have not tried such culinary oddities, what is one food you would never eat?
Alternatively, if you are not that kind of eater or have not tried such culinary oddities, what is one food you would never eat?
Growing up in a Mexican American household, I have been exposed to quit a few odd dishes that range from a cows tongue to liver. However, these food options have never been appealing to me. Quit frankly, the thought of eating tongue and liver makes me ill, and the thick smell they create while they cook reassures me that I should not try it. I understand that many people do find these items extremely delicious, and I respect their opinion. They simply are not my cup of tea. I also have a love for food that another person cannot eat, for example, many people feel ill when thinking of juicy pickles while I find them completely appetizing. Furthermore, if any of you have been to an authentic taco truck, you should know that the tacos range from chorizo to the meat from a cow's head. I have always ordered the regular al pastor meat for my tacos; however, about a mouth ago, I sent my dad to buy me some. He arrived with the tacos, and I was just excited as I had just gotten out of work and was dying to eat! I opened the aluminum foil wrapping and noticed the meat was a bit strange, yet I did not question it. Big mistake! As I took my first bite, I realized the meat was from a cow's head and immediately threw it. As I did that, I realized that the foil that I opened was my dad's and that mine was at the bottom of the bag in which they came in.
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness, that is a great story, Fabiola!
DeleteFabiola, i am in the same boat as you! Eating tongue and liver has been one of my favorites while growing up. Glad we have something in common, though some people do think that it is disgusting. After it is cooked it is a whole different thing. Liver with tomatoes and onions is delicious! As Hispanics we may have a whole bunch of interesting things that we have in our culture that we eat. I loved your story!
DeleteHi Fabiola! I definitely understand where you're coming from. I'm Mexican and I've never been able to eat Menudo. The texture is something that I can never get over. However, I like sushi! Although sushi sometimes also has a slimy texture, I think I'm able to get over it because the slimy texture is disguised by the texture of the rice. If it worn't for that I don't think I would be able to enjoy it.
DeleteHey Fabiola, as a hispanic i have been exposed to these types of foods as well. I do hate liver because the smell is so horrible and the cooking process is unappetizing because you can see all the blood squirming out. However i do enjoy tacos de lengua (tongue tacos) with a lot of lemon it.
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ReplyDeleteAs a child my parents have always taught me to not be picky at eating anything. Today, my whole perspective on eating anything has gotten to me. As I got older I started to think that many things that my parents and siblings would eat was a little disgusting. As a child I always remembered that my mother use to make chicken soup and she use to put chicken feet in it. Yes! Chicken feet, I would love to eat them with just salt and lemon. To me they were delicious, but now as I started to know my foods and I look back and say “what was I putting in my poor stomach.” Though, that wasn’t the only thing that I ate that was the strangest. I also had tried seaweed, cow liver, octopus, and cow tongue. For those who are Hispanic we eat them in tacos. We call them “tacos de lengua,” now those tacos are the best! I still eat cow tongue and octopus, liver, but seaweed was not my favorite. As getting older im not such of a eater that can try new things every day. There are things that sound delicious but I just get afraid of trying new things. Now something that I wouldn’t eat, just like never are “snails.” Snails are something that I see that people eat and let’s just say it kills my appetite. Besides all the strangest foods I have tried as growing up, I will encourage my future children to not be afraid of trying new things.
ReplyDeleteHi Claudia!
DeleteWow! You have tried a lot of very different types of food that I would never let touch my taste buds! However, it is very cool to be different and be able to try new food from different areas of the world. I agree with you on snails as killing someone's appetite! I don't know if I will have the guts to let my future kids try different types of food when I cannot even look at those various foods. I respect your way of thinking and agree on most of what you have discussed in your blog entry!
Claudia...you know, the snails they cook with are grown especially for that, so they are not just sliming around on the ground. But yes, they are still snails.
DeleteHi Claudia, I see that you have ate many different foods which is something I could not picture myself doing. My parents tried giving me different types of foods such as cow tongue but no I just couldn't do it. I would refuse to eat any sort of food that would not look appealing to me. I work at a restaurant and I don't even try cow tongue and my co-workers are always trying to play me into eating that but it won't work. Well that is very interesting that you have the guts to eat all those kinds of foods.
DeleteHello Claudia,
DeleteI grew up the same way as you did. My parents would always cook the strangest things like cow tongue, cow liver, octopus, pig skin and pig feet. Even though I enjoy eating these types of food, I would never eat snails! I actually tried an oyster and it was very slimy and chewy. I don't want to imagine what a snail tastes like.
I had no idea chicken feet is edible, but I guess everything is edible if your boil, bake, fry it. What do chicken feet taste like?
DeleteHeyyyyy, Although I haven't tried some of the same things you have it is interesting to me that you will eat chicken feet but not snails haha. I don't know what either taste like. However, parents also encouraged me to try everything that I can more than once because tastes do change and there are things that I used to say I cannot stand that I love now.
DeleteI have that same experience. Growing up my mom would make a ton of food that I tried once and hated it. I assume ones taste buds change and mature as one gets older so I just recently started trying food that she makes when I go and visit her. So in the past year or so I have started to love Chili Rellenos, Chillaquiles, and bean and cheese burritos. Those were just a few of the foods that used to gross me out growing up that I could eat all day now.
DeleteI have that same experience. Growing up my mom would make a ton of food that I tried once and hated it. I assume ones taste buds change and mature as one gets older so I just recently started trying food that she makes when I go and visit her. So in the past year or so I have started to love Chili Rellenos, Chillaquiles, and bean and cheese burritos. Those were just a few of the foods that used to gross me out growing up that I could eat all day now.
DeleteHi everyone!
ReplyDeleteI am a very picky person and sometimes that annoys the ones around me who would like to try different types of food with me. I use my different sensory neurons such as sight and smell in deciding whether to taste the new food that everyone is talking about. It is a very long process in order for me to eat a bite of whatever the new food is. I have heard about the various parts of an animal you can eat like a cow’s tongue or types of dead preserved insect lollipops that can be found in Texas. Furthermore, I cannot eat anything that is part of an animal like a cow’s heart or a small insect native to a certain area. I always respond with a “ewwwww” or a very disgusted face that sometimes irritates my mother when she cooks something not very appetizing. I am accustomed to eating Arabic food and it is very healthy to a point where certain food that my mom cooks is not very filling because it is very healthy. One time, my friends invited me to eat at Wingstop and I ordered a set of two different types of wings. As I began to eat, I smelled the wings and one of the set of wings smelled like feet to me and I refused all the wings. My friends could not help laughing while they were enjoying their wings and I was sitting and staring at them. Now that I look back at that day, I laugh at how God created me to be very picky in everything from what I eat to what I wish to include in this blog entry.
Jessica...that is a funny line, about the wings that smell like feet!
DeleteHi Jessica, I can so relate to you because I am also a very picky eater. Indeed, I tend to smell and almost like observe my food for a few seconds before trying it for the first time. That is so funny yes I do the same when it comes to cooking food such as cow tongue I will refuse to eat it and my mom would get upset at times at first but now she is used to it. Therefore, she won't even ask me if I want some anymore. Your blog entry was very interesting and similar to mine we think alike with food.
DeleteYay Carla! I have finally found someone that is like me! Yes, cow tongue would be very disgusting and my mom does get mad at me as well. We cannot do anything about our natural self so we might as well live with it!
DeleteYay Jessica ! I am glad I found someone that can relate to how I feel about strange foods. Don't worry Jessica I know what this feeling is about being disgusted of many foods.
DeleteIt is very hard to cook for people that are picky eaters because you just never know if they are going to like what you make, but I understand. I will not eat something because someone is forcing me too and I don't think you should either. Everyone likes different things, but I must say I love wings of any kind. haha.
DeleteHi Ashlynne!
DeleteYeah my mom would agree with you about how it is hard to cook for people like myself lol. Certainly, we all have different taste buds and different cultures that we are exposed to and that shapes our way of eating!
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ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to food I am really picky with what I eat. I don't like anything that smells weird or looks weird. I have never ate anything strange such as these animal parts. I don't eat much meat because I don't really like meat. I will eat tacos, hot dogs, hamburgers, or chicken. Therefore I wouldn't be able to handle animal body parts because I would get disgusted by just thinking about it. From the fair the only foods I will eat would be the bacon and cheese fries, funnel cake, kettle corn, and churros. Other than that I have not tried any other food from the fair. I really love eating fruits at any time of the day. My favorite fruits are mango, cucumber, watermelon, peach, strawberry, and bananas. I would rather eat rice, beans, pasta, spaghetti, chicken and salads over meat.
ReplyDeleteI would never eat these foods like cow heart from Peru or pancreas from Spain. These kinds of foods really disgust me. I don't even like seafood. Seafood smells bad and it just looks weird to me. I will never kill an animal either for food because first of all I wouldn't have the guts to kill an animal and second because I won't eat the meat or any of its body part. In other words anything that has a weird shape, weird figure, odd smell, or anything that doesn’t look well-cooked I will not eat it. This is why my family thinks I am so weird because I rarely eat what everyone else eats and because I am so picky.
This is a funny entry--I like the part about not killing an animal because you don't have the guts. Thankfully, we live in a world of lots of food choices now. So you get to be picky and that is okay!
DeleteHi Carla! I can understand why you're so standoffish towards these strange foods. I recently started a vegan diet because of medical reasons and the longer I went with out animal products the more I started to feel like eating them is pretty weird. I never thought I'd be able to do it, but after about 3 months it became a habit and now I rarely crave animal products.
DeleteHi Carla, do you usually have tacos and hamburgers without meat? Have you ever tried the deep fried butter at the fair? I saw the stand a couple of years ago and was curious what it would be like.
DeleteHi Eleni, well first of all I hope you are doing better with your health and yes animal products are something I can go without for days and years not a problem to me. I bet it was hard for you to let go of all those foods you enjoyed eating but its just the right thing for your health.
DeleteHi Savannah, and I do eat fried or grilled chicken so whenever I eat hamburgers or tacos I get them with chicken. I actually have never tried that but it sounds like I would probably not try that just because I could imagine it to be too greasy. Although I would for sure eat the funnel cakes. (:
DeleteI share the same perspective when it comes to sea food. I think it has a unusual taste than other types of food.
DeleteOh my goodness. I don't know how you don't eat meat or crave it. I know several people who don't eat meat at all, but I don't think I could live without it. Growing up my dad would BBQ frequently so I did eat a lot of red meat like steak, ribs, and so on. I still love red eat to this day, but I like chicken more and I crave meat. I have to eat it at least once a day. Oh geez, I sound like a carnivore.
DeleteNo i feel exactly the same as you Ashlynne. I have cravings for meat almost every day and always am chowing down on beef jerky. This week I actually tried Buffalo jerky it was really good, have you ever tried that?
DeleteYes Andres definitely we are on the same page seafood is just a NO I can't stand the smell or how it looks.
DeleteHi Ashlynne, that is really funny how you say you don't think you could live without it when I live perfectly fine without even eating some for days. I understand you because you grew up with it and you enjoy it so much that its sort of a custom for you when eating meat. Its okay to be a carnivore, everyone has different tastes of foods (:
DeleteIt’s no surprise growing up in a Mexican household that you will someday encounter out of the ordinary foods. However, if you’ve encountered them your whole life I guess they’re not so out of the ordinary. This is the case for me. I’ve grown up my whole life with the choices of cow tongue, pig’s feet, or even cow intestines as my entrée. It’s definitely not your average meatloaf. Although I don’t like some of these foods, as a child I never thought these options were strange because I never knew anything else. For me it’s pretty simple, if it tastes good I probably won’t care what the dish is made out of. Although I don’t think I would ever be able to eat a cat or a dog. It just seems wrong. So for the most part I consider myself to be a very open minded person when it comes to food. I’ve always wanted to try exotic foods such as fried scorpions, sautéed grasshoppers, and even fired alligator. I am definitely not very picky. However, the one thing I’ve never been able to get over is texture. If a food is slimy or fuzzy I don’t want it. Octopus and a dish called Menudo are something’s I have never been able to eat. Menudo is a stew where you take a cow’s stomach and boil it in a broth with red chili peppers, lime, chopped onions, cilantro, crushed oregano, and crushed red chili peppers. It may not sound too bad but the texture of the meat is something I can’t get over. The meat itself is pretty slimy and when you try to bite into it I find that the meat itself is pretty hard to chew apart. I always try to chew it up into smaller pieces but end up swallowing it as a whole. Other than that I’m pretty much open to trying strange foods.
ReplyDeleteHello Eleni,
DeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog post. I am also Mexican and grew up in a Mexican household so i can relate with the food choices. I also thought that all of the food considered to be unordinary was ordinary in my household. I also would never be able to eat cat or dog for the same reason. It's pretty cool to read that your open to trying new and strange foods, great story!
Hi Eleni!
DeleteYou're the very opposite of me! I have heard of people who have eaten cats and dogs which is very strange. Some people are very adventurous and try the weirdest types of food that would make me throw up after seeing them in sight. I would like to learn more about what future food types you try!
Hello Eleni,
DeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog!!! I definitely agree with everything you said. I don't judge a food by what it is made of instead I judge it by the way it tastes. Therefore, if the food is delicious then I will definitely be eating it. However, I would never in my life eat a dog or a cat. To me they are like family! I do enjoy eating Octopus but not Menudo. I also can never chew the meat right so I end up eating it as a whole. Other foods that I have tried are eel and oysters. Since you don't like slimy food, I wouldn't recommend you try oysters. However, you might want to try eel. I didn't like it but maybe you will.
I completely agree about texture. I still cannot really eat cottage cheese because of the texture and the flavor as well. It definitely took me a long time to get used to the texture of the meat in menudo and I must tell you that my mom cannot even stand the smell of it when I bring it in the house. She said it smells like cow poop! I have never thought about eating fried scorpions and sautéed grasshoppers, kind of scary to think about but I can't say much because I haven't tried either of them.
DeleteHi everyone. I am half Mexican, but unfortunately I was raised by a white mom who's cooking is limited to making a mean boxed macaroni and cheese. We survived, but were never too adventurous as far as gourmet cuisine. Because there were five kids in our family my mom would always utilize left overs from previous dinners. She once made this dish we now call "Chili spaghetti." It was from left over pasta and she just dumped canned Chili on it and we had to eat it. I have no idea if this is normal for other families, but it ended up being one of the favorite dishes in our house. Its strange.
ReplyDeleteAfter becoming an adult I tried to order and make dishes that were a little more obscure like Salmon and BBQ. I am not very good at making them at all, but you have to be the change you want to see in the world right??? When I visited one of my friends in San Luis Obispo this past summer I ate a sour cream and onion flavored cricket. It was really disgusting, but I thought it was pretty cool.
The only other funny food story that I can think of is when I got to visit Honduras as a freshman in college. When we first arrived to our compound where we were visiting I got bit by a pair of geese. It suuper hurt and the next day I realized that they were gone. I asked some of the Honduran ladies that cooked for us where they went and she said she made them for dinner. It was hilarious and a little sad, I felt satisfied hahah.
Chili spaghetti is actually a normal dish that some restaurant serve. I'm not sure what restaurant served me this dish or what culture it's from but I do remember wanting seconds. Maybe someone else could help me remember what restaurant I'm thinking of.
DeleteI can relate with your post. I'm mixed as well, and didn't really grow up with exotic foods. In fact, I often complain to my parents that there's more to life than burgers, tacos, hot dogs, and cereal. Haha.
DeleteSavannah,
DeleteI am full white, but I grew up on the east side of Bakersfield and had several Mexican friends so at an early age I was introduced to a lot of different foods other than the normal American food. My mom loves to cook and she makes tons of random dishes, but I don't think I have ever tried chili spaghetti. Sounds interesting, I am surprised that my mom has not tried that one because my family loves chili and spaghetti so why not combine the two!
Nick and Shelby; I am glad you guys feel like it is a normal thing. Usually when people come over and we are eating it they think it is really strange. Ashlynne; cool, that's awesome that you had that exposure and were able to try different ethnic foods!
DeleteIn one of my trips to Mexico I remember walking around the town center and just looking at amazement at all the traditional types of Mexican food and candy. There was a fair going on at the time so there was a lot of different food stations set up in the town center. As my family and I walked around we came across a station that had deep-fried chicken feet and deep-fried frog feet. I had never seen this prior to that moment. They were set up in cups and looked like fries from far away but as you got closer you could see the feet clearly. I did not try them but my dad did and he said they just tasted crunchy. They also had small dried crickets, which I did try with lemon and chili and that did just taste crunchy. Mexico has a lot of unique dishes from cows head, cows brain to liver. I have tasted cows tongue referred to as “tacos de lengua” before but just the thought freaked me out and I couldn’t finish the taco. Besides Mexico, Pismo beach in California also has some different and unique types of candy. Down by the pier I found a store that sells candy that has scorpions, butterflies, and crickets in them. I bought one but couldn’t get around to eating the bugs so I gave it to my cousin and she actually ate the whole thing. I would like to experience different cultures in the future to see what different types of food they eat.
ReplyDeleteI noticed you don't like cow tongue. Cow tongue is my favorite dish when I go to one of the basque restaurant in town like Wool Growers. I also was going to write about my experience at the candy store in Pismo where they sell candy stuffed with some kind of insects. My friends dared me to try the meal-worm raw, which I did and it wasn't too bad.
DeleteNick,
DeleteCow tongue is also my family's favorite dish, it's probably just the thought that made me a little uneasy but i'm sure the taste is just fine because everyone around me loves it. That place in Pismo is awesome, just another way to eat candy.
Cow tongue is definitely one of those food you have to get through the thought process to fully enjoy the taste.
DeleteThe weirdest thing I ever ate was on a family trip to Mexico, in Cabo San Lucas. My family consists of my mom, dad, my three brothers and I. Having three brothers, two who are older than me and one who’s my twin, we knew we were all going to do something that we’d regret. The trip was set up for disaster from the beginning. My twin and I had just turned 18, and in Mexico that’s the legal drinking age. We were out to do something that we had “never” done before. Since we could legally drink and were considered “adults,” we took full advantage of every bar we came across. One in particular was a bar/restaurant off the tourist beaten path, which my oldest brother suggested, called Mariscos El Torito. Here, the menu was all in Spanish, so we just said some words and the waitress, who looked kind of puzzled, took our order. When she came back, she brought a big plate with sautéed onions and what looked like a live octopus in the middle. I think she just went back and told the chef that she had some “drunk gringos” who wanted some food. Instead of sending it back, we all decided to try a piece so we each cut off a tentacle, suction cups still attached and in full bloom, and ate it. It was actually pretty good, and we all liked it except for my second oldest brother who nonchalantly went to the bathroom and threw up. Needless to say, we never again listened to my oldest brother who suggested going into the part of town where tourists dare to go.
ReplyDeleteHi Nick!
DeleteI really liked your story! I like how you got something very random from the resturant/bar and you still tried it! I would be throwing up like your second oldest brother after eating the live octopus!
Hi Jessica, my brothers and I grew up eating sea food because my parents always cooked it. My second oldest brother must have lost his love for sea food or maybe just hardcore sea food like octopus.
DeleteHey Nick,
DeleteI must say you are a very brave person for trying such an exotic plate.
Thank you Fabiola. I make it a goal of mine to try everything, most everything, at least once.
DeleteThis is a good story! They probably have lots of experience with drunk gringos and decided to try and bring you the craziest dish that they could come up with. Was it like large calamari?
DeleteHi Savannah, calamari are a little bit smaller and longer, this thing was an octopus. Google octopus dish and click on images and you'll see what I'm talking about.
DeleteI've always wondered how an octopus' tentacles would feel or taste. Was it difficult to chew?
DeleteIt was difficult for my brain to process what I was eating and not reject it. It had a bland taste. the texture's the worst part, if you can get around all the little tentacles and squishiness, you'll be fine. Although,I definitely don't recommend it.
DeleteI can't even imagine! did it ever auction on to you while trying to finish it?
DeleteNo, it was dead and cooked somewhat.
DeleteAs a Hispanic, I grew up in a household where it was normal to eat unusual foods. For example, I grew up eaten cow liver, tacos de lengua (cow tongue), tacos de pastor (pork meat), tacos de cabeza (cow head), pig skin, and pig feet. I don’t usually eat pig feet daily but when I do it’s when my mom decides to make her delicious posole. I eat pig skin when I go to a restaurant called La Michoacana in Arvin. They sell tostilocos which is my favorite snack to order. I don’t know if any of you have tried it but it is very delicious. Tostilocos are made up of tortilla chips topped with pig skin, cucumber, jÃcama, lime juice, Valentina hot sauce, chamoy, tajÃn chile powder, salt, and "Japanese peanuts”. I would recommend those of you who enjoy unusual foods to try a tostiloco. It might become your favorite snack and if it does not you can add it to your list of the strangest things you have eaten. When it comes to trying new food, I’m not too picky but I do have my limits. For example, I will never eat eel and oysters again. I tried my first eel at Ichiban when my boyfriend decided to order the dragon roll. It is a California sushi roll topped with baked eel. I also tried a baked oyster there and well let me just say that it was slimy and very chewy. I do enjoy trying new food especially from different cultures. I actually have tried Arabic food which was very delicious. I don’t remember what my best friend Aman made me but when I find out I will let you all know.
ReplyDeleteI admire your courageousness. =] The only thing on your list I've tried is sushi, but I'm not sure if I've had eel or not.
DeleteHey Kimberly!
Deletei think tostilocos is the best thing to snack on! i love when the pickled skin is really tender and they add extra chamoy. You can find some very delicious tostilocos here in Bakersfield at some plaza called Mercado Latino.
Kimberly! I was reading your blog to my boyfriend and he wants to try one of the tostilocos. Maybe one day we'll go and buy one to try. I completely agree with the oysters situation that you experienced. My boyfriend's family made some one day, and kept telling us to try it; however, we were gagging trying to swallow the nasty little thing. I guess your not supposed to chew it. Either way, gross. I will never eat another one. I have still not eaten raw sushi, I have only tried the cooked sushi rolls.
DeleteHey Ashlynne,
Deleteyou and your boyfriend should definitely try a tostiloco. Like Yesenia stated, there is a plaza in Bakersfield called Mercado Latino where you could buy one. They are very delicious!! I would also recommend you taste raw sushi...what sushi restaurant have you been to?
Ohh yeah we don't go there very often but I have been there before. Oh well I've only been to like shoguns, Tokyo garden, Izumos, and akiras
DeleteThe strangest food I've ever had is a medium rare cheeseburger, which I know is not that strange. I ordered take out from Eureka Burger, and I couldn't remember how my dad orders his burgers. I was under pressure to say something to the waitress, and I remember him always saying medium something, so I just blurted out medium rare. Other than that, I suppose I really don't eat strange foods.
ReplyDeleteI definitely would never eat an animals private parts or their heads, that grosses me out. Honestly though, I'm really not much of a meat eater. I'm definitely not vegeterian, but I've just never really cared for the taste of meat, or even the texture. In fact, when I make homemade sandwhiches, I don't add meat. I know a lot of people might think that's strange, because the meat is typically the most important part of the sandwhich. Whenever I do have meat in one of my dishes, I usually just pick it out of my food, or eat around it.
I would also never eat an insect. Even though statistically the average person eats eight spiders a year in their sleep. I was watching Shark Tank with my parents one night, and we seen a man who had the idea of grinding up insects, and mixing them with chocolate, grains, etc. He was basically making protein bars, because insects are a good source of protein. Even though it doesn't taste any different, I still don't like the thought. He's griding up whole bodies of insects...this includes, their eyes, digestive system, and feces. That's what bothers me the most.
Hello,
DeleteI have to agree with you on that! It is definitely just a strange thought to even want to try either an insect or an animals private parts. If I had to chose, however, I would rather eat the insects!
I agree. If I had to choose, I would take the insects. At least they are beneficial to you.
DeleteThats crazy that the guy would make protein bars out of bugs, suuuper gross. I really agree with being bothered by eating an animals head or brains, I cannot imagine doing so and was disgusted just by watching people do it on Fear Factor.
DeleteI experienced something similar to your medium rare cheeseburger. At the time I was young and didn't know what rare meat was so I ordered medium rare steak, and when I received it there were still blood/the juices flowing out. That is one thing I can never do with meat! Did you end up finishing and/or enjoying the burger?
DeleteSavannah Rosenberg: I really miss Fear Factor! lol
DeleteLorena Matias: Sadly yes. I seriously didn't even think about it, til I got home and asked my dad. He was so grossed out when I told him. haha.
I love food in general and I will honestly try anything at least once. I grew up eating pretty much anything that my parents made, and I wasn’t very picky when it came to food, but as I grew up my tastes change and there are things that I used the be able to eat that I cannot stand anymore. The weirdest food I have ever eaten would have to be Menudo. Menudo is made of hominy, chile peppers, cilantro, onions, and the lining of a cow stomach. Sounds quite disgusting, but it actually doesn’t taste that bad. I have also eaten pickled tongue, oysters, alligator, and swordfish. I can say that oysters are one of the most disgusting foods I have ever eaten, apparently you are not supposed to chew oysters, you are supposed to just swallow the oyster; however, if you do chew it, it is very slimy and feels like a large gob of spit. Ew! I think texture is a big reason why I cannot eat certain things; if something feels like slime or lumpy I can have trouble swallowing it but I think that goes for everyone. I can’t say there is a food I will never try because I do like to try new things just to say I did it. Anywho, most often I eat my food with tobasco. I used to think tobasco was one of the grossest hot sauces out there due to the smell and the vinegar taste, but my boyfriend and his family would eat it on everything; thus, eventually I gave tobasco a second chance and I fell in love with it. Tobasco tastes amazing on tacos, potatoes, soups, eggs, fish, and several other foods. So before I say that I don’t like something I am willing to try it again because tastes change and I just might find a new favorite.
ReplyDeleteYour very courageous, I would think twice when it comes to eating exotic food. Over all I think Menudo is not that great. Have you eaten Menudo with Tobasco?
DeleteAndres,
DeleteIt took me a few times to eat menudo to like it. I can eat the meat in menudo, but my favorite part is the hominy. Oh YES, haha I eat tobacso on a lot of things.
Wow! Alligator? That's very interesting. I would never think of trying alligator lol. But i can agree that menudo is also one of my favorite breakfast plates, especially with hominy! My absolute favorite. Also swordfish that's also another interesting one. How do both taste? Does it have a weird taste or texture? Its funny that you were talking about oysters. My boyfriend and i just had some yesterday! I can eat them, but I am not a fan of them.
DeleteClaudia,
DeleteYeah I know weird right it was one time and I think it was in like a soup or something it was almost like a southern type food. I do not remember it tasting bad at all. The swordfish was good. I had swordfish tacos in a small little town near San Diego, the texture was a little tougher almost like chicken but not like normal fish. It didn't fall apart as easily as the fish you normally eat. I actually liked the swordfish it was good. Haha, oh I can't. it felt like a a huge loogie in my throat.
As a child i grew up eating and tasting about everything therefore i am not so picky when it comes to choosing something to eat. Growing up as a hispanic I've been exposed to many foods that some may consider weird. For example cows tongue, cows intestine, liver, pork feet and pork pickled skin. I find all these things delicious except for liver. Just by looking at raw liver drenched in blood makes my stomach turn. The cooking process of it is the worst because the smell is horrendous and it spreads all over the household and stays for a while. The rest of these items satisfy my palate. Cows tongue is usually prepared with lots of spices and used for tacos. Cows intestine is prepared and made into a soup called Menudo which is really delicious and some say it is great to cure those who are hungover. Pork feet and pickled skin can be seasoned and cooked, topped with green salsa and served with a side of rice and it is the best. Some other odd things that I've tried are oysters and duck. Oysters are very slimy and served cold and some say that is resembles mucus, however i enjoy eating it with a lot of lemon and Tapatio (chile) with a nice cold beer on the side. Duck on the other hand it wasn't really satisfying. I was dared to taste it and when i did it was awfully chewy and i didn't really find an exclusive taste to it, it tasted like chicken. Ive also gone to places where I've encountered bacon, cheese and sour cream and onion flavored crickets and although I'm very open to trying new things i couldn't get myself to taste it. I would most definitely love to get out of my box and would like to try foods from other cultures.
ReplyDeleteYeah menudo can seem pretty unconventional, since not many soups have tripe in it. Also, the soup tastes pretty strong, and not many people may like it when they first try it. When I used to eat it, I would always add extra tapatio and lime to make the flavor more intense and extra delicious! I would eat it with a tostada, too! Yum!
DeleteHey Yesenia,
DeleteI come from a Mexican family as well, but I need to admit that It is very difficult for me to eat all these traditional foods. Good for you, that you are willing to try all these foods.
Hey Sylvia, yeah the soup may seem odd to others but when you prepare it with lemon and chile and put the toppings on it, it brings out the flavors even more!
DeleteHey Veronica thanks i like to try new stuff. My family is originally from San Salvador however i often prefer Mexican food because its so good!
DeleteI have never tried Salvadoran food, but I would like to try some! Can you recommend any restaurants that serve authentic Salvadoran food in Bakersfield?
DeleteThe most exotic food that I have tried is parts of the head of a cow. For example the: brain, tongue, and checks. However this is not what is odd but the way it’s prepared. I have seen it get done once. It was funny to me because in order to prepare the head you need a hole that’s exposed to the sun. Digging a hole in the backyard is usually the best place to do it. After the hole is ready it is important to rap the head in aluminum foil and then place the head in the hole. The hole is then covered and from my perspective the hole works as some kind of oven. This was extremely odd to me but I found it interesting because it allowed me to learn a different way of preparing food. After it was ready it is then extracted from the hole and ready to eat. The head was extremely hot and looked as if it got a big sun burn. Any part of the head is meant to be eaten. However I was not courage’s enough to eat any odd part of the head after trying my first bite of the head. To be quite frank I thought it was disgusting and I would never taste it again. The head was greasy and in my opinion it did not have a great taste. However other individuals of my family loved the taste of the head. Over all I’m not a picky eater, however this experience was extremely odd and unusual.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting process! I'm guessing the cow head is cooked in a hole so that the moisture isn't able to escape, and the meat becomes more tender. Did you get a chance to try the eyes? I know that in Mexico, where I'm from, it's common to eat eye tacos. Also, according to my dad, the eyes won't taste that good if not spiced up well. They're also a bit rubbery.
DeleteThat is in my travels a very common way for third world countries to cook alot of meat at once without alot of waste. I have never had the head of a cow but I have had the head of a goat, maybe similar I don't know. But if you ever get the chance try the checks they are almost always the most prized meat on any animal.
Deletewhat is the food that you enjoy the most that you consider exotic ?
DeleteMy favorite is cow cheek which is also called cachete or something along those lines, but it's so tender and delicious!
DeleteJudging by the other students’ stories, it seems that all strange food is derived from a strange part of an animal or an insect. I have been a vegan for 5 years (I’m 21), so I can’t say that I have tried any of these animal/insect-derived food. I am limited to mostly anything that grows from the ground. However, I do watch a lot of Food Network shows, in particular “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives,” where the host travels across America sampling food from popular restaurants. In one particular episode, I saw that he ate a deep fried snickers bar (it was first dipped in batter before fried) topped with caramel, chocolate, and powdered sugar. The snicker’s bar is already overly sweet as it is; there is no need to add more sugar and deep fry it on top of that. In another Food Network show, whose name I have forgotten, I saw how the South American alcoholic drink, Chicha, was made. In order to make the drink, you had to mash the corn first. The way that these ladies did this was by chewing the corn, then spitting it out directly into a pot! The mashed corn with spit would then be brewed. I don’t know if all the people that make Chicha make it this way, or if it is only some people that do. I would be apprehensive in trying this drink because you can get diseases from the people making the drink (catch a cold, herpes, HIV, etc). However, I would be willing to try it if the spit part was left out.
ReplyDeleteSylvia I have never tried chicha but that sounds a bit weird with how its made. And yes you are right I have tried a deep fried snickers and it is crazy sweet. By the way I love the show "Diner, Drive-ins, and Dives"
DeleteI love watching "Diner, Drive-ins, and Dives." Guy Fieri is very enthusiastic, and makes dinning out seem like such a fun experience! Do you watch any other Food Network shows?
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DeleteWhen I read "chewing the corn then spitting it out" I couldn't help but think how other people would be willing to drink that. I agree with the likelihood of someone catching something. I'm always interested in hearing other's stories about becoming a vegan. What made you become a vegan?
DeleteChewing corn and spitting it out, sounds a little bit nasty on my part, but I guess being open minded to other cultures helps our education grow.
Deletewith certain dishes that i read it make me want to try to go vegan besides the fact that it would help stop slaughter of poor animals
DeleteNow believe me when I say that I am not a picky eater there are only a few things I will not eat ever again even if my life depended on it. The strangest foreign food that I have ever eaten is Dinuguan, or Filipino chocolate meat. However, let me clarify that in no way does it taste like chocolate. The reason that it “looks” like chocolate is because the cooked blood has a resemblance of a chocolate sauce. And yes I did say that it has blood in it. This I find a bit hypocritical because traveling the world I have tried many dishes with blood in it and it tastes great, but this dish takes disgusting to a whole new level. It takes pig blood and then is cooked till curdled, after that the large and small intestine are chopped up into small bits then added to the chocolate pudding. If this sounds disgusting believe me you won’t know the half of it till you try it. Secondly in the United States the most vile and repulsive thing to eat has to be a bowl of cottage cheese. Besides the molding smell and color of boiled Elmer’s glue is the most vile texture. I’m sure some people love this dish and to each their own but to me this has the consistency of baby throw up or spoiled milk. Some people might try to hide its grotesque figure on pizza, quiche, or in macaroni and cheese but this is never an okay substance to consume. Cottage cheese should be banned by the FDA and pulled off every shelf in America.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the cottage cheese. When I used to eat dairy products, I could not pass cottage cheese down easily because it would remind me of vomit. The consistency may be a bit weird, but the taste of it was a bit bland in my opinion. Do you like eating yogurt? I feel like yogurt and cottage cheese is pretty much the same thing except that the cottage cheese has chunks in it. Have you tried flavored cottage cheese? Is that also disfavorable to you?
DeleteI do love yogurt its just the chunks of the cheese that is just so revolting. And I cant believe that they make flavored cottage cheese. I think its just a texture.
Deletewow, this dinuguan is fascinating! Thanks, Jimmy.
DeleteFilipino food is indeed weird. Apart from trying the dried pork blood, I also tried their intestines. At first glance, it looks like a slim jim,and thought it wouldn't be so bad, but I was terribly disappointed. Also fish guts to put over the rice? I don't think I would have any of these again. I guess it's all an acquired taste.
DeleteI honestly used to love eating dinuguan when I was younger, but once I went to the Philippines and watched how they killed the pig and drain the blood...it was hard for me to enjoy it or to even come close to it as much as I used to before. This too is really good with spicy vinegar though! :)
DeleteOMG the comment about cottage cheese! I agree, I cannot stand the texture, taste, or anything about it but I know several people who love it with peaches or pineapple. The dish you were describing does sound pretty awful I must say. Just the mixture of pudding a sweet taste with curdled blood sounds terrible. I am not a picky eater typically but I don't think I could try that.
ReplyDeleteAshlynne there is no sweet part to this dish that is how they trick you. It is just curdled blood and nasty intestine. But its the nemesis cottage cheese that some people understand.
DeleteGrowing up as a Filipino American, there are so many Filipino dishes I never saw myself being accustomed to. One of the delicacies of Filipinos include Balut, an 18-day-old fertilized duck egg. Many might not see that as exotic, but once I cracked one open and began to inspect it, I couldn’t help but squirm. Every now and then, since I was little, my parents would bring home a couple of Baluts. Of course even though I was so disgusted by the thought of them eating it, I would always get excited to see how they prepared it. They first remove the top of the shell, put some salt or vinegar in the egg, drink all the liquid inside, and begin peeling the remainder of the egg shell off in order to get to the main part. As of now it doesn’t sound as bad as you think, right? Not only does the main part consist of the yolk, but the baby duck as well! I could not believe my eyes, and even worse that they ate it with it being so furry. I guess that was the main reason I was disgusted at the time. But when I was about 18 years old, my boyfriend convinced me to try it since he agreed that they were really good. As I began to sip on the liquids, I couldn’t help but think all that touched the baby duck. I do admit it was pretty tasty, but I just can’t get over the fact the duck is still in there. Even though it was tasty, I wasn’t able to go any further than just sipping the liquids. Instead I took out the yolk, put the baby duck on a plate, and began inspecting it even further. Sad, but true.
ReplyDeleteokay, Lorena, you have officially found my limits! I think I would happily try everything else your classmates have mentioned. This one would be more difficult. I would try it, but it would be tough!
Delete...great description too.
I think I would be the same way. It would be really hard to get over the fact that there is a baby duck in there. I can see how the salt and vinegar can make it taste delicious, though. I think I have seen Andrew Zimmerman from Bizarre Foods try this, but without preparing it. He is one crazy man!
DeleteHi Lorena!
DeleteI have several reasons for becoming vegan. The main reason is because I believe that every animal should have the right to live, and killing it (directly with my bare hands or indirectly with a factory) just because I'm hungry when I have plenty of other options (and yes, there are many vegan dishes that do contain sufficient amounts of protein to sustain us) is cruel and unnecessary in my opinion. Also, I believe that the ethics in how our food is produced are atrocious and inhumane. In factories, baby male chicks are mass murdered once they have hatched and realized their sex, since they are unable to produce eggs like hens. The hens that are allowed to survive are placed in small cages where they remain there their entire lives. They are injected with hormones, which causes their body to grow unnaturally fast and abnormally. One common side effect that these hormones cause is that these hens develop a huge buttocks. For most of them, their buttocks can get too big that their weak unexercised legs are not able to support them. Therefore, they remain sedentary most of their lives. Also, their beaks are cut so that they won't peck at each other, since they are in close quarters with other hens even though they are in individual cages. May I add that they do this without morphine! There's more info on how ethically corrupt these factories are, but I won't keep on babbling. If anyone else is interested more on how your food is produced, I would recommend the documentary Food Inc. Third reason is that much of the land that was inhabited by native animals is being taken (broken habitat causes species extinction) due to our growing population. Since the majority of humans are meat eaters, they need to make room for their livestock to live and for their veggies to grow. If this was a vegan world, then only veggie space would be required, and there would be more land available for native species to thrive and ecosystems to be maintained. I have more on why being is vegan is better for the environment, but I’ll stop babbling now.
Goodness! You had me engaged throughout your whole post. My stomach felt a little uneasy once I finished reading it. Good for you that you kept an open mind and at least tried something you weren't sure of, in order to determine whether or not you liked it.
DeleteLorena I have also has balut many time and love it. Have you ever tried it with spicy vinegar, that is my favorite way of eating it. It is also more healthy for you because it contains the protein of the duck.
DeleteDr. Schmoll: Really? Honestly I didn't think this would be that exotic, but then again I wouldn't fully try it myself so I can't really complain. My parents advice is to not look at the baby duck or think it's in there. It's quite tough to do that after knowing the fact that it's in there.
DeleteThank you!
Natalie: Yes, Andrew Zimmerman has tried it before! :) I can't believe all the foods he has eaten. I'm willing to try different foods, but I would rather try it first then know what I've eaten after. Granted I'll feel sick after knowing what I've just ate, but at least I can say I've tried it.
Sylvia: I appreciate you explaining your reasons as to why you became a vegan. Others just say meat is bad for you, but at least you have more background and solid reasons as to why you've become one. My face began to cringe when I read that they cut off their beaks off just so they won't peck at one another.
Alyssa: I'm glad you were engaged! :) Even though they said the yolk taste the same as a chicken's egg, I really couldn't go any further knowing the duck was at the bottom of the yolk.
Jimmy: I love spicy vinegar with many things, but I just can't get over the fact that there's still a baby duck in there. I give props to everyone who can eat a balut though!
The weirdest thing I ever ate was hare. A hare is similar to the rabbits, but with longer ears and legs. We took a trip to México, and my dad decided to go back to his hunting skills. When my dad brought the hare home my mom cooked with red salsa and potatoes. It first my parents didn’t tell me that I was about to eat something very weird. I asked my mom what kind of meat was on the potatoes, she answered that it was chicken. When I took my first bite I knew at that moment that it was not chicken. I spited out and was dome for the day. I guess I can consider my self to be a picky eater. So from there on I try to eat the food that I am familiar with. I really admire the people that are adventurous and willing to try anything.
ReplyDeleteI am really curious what hare tastes like. You know how everyone says 'it tastes just like chicken', I would assume that's what it's like but maybe your mind kind of plays games on you.
DeleteI do agree that we should all have an open mind to other cultures. I imagine that when Chicha was first developed, it was contained within the small community. Since most of them did not venture out of their cities, they didn't have too much contact with other people. Therefore, they were unlikely to catch any serious diseases. Definitely would be willing to try it if no spit was in it :)
DeleteHaha my dad would also fool us with meats when I was little. In Mexico, he would hunt birds, my mom would cook them, and then bread the meat. My dad would tell us: "They're Chicken McNuggets!" We would always far for it! lol
Hi Veronica, that is very funny I can see where your coming from because yes my mom tried tricking me into foods but it didn't work. I knew by the smell and what it looked like when it was something unusual for me. Yes I tend to go with the familiar foods because its really rare when I decide to try something new it rarely happens. I am too much of a picky eater to try new foods.
DeleteIts good to know I’m not the only one that my parents tried to trick; but as a parent my self, I think that I would to the same thing to my children.
DeleteGrowing up, I’ve never been an adventurous eater. There were a few times I went outside my own personal comfort zone, but the things I ate were not...unusual or rare, but as a young kid the food was far outside my comfort-zone. The first weird thing I ever remembered eating was fried calamari. The idea is definitely a weird one. Now I love calamari and will order it if I see it on the menu, or when visiting San Francisco.
ReplyDeleteOne day when I was probably about 14 or 15, I remember being at a soccer game and my coach just hanging out crunching on some snacks. It didn’t seem weird at all until I got close and realized he was eating fried crickets! The crickets were (probably) roasted and cooked all the way through but it definitely was shocking to see him eating them like you would a potato chip. It took me 45 minutes to get the courage to eat one, and it wasn’t so bad.
As for food I would never eat, I just visited Denver and I am going to have to say rocky mountain oysters are on the top of my list. I didn’t see many people eating them, but my cousin loves them and I don’t believe I can ever really get over the idea of what they are and where they came from. While those are on my list, I think it also has to do with the fact that I am not big on meat.
Hi Terra!
ReplyDeleteI have heard about fried crickets and I would never eat those! I remember refusing to eat shrimp until I tried it one time and now all I order from restaurants are shrimp entrees! I am also not big on meat and it irritates my mom so much lol. It was nice reading your entry!
Thanks! I totally understand about the shrimp thing, I was just like you. They look so funny, and that was an adventure in itself to eat those.
DeleteI wouldn't consider myself a very picky eater because I do tend to give everything a try. However, I'm not very good at learning that the food I'm about to eat, or just ate, is something totally bizarre. Just the thought of it makes my stomach churn. But, being Mexican-American, I have tried my share of interesting dishes like cow tongue, and tripe, but it hasn't been among the strangest things I've eaten. A few years back, I was dating a Filipino and had been invited to a get together. I had never seen or tasted authentic Filipino cuisine, so I was excited to try something new. Among the things I had put on my plate, there were these dark red-colored pieces of what I thought was meat.As I was about to put one in my mouth, a family member of his asked if he had told me what it was, but by that time, it was too late. As I chewed, I grew nervous. What was it that I was eating? Was it liver? Was it reproductive organs? Whatever it was, I wouldn't find out until later. It was chewy, and had the consistency of tofu, but tasted nothing like it. Finally, after we left the party, I asked him what it was and found out it was dried pork blood. The taste, the texture, the color; it all made sense to me then. Despite what it was, It wasn't the worst thing I have ever eaten, but it is among the most strange, for sure. Maybe it's best not knowing what you're about to eat until afterwards; you'll psych yourself out and might not give it a chance. Who knows, you might end up liking it.
ReplyDeleteHaha! I cringed when I read that it was pig's blood that you were eating. I can't believe that it was chewy! I do agree with you that sometimes it's better to know after you're done eating or you might just not give the food a chance. Also, you might not want to offend the family. It's happened to me before.
DeleteGrowing up in a Hispanic household I can say I have tried various foods that maybe strange such as crickets either toasted or covered in chocolate. Even this was usual for some of my family members it wasn’t for me I have a very weak stomach so just seeing people eating or hearing what certain things were made me throw up. I have tried various things such as cuertios, which I believe is pigskin, also some type of animal stomach, which it looks like a honeycomb, which is actually very good, but I only tried it because they didn’t tell me what it was towards the end. I would also have to say I have tried a lot of different types of insects when I went to Mexico. So even though I am Hispanic and some of these dishes are common certain things I will not try are cow lounge or liver of any sort. I see certain type of dishes and I can’t deal with the taste even if the smell might be good. One dish that I would only want to try but I’ll contradict myself and say I will never eat it would be snails I can get past the fact that they are slimy and gooey
ReplyDeleteSnails seem interesting. If I was to try them I would have to put a lot of Tapatio on them.
DeleteThey sell snails at Pismo Beach at the Hot Lix candy store. They have a bunch of different types of bugs to eat whether they be covered in chocolate of cinnamon. The snails and crickets aren't half bad actually.
DeleteThey sell snails at Pismo Beach at the Hot Lix candy store. They have a bunch of different types of bugs to eat whether they be covered in chocolate of cinnamon. The snails and crickets aren't half bad actually.
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ReplyDeleteGrowing up I was a picky eater and I pretty much stuck to the same foods. For example, if I went to a Mexican restaurant I would order the cheese enchiladas with rice and beans, but if I went to any other type of restaurant I ordered a hamburger and fries. My family used to tease me because we would go to Billies, a Chinese restaurant, and I would order a hamburger. I think back to years ago and laugh because now I explore all types of food. In my Hispanic culture, I was expose to cow stomach, intestines, tongue, liver. I know many people who will not eat any of that because it is totally out of their comfort zone, yet I enjoy it very much.
ReplyDeleteI will not eat any type of bugs. I don't care if it's covered in chocolate or in a bottle of tequila that it something I will not do. There is a candy shop in Pismo Beach that has all sorts of items, but by the window they have their famous candies with worms, crickets, scorpions and whenever I see them I get grossed out. I know there are people who enjoy those types of treats, so more power to them because I am not brave enough to eat that.
Growing up in a Mexican household there were several times that I was offered and consumed very strange foods. I have always been the person that will always try something at least once. If i like it then that is cool but if I do not like it the first time I try it i will most likely never try it again. So of all the things hat my grandpa has ever offered me has to be a cows eyeball. I am not too sure if he offered it to me thinking that I was going to refuse right away or if he was serious about eating it but I took it from his hand and after looking about it for a few seconds I popped it in my mouth but after feeling how squishy it was for a second or two I spit it out into the grass. It was on the grill for a little bit so it was warm but it was far from cooked. After my grandpa stopped laughing he told me he did not think I was going to try it and after washing my mouth out with half a Tecate Light I was ready to eat some carne asada.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up in a Mexican household there were several times that I was offered and consumed very strange foods. I have always been the person that will always try something at least once. If i like it then that is cool but if I do not like it the first time I try it i will most likely never try it again. So of all the things hat my grandpa has ever offered me has to be a cows eyeball. I am not too sure if he offered it to me thinking that I was going to refuse right away or if he was serious about eating it but I took it from his hand and after looking about it for a few seconds I popped it in my mouth but after feeling how squishy it was for a second or two I spit it out into the grass. It was on the grill for a little bit so it was warm but it was far from cooked. After my grandpa stopped laughing he told me he did not think I was going to try it and after washing my mouth out with half a Tecate Light I was ready to eat some carne asada.
ReplyDeleteYikes!!! I've never had a cow's eyeball before!!
DeleteGrowing up I was exposed to many types of foods. I think that the strangest food I've ate would have to be cow brains! I must have been around 10 years old and was served a big bowl. The texture and smell were not that pleasant let me tell you! I was able to eat some with some tortillas my mom gave me and what do you know!! I actually enjoyed it and thought it was pretty tasty. I must say though that I wouldn't go out of my way to get it, but I wouldn't hesitate to eat it again if the opportunity presented itself. I think the brains are the most vital parts of anything. Growing up I would sometimes think to myself that if I ate the brains it would make me smarter! That was no the case.
ReplyDelete