Sunday, October 31, 2010

The 5 worst things I ever ate!

 SCARY FOODS AHEAD!

I am a wanderer and foodie. Put me in a new place and I'll try anything! I have a nut allergy which prevents me from something but NOT others! Through my adventures in food I have discovered some amazing things. Oyster omelets in Taiwan, Pickled Radishes in Korea, Blood Pudding, Sweet Breads at a french resteraunt, escargot, kangaroo, Crocodile (Although these things are gross sounding they don't taste so bad.)

1. Betel Nut- Taiwan
Spotted in a street cart during last year's chinese new year. Juno and I happened upon these. Seeing they were popular with the locals we each got one. HORRIBLE! It tastes like the inside of cigarette and grass. We later found out Betel nuts were precursors to cigarettes in Taiwan, are highly addictive like tobacco, can ruin your teeth and gums and are illegal in some countries. I can see WHY!
What betel nuts can do to you teeth! EW!
Betel Nuts! RUN!




2. Boiled Tripe- Hong Kong
Tripe is the stomach of the cow or pig. It is foamy and reminds me of sponge when I look at it. I was served this glorious dish on a date with a local boy. The sauce it came with was lovely but I have never eaten something with such a horrible aftertaste in my life. Very sour. I have even tripe and intestines before (chitlins) to your southern readers! I am used to the "offal" parts of the animal being deep fried! The lack of batter and horrible taste left both this date and food at the bottom of my list!
Not a good date food...



3. Chicken Feet and Thousand Year old Egg- Teacher's Banquet, Shek Kip Mei
To thank me for all the hard work I did for them as the director for their theatre show the school took me out to dinner to a very traditional resteraunt for a banquet. None of the menus were in english and the head panel teacher informs me that she will ORDER FOR ME! My head is going"danger, danger" but I know I am supposed to save face and thank her.
I get a plate in front of me. It is pale and scaly. It had a red pepper sauce with it and lettuce cups. I prepared my lettuce cups and ate them only to find the food in front of me was very "chewy". It had no flavor basically but the cartiladge texture was HIGHLY unpleasant. I was also served a thousand year old Egg at this banquet. I had exactly 1 bite and then apologized that I could not eat it. It smelled like a rotten egg, it tastes like a rotten egg and the texture was not was an egg is supposed to be. It felt soft boiled despite the fact the eggs are traditionally not cooked.
The Thousand Year old Egg or The Century Egg


4. My step mother's mash potatoes- Jackson, GA, USA
I love my father and my step-mother. They are very kind to my sisters and I, when they want to be. The best time they find to be kind is Christmas. Christmas Eve at my dad's is fun. The food is great except for one thing... The dreaded mashed potatoes. They have the consistancy of wall paper paste and the taste of glue. I'm sure we could spackle a wall with these potatoes or repair an ancient ruin. One bite of these and you will not poop for a week EASY. I love the person who makes them but I just push them around my plate and avoid them..
Fear these potatoes! They look innocent but they will F you UP!


5. Vegemite, Australia
I am half australian. This product flows through our blood, or half in my case. But I CANNOT stand the taste of vegemite. It's like tasting the inside of medicine bottle for me. I've heard how they make it and it's basically the left over yeast and minerals left behind by beer manufacturing. It's good they are finding a way to use the whole product but can we please convince Aussies that this food is NOT good!
The dreaded and feared VEGEMITE!
Runners up: Deep fried starfish in Hong Kong, Blut (I looked at it and passed, never tried it), Delany's Pub in Hong Kong and Radishes with Hot Mustard in Korea
Keep trying new foods!

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