One food you have never had... but are curious

[unionrdr]

I watched those three guys on YouTube with "...it came in a can". They tried the Surstromming & it came out about the same. Maybe they should've combined it with "deep fried whaaaa?"...

 

[Subsailor]

I believe I saw that too. Didn't they have open shed like buildings for hanging/drying the rotted meat? And they had to be kept so many kilometers from the city due to the stink? I'll try almost anything once and go back for more of most of the time, but I think I'd have a problem getting that down. Weird food is fine. Old, rotted "food" is not.

Yes, it was like a plank building, no insulation, seems like it was open.

I have tried and will try just about anything. Here in AK they "ferment" some stuff for eating as well. the list includes:
Fish heads - Tried it - won't do it again
Fish eggs - Tried it - won't do it again
Seal/Walrus - haven't had the opportunity to try it yet
Whale blubber/meat - tried a couple of different kinds: some was ,eehhh Ok, some was actually kind of good.
I have tried these things at some of our Native Friends houses because as a non-native, I am not legally allowed to obtain some of them for my own use.

 

[TriggerFingers]

I'm curious about Durian. Kobe beef is good, but expensive, and I'm not sure it's worth the expense. But, i think i can make most steaks taste good.

Durian was the first thing I thought of.....

 

[podz]

Sturgeon. They are raising it in Finland now and after harvesting the caviar, they sell the fresh fish at the meat department in supermarkets. I have been thinking of grilling a whole sturgeon.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

My neighbors are Greek, and pretty good at the whole living life thing. Yesterday I smell charcoal smoke and look out my window to see them cooking two huge whole fish with olive oil and lemon juice and I think fresh oregano. I dont know if it was a sturgeon or what it was, but it smelled like God!

 

[Bitrate]

One food you have never had... but are curious

Nattō

 

[jdm61]

I have had elk, nilgai and whitetail deer. All good. I would like to try some of big African antelope like Eland. Also wouldn't mind trying some big sturgeon caviar and a real cassoulet. I had a bite of my brothers foie gras at Louie's Backyard in Key West and i want MORE!!!!!! I have given a number of organ meats a chance and the foie gras and standard French country pork pate are the only ones that merit a repeat visit for me.

 

[dinnerstick]

i would suggest that if you like foie gras, you will like a well-prepared rabbit liver. not that they are particularly similar, i just think it must be the case!

 

[jdm61]

i would suggest that if you like foie gras, you will like a well-prepared rabbit liver. not that they are particularly similar, i just think it must be the case!

Most other organ meats that I have tried, including the famous Belgian veal kidney dish, always tastes like the last line in the recipe tell the chef to throw a handful of rusty nails into the sauce. The foie gras tasted like I had been slapped up side my head with the most incredible fatty goodness known to mankind.

 

[podz]

The foie gras tasted like I had been slapped up side my head with the most incredible fatty goodness known to mankind.

Take some time to research how these animals are raised and treated before you go about developing a full-blown foie gras fetish. It is already being banned in some European countries now, as well as California...

 

[jdm61]

Take some time to research how these animals are raised and treated before you go about developing a full-blown foie gras fetish. It is already being banned in some European countries now, as well as California...

Dude, they are ducks and the process is not "cruel." These movements to ban such things are led but the same people who want to get rid of ALL domestic livestock and pets and rely on hysrteria, not fact, to promote their positions. The funny part is that 22 counters in Europe have indeed bane the production of foie gras, but not the import and sale and the sales of foie gras at some retailers like Fortnum & Mason in London has increased over 50% since PETA started their campaign against them. As for me, i don't care so much because I don't anthropomorphize my food.

 

[Goofynewfie]

Would you take your dog and confine it to a box and shove a tube down its throat and force feed it?
I don't anthropomorize my food either and I think PETA are extremists, but if an animal has to die to feed me it should be quick and as painless as possible. Its having respect for other life

 

[Tutsbrew]

Raw sloth.

 

[acarter5251]

Rattlesnake and lionfish would be two things I'd like to try. I had a professor in college who specialized in sturgeon aquaculture and said the meat was some of the best fish you'll ever have, so I'd add that to my list as well.

 

[chocotaco]

Would you take your dog and confine it to a box and shove a tube down its throat and force feed it?
I don't anthropomorize my food either and I think PETA are extremists, but if an animal has to die to feed me it should be quick and as painless as possible. Its having respect for other life

Dogs' throats aren't designed to swallow large fish whole.

I'm not saying foie necessarily isn't cruel. But that doesn't mean it necessarily is, either. You cited two things, the overall treatment of the ducks, and the gavage phase (force feeding). The overall treatment varies wildly from farm to farm, and isn't that much different than how chickens are treated (there is some outrage over the treatment of chickens on certain farms, but just as in that case it comes down to knowing where your chicken comes from in order to discourage those practices).

The gavage itself is up for debate as well. Is it cruel? Some say yes, and others say that the ducks don't really care that much. Their physiology is designed to allow large objects down their esophagus, and for large quantities of food to be consumed and stored as fat for later. Fatty liver disease is bad news in people, but for ducks it's just part of how they are built to survive food shortages. Some ducks and geese in nature actually gorge themselves to a similar degree, voluntarily. So you can look at it as, we're just harvesting those ducks at the appropriate time to get foie.

Here's an interesting article about it:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/12/the-physiology-of-foie-why-foie-gras-is-not-u.html

 

[jdm61]

Dogs' throats aren't designed to swallow large fish whole.

I'm not saying foie necessarily isn't cruel. But that doesn't mean it necessarily is, either. You cited two things, the overall treatment of the ducks, and the gavage phase (force feeding). The overall treatment varies wildly from farm to farm, and isn't that much different than how chickens are treated (there is some outrage over the treatment of chickens on certain farms, but just as in that case it comes down to knowing where your chicken comes from in order to discourage those practices).

The gavage itself is up for debate as well. Is it cruel? Some say yes, and others say that the ducks don't really care that much. Their physiology is designed to allow large objects down their esophagus, and for large quantities of food to be consumed and stored as fat for later. Fatty liver disease is bad news in people, but for ducks it's just part of how they are built to survive food shortages. Some ducks and geese in nature actually gorge themselves to a similar degree, voluntarily. So you can look at it as, we're just harvesting those ducks at the appropriate time to get foie.

Here's an interesting article about it:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/12/the-physiology-of-foie-why-foie-gras-is-not-u.html

Spot on. The farmers that raise the ducks and geese say that badly treated birds make for bad product and the market will not tolerate bad product at this price point. As for comparison to fatty liver disease, in humans it is typically caused by years, if not decades of alcohol abuse. In ducks and geese, it is cause by garage done for weeks, not years.

 

[dinnerstick]

i am not interested in arguing about goose snacking/feeding/torture but if anyone is interested, check out the story of eduardo sousa who makes 'natural' foie gras in extremadura spain. as in, no feeding (or contact at all) the geese. it's a very interesting story, he's been interviewed and reported on many times, for example there was a 'this american life' show on it. i have never had his product, i think it's too high in demand. if anyone has some and wants to share it with me please PM me now.

 

[Spelaeus]

Nice to see some educated opinions on foie gras, it's a refreshing change of pace from the usual well-meaning but somewhat misguided complaints that get thrown its way.

But on topic: I've always wanted to try a paw paw fruit, and also I've always wondered what those giant coconut crabs that gorge themselves on coconut fats taste like. These guys:

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Nice to see some educated opinions on foie gras, it's a refreshing change of pace from the usual well-meaning but somewhat misguided complaints that get thrown its way.

But on topic: I've always wanted to try a paw paw fruit, and also I've always wondered what those giant coconut crabs that gorge themselves on coconut fats taste like. These guys:

Holy crap! Is that thing real? I'd think the aliens had invaded if I saw 1 of those crawling up the steps! I'm all for tasting a new crab though. You knock him on the head & I'll pull his legs off...
Steamed or grilled?
Regards, GF.

 

[podz]

I don't anthropomorize my food either and I think PETA are extremists, but if an animal has to die to feed me it should be quick and as painless as possible. Its having respect for other life

Yeah, PETA are extremists, but still I believe that production of foie gras is cruel treatment. Yes, I've eaten it before I knew how it was made. Yes, it tasted damned good. But guess what? I can make a french-style chicken liver mousse with a gelatin broth topping that tastes just as good. No kidding. And it costs a whole lot less. If anyone wants the recipe, just let me know.

As quick and painless as possible; that's part of the Halal way. I'm not a muslim, but just saying that mad cow disease along with the resulting mass hysteria and mass slaughter of cows for burning would never have happened if Halal was in force everywhere.

 

[chocotaco]

Yeah, PETA are extremists, but still I believe that production of foie gras is cruel treatment. Yes, I've eaten it before I knew how it was made. Yes, it tasted damned good. But guess what? I can make a french-style chicken liver mousse with a gelatin broth topping that tastes just as good. No kidding. And it costs a whole lot less. If anyone wants the recipe, just let me know.

As quick and painless as possible; that's part of the Halal way. I'm not a muslim, but just saying that mad cow disease along with the resulting mass hysteria and mass slaughter of cows for burning would never have happened if Halal was in force everywhere.

I want the recipe.

 

[Spelaeus]

Holy crap! Is that thing real? I'd think the aliens had invaded if I saw 1 of those crawling up the steps! I'm all for tasting a new crab though. You knock him on the head & I'll pull his legs off...
Steamed or grilled?
Regards, GF.

Yep, they're real. Largest living non-marine arthropod. And hey, with that much meat, why not try it both ways?

 

[Spelaeus]

Yeah, PETA are extremists, but still I believe that production of foie gras is cruel treatment. Yes, I've eaten it before I knew how it was made. Yes, it tasted damned good. But guess what? I can make a french-style chicken liver mousse with a gelatin broth topping that tastes just as good. No kidding. And it costs a whole lot less. If anyone wants the recipe, just let me know.

As quick and painless as possible; that's part of the Halal way. I'm not a muslim, but just saying that mad cow disease along with the resulting mass hysteria and mass slaughter of cows for burning would never have happened if Halal was in force everywhere.

The thing is, geese and ducks don't have the same anatomical structure as humans. Gavage just takes advantage of two anatomical facts about migratory waterfowl. 1) They do not have a gag reflex and they do not chew food as humans do. They will swallow whole fish and store them in a stretchy esophageal pouch before slowly working the food to the gizzard. The feeding tube doesn't put any more stress on them than this. If anything, it's less. 2) Migration takes a LOT of energy. As such, migratory waterfowl will gorge themselves as much as possible prior to migration. Much of this excess energy is then stored in the liver as fat.

It's also important to note that due to the premium price of foie gras and the impact of living conditions on the final product, foie gras farms generally provide considerably less cruel living conditions than, say, your average poultry farm. Which really often are incredibly inhumane. But hey, foie gras is the easier target.

 

[podz]

I want the recipe.

Just dug it out from my wife's archives. There you go.

Serve this as an appetizer along with a bottle of sparking rose. It really goes excellent with ice-cold sparking rose...



Chicken liver mousse

Peppered Consomme Jelly
-------------------------------
1 tbsp. black peppercorns
1 envelope, granulated, unflavored gelatin

Chicken Liver Mousse
-----------------------------
3/4lb. chicken livers
2 tbsp. brandy
2 tbsp. minced shallots
1⁄4 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg Fresh chervil for garnish
1⁄4 cup cold water
1 cup Campbell’s Beef Broth®
1⁄4 cup butter
3⁄4 cup heavy cream
1 1⁄2 tsp. capers

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Sliced dark rye cocktail bread, buttered and toasted

First, prepare the consommé jelly. Place the black peppercorns on a cutting board and crush them using the bottom of a small bowl.

Add the cold water to a small bowl. Sprinkle the granulated gelatin on top of the cold water.

Pour the beef broth in a small saucepan. Heat until it boils, then pour the hot broth into the bowl with the gelatin. Stir in the cracked peppercorns. Whisk the consommé jelly until all of the gelatin granules are dissolved.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the consommé jelly for at least two hours.

Now for the chicken liver mousse. Trim the chicken livers of any veins or muscle tissue. Heat the butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken livers and sauté until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Pour the livers and all of the cooking liquid into a blender. Add the brandy and cream. Puree the liver mixture until it is very smooth and there are no lumps.
Pour the liver mixture into a bowl, and then stir in the shallots, capers, nutmeg and salt and pepper.

Pour the chicken liver mousse into six individual ramekins. Chill in the refrigerator for at least three hours.

To serve, remove the ramekins from the refrigerator and place one ramekin on each serving plate. Place a sprig of chervil on top of each mousse.

Coarsely chop the consommé jelly. Spoon some of the jelly around each ramekin. Place a few slices of toasted dark rye cocktail bread on the side of each plate.

 

[podz]

Yep, they're real. Largest living non-marine arthropod. And hey, with that much meat, why not try it both ways?

That's got to be one hell of a meal!

 

[jdm61]

As quick and painless as possible; that's part of the Halal way. .

Except when you are slaughtering a goat , where maximum blood loss while the animal's heart is still pumping apparently makes for a more tender and better tasting meat. They saw at the throat much like you saw the Sunni salafists in Iraq sawing at the throat of their hostages when they cut their heads off on TV.

 

[chocotaco]

All this talk of chicken livers and coconut crabs... I've got a new recipe in my head now.

This weekend I'm going to sear up some chicken livers in coconut oil with S&P and onions and garlic; serve with a reduction of white wine, chicken stock, lemon zest, capers, tarragon and savory. Maybe with a nice Fortunate Islands Hoppy Wheat from Modern Times.

Podz, the mousse sounds good as a canape spread, but I'm not sure I'll be able to bring myself to eat cold, jellied stock any time soon. Shades of the 50's aspic craze. I'm sure it's quite delicious, but I just can't.

 

[podz]

Except when you are slaughtering a goat , where maximum blood loss while the animal's heart is still pumping apparently makes for a more tender and better tasting meat. They saw at the throat much like you saw the Sunni salafists in Iraq sawing at the throat of their hostages when they cut their heads off on TV.

Sorry, but sawing an animal's throat for slaughter is under no circumstances allowed and your text regarding the goat slaughter is slanderous unless you can present documentary evidence. If you can present documentary evidence of a muslim person doing this then there would be a really, really big problem. As said, I'm not a muslim but I do understand the faith very well and they are not hypocritical when it comes to meat. The law is quite clear and does not leave room for exceptions of this type.

Anyway, this is drifting off topic now.

 

[jdm61]

Sorry, but sawing an animal's throat for slaughter is under no circumstances allowed and your text regarding the goat slaughter is slanderous unless you can present documentary evidence. If you can present documentary evidence of a muslim person doing this then there would be a really, really big problem. As said, I'm not a muslim but I do understand the faith very well and they are not hypocritical when it comes to meat. The law is quite clear and does not leave room for exceptions of this type.

Anyway, this is drifting off topic now.

Who would I be slandering? Even if I was, why would I care? many Muslims do not follow the reels to the letter just as many Jews do not go totally glatt kosher. Tribal/ethinic tradition si much stronger on some places once you get beyond the big taboos like pork. That which applies in Mecca does not always apply in the Horn of Africa or the Hindu Kush.

 

[BrewerBrad82]

New to this thread, but one thing that intrigues me is lutefisk. Im sure its been said here before, but I had to toss that in.

sorry for the potato....