A mutual joy of beloved but curious foods.
Finding common ground in love of unusual foods is a pastime of mine.
This afternoon, on separate occasions, I related the loveliness of smoked eel with someone and later with someone else, the magnificence of good quality anchovies. I get such a buzz seeing the delight in someone else’s eyes as we share our taste for something unusual.
What unusual food do you love that doesn’t get talked about enough? Let’s talk!
i like japanese curry.
I adore steak tartar, Genie. Not many people I know love it, but I did recently stumble upon my new friend (old FB friend) who loves it too. I can never avoid ordering it if it is on the menu…no matter what meat (except bunny, of course)
I love steak tartare too! I seem to only ever be the one who orders it. None of my friends do, and they are really missing out!
I also love tripe. Just adore it. But it has to be done right because done wrong, well . . . it’s just not very nice.
Have you ever been adventurous enough to cook tripe? Is it more chewy or springy or both? I’ve only ever had it at yum cha, but it’s been so long I can’t remember.
I love beef tendons at yum cha. But this is another one that has to be done well. Well cooked beef tendons is melt-in-your-mouth, wobbly, savoury, goodness. It reminds me of super fatty pork belly only beefy and better for you. It’s like “I can’t believe it’s not butter” only “I can’t believe it’s not fat”.
Haha! That’s so funny! I have a good friend who describes herself as a “defensive eater,” meaning that she systematically removes every little tiny shred of what might possibly look like fat from her food and wrinkles her nose at anything “fatty.”
Drove me absolutely insane for the longest time. But then I started coping by LYING TO HER! Like I just made short ribs, and she started picking off all the fat. And I told her, “That’s not fat, it’s collagen. If you eat it, it will make your nails strong and your hair nice and glossy!” And she said, “Really?!”
And then she ate it. I’m evil! Bwahahahhaha!
Anyway, that’s what “I can’t believe it’s not fat!” made me think of 😉
I like tripe done the Italian way: stewed until nice and tender in ragú and topped with a fried egg. Delicious!
Oh I’ve never had Italian cooked tripe. That sounds lovely. I adore runny-yolked fried eggs too.
You are an evil genius. I think you would make a crafty mother one day.
Not many people offer steak tartar. I’ve only had it once at a food festival. I love raw beef though. Carpaccio and tataki oh boy.