Only a Chinese would eat it

[chappie]

Dejah -- you are correct. I am looking, out of curiousity, for a way to prepare an abundant summer pest into something I can eat. And all I can find online are general descriptions of the technique without specifics.

[hzrt8w]

Here's a REALLY gross thing to eat.... Lobster!  It is so strange-looking, feeds on sewage, debris and dead things on the bottom.  No one would eat that, would they?

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I agree. That also goes to creatures like crab and shrimp... creatures that feed on dead marine bodies.

[hzrt8w]

Dejah -- you are correct. I am looking, out of curiousity, for a way to prepare an abundant summer pest into something I can eat. And all I can find online are general descriptions of the technique without specifics.

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Sorry can't help with a recipe. Perhaps experimentation? First mix the jelly fish with plenty of salt, then take them out and sun-dry them?

[dmreed]

Here's a REALLY gross thing to eat.... Lobster!  It is so strange-looking, feeds on sewage, debris and dead things on the bottom.  No one would eat that, would they?

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I agree. That also goes to creatures like crab and shrimp... creatures that feed on dead marine bodies.

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hummmmmm...I guess you also cannot eat fresh stream/lake trout, free range chickens, free range pork, etc., etc.

BTW most creatures eat other creatures/plants which in a chain eventually get back to dead creatures/plants.

however, I fully support your attitude...it allows the rest of us to enjoy the many gifts of nature as edible delights.

another thought...how well filtered is the water you drink? is it from lake, stream or reservoir sources? if so, think of all the crap which falls to the bottom before you get it!

Edited February 12, 2008 by dmreed (log)

[dmreed]

How about pig's ears?  I don't know of any culture that eats them.  In the U.S., they're sold as dog chow.

I love them, by the way.

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Traditional "Soul Food," the cuisine of the African American slaves, would use the castoff pieces like pig ears, trotters, and tripe.

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As do the Greeks and the French.

I do see a lot of pigs ears and other less popular parts in shops that have a large African American clientel.

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a lot of cultures eat/prepare pig ears including Asian and Latino cultures.

[Ce'nedra]

I'm wondering who else (as in which other cultures) eat chicken feet -I'm pretty confident there has to be others. I can't get enough of it! The black bean sauce that goes with it just tooo good for words...

[SheenaGreena]

well other people dont really eat it like the Chinese do, but many Jews (and other people) know of it's great broth making abilities. Chicken feet make an extremely delicious chicken soup.

[Domestic Goddess]

In the Philippines, we grill chicken feet and it is a popular street snack fondly called "Adidas".

In Korea, the feet is cooked with the fiery gochujang paste and is sold as an accompaniment to beer and soju.

[phage]

Here's a REALLY gross thing to eat.... Lobster!  It is so strange-looking, feeds on sewage, debris and dead things on the bottom.  No one would eat that, would they?

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I agree. That also goes to creatures like crab and shrimp... creatures that feed on dead marine bodies.

←

hummmmmm...I guess you also cannot eat fresh stream/lake trout, free range chickens, free range pork, etc., etc.

BTW most creatures eat other creatures/plants which in a chain eventually get back to dead creatures/plants.

however, I fully support your attitude...it allows the rest of us to enjoy the many gifts of nature as edible delights.

another thought...how well filtered is the water you drink? is it from lake, stream or reservoir sources? if so, think of all the crap which falls to the bottom before you get it!

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Well, I'm not really serious about the lobster being inedible - it's more that I see that there are many folks who'd eat lobster (with all its ugliness and unsavoury eating habits) at the drop of a hat, but wouldn't think of eating something that they are not familiar with even though it may be less weird or disgusting.

[phage]

Here's a REALLY gross thing to eat.... Lobster!  It is so strange-looking, feeds on sewage, debris and dead things on the bottom.  No one would eat that, would they?

←

I agree. That also goes to creatures like crab and shrimp... creatures that feed on dead marine bodies.

←

hummmmmm...I guess you also cannot eat fresh stream/lake trout, free range chickens, free range pork, etc., etc.

BTW most creatures eat other creatures/plants which in a chain eventually get back to dead creatures/plants.

however, I fully support your attitude...it allows the rest of us to enjoy the many gifts of nature as edible delights.

another thought...how well filtered is the water you drink? is it from lake, stream or reservoir sources? if so, think of all the crap which falls to the bottom before you get it!

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Well, I'm not really serious about the lobster being inedible - it's more that I see that there are many folks who'd eat lobster (with all its ugliness and unsavoury eating habits) at the drop of a hat, but wouldn't think of eating something that they are not familiar with even though it may be less weird or disgusting.

[liuzhou]

While I realise you are not being entirely serious, you are using emotive language. I don't think lobsters are ugly at all. Eye of the beholder and all that.

Also, what you find 'weird' or 'disgusting', I may not.

[Dejah]

In the Philippines, we grill chicken feet and it is a popular street snack fondly called "Adidas".

In Korea, the feet is cooked with the fiery gochujang paste and is sold as an accompaniment to beer and soju.

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Both versions sound delicious, but I love the name in the Philippines: Adidas!

Maybe I'll ask for them by that name next time...

[LuckysticksPRC]

Been living in China for about 4 years now, I eat anything (more or less), and have tried the following:

- dog hotpot (very, very popular down in Guangxi where I live)

- snake soup (looked cool, tasted very unspectacular)

- raw snake blood and rice wine (the worst thing I have ever tasted in my life)

- raw snake bile and wine (not as bad as the first, but pretty bad)

- smoked toads (I tried this in Zhejiang - surprisingly, most non-Zhejiang Chinese I've talked to think eating these 蛤蟆 would be disgusting)

- pangolin (a protected species - I didn't order it was angry that it was surprised on me)

- deep-fried scorpions (sounds crazier than it is)

- Sweet Wine with Rice 甜酒 (just odd, but you get to liking it after a few sips)

- fried pig's penis

- those little soft-shelled turtles (水鱼 - "water fish" - nice, incredibly misleading name to someone studying Chinese)

- Geoduck (taste like soft-shelled clams from the Chesapeake, only much bigger)

- Fresh-water snails (periwinkles? 螺蛳)

- Plus tons of Stinky Tofu, congealed blood, fish heads, preserved eggs and every other delicious (and non-endangered) thing Chinese cuisine has to offer

Seriously, China really is a country every food enthusiast should visit. And don't worry about language. A smile, a big ol' "NI HAO" and maybe a phrasebook will get you further than you think.

[MoGa]

Are Chinese and Japanese (maybe Koreans too?) the only cultures who eat eels?  I don't think I have seen eels on the menus in other restaurants.

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In Northern Spain, a certain kind of junior eel is a delicacy. They are called anguilas and are served in a variety of ways, for some they are the ultimate tapa, especially as they command such high prices nowadays.

In England, as has been mentioned, they are used in a traditional working class cockney dish called 'jellied eels'.

In the South West of England, what was once a dish for poor people is now strictly for gourmands. Just like in Spain, elvers (baby eels) now command top prices and are highly prized.

And lots of delicatessens now serve smoked eel in vacuum packed slices.

There is also some confusion as to whether a popular fish and chip option in the South East of England is eel. A fish known as 'rock salmon' (also called 'rock eel') is coated in batter and fried, but it's dogfish. The point of confusion is probably because fish and chip shops acquire this already skinned, which means it looks like eel (although the lack of bones is a great indicator that it isn't)

[Ce'nedra]

Monkey's Brain

I read these are also eaten in Mexico (possibly during ancient times? Not sure) and various countries in Africa (I personally saw a picture of someone's meal in Africa as well...bleh).

This reminds me of Anthony Bourdain. I really like how he puts into perspective that every cuisine has its oddities, it's just a matter of cultural point of view.

[Magictofu]

Monkey's Brain

I read these are also eaten in Mexico (possibly during ancient times? Not sure) and various countries in Africa (I personally saw a picture of someone's meal in Africa as well...bleh).

This reminds me of Anthony Bourdain. I really like how he puts into perspective that every cuisine has its oddities, it's just a matter of cultural point of view.

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Some of my chinese friends used to find the idea of eating stinky cheese quite repulsive... the only way you could convince them to try was to argue that it was pretty much the same thing as stinky tofu. My partner, also of chinese origin, finds the amount of sugar used in western food quite repulsive too.

[s0rce]

Been living in China for about 4 years now, I eat anything (more or less), and have tried the following:

- pangolin (a protected species - I didn't order it was angry that it was surprised on me)

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pangolins are very interesting creatures, they have a plate-like armor made of similar material to hair, nails and horns. The only one I've ever seen was stuffed at the Harvard museum. I've heard that they were eaten in some places but I wouldn't eat them when there are many non-threatended species to eat

Very cool animal though, almost looks prehistoric.

[Utenya]

Last year on a trip to Taiwan, my family and I went to a Hakka restaurant, and were served what I thought was normal fare that I've eaten before. Until this dish came out.

Bee larvae!

I was a bit reluctanat at first to try it, but as soon as I saw all my relatives happily chomping down on these delicate morsels, I gave it a go. It was like a light crunchy yet chewy on the inside peanut, and quite tasty!

[liuzhou]

Bee larvae are quite popular in Hunan, where they serve them with lots of chilli. They kind of remind me of popcorn. Chilli popcorn!

[Kent Wang]

Vegetable fungus, aka cordyceps. I had this in Hong Kong, quite tasty, an interesting texture.

[billieboy]

Vegetable fungus, aka cordyceps. I had this in Hong Kong, quite tasty, an interesting texture.

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I am a round eye Canadian. My eating habits are simple. I will eat anything that won't eat me first.

Bill

[Hest88]

Oh I love vegetable fungus. I had no idea what it was called in English but my mom puts it in soup for me all the time.

[KateC]

I'm wondering who else (as in which other cultures) eat chicken feet -I'm pretty confident there has to be others. I can't get enough of it! The black bean sauce that goes with it just tooo good for words...

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Yes, in my country we do eat chicken feet and pork ears, feet and tail. I'm Brazilian.

Chicken feet is part of our traditional chicken soup, canja, and the above mentioned pork parts, make for a creamy feijoada.

The colagen realesed during the cooking makes everything taste better and enhances the food texture, although there is a trend for "light" -tasteless, bland- feijoada nowadays. Ugh...

BTW, on Saturdays we went to the Asian hood to get chicken feet at the Chinese grocery. Yummy!

[LuckysticksPRC]

During my time in Guangxi Province I saw people eating/drinking, as well as tried myself:

-lots of brains (still not fond of)

-lots of congealed mammal blood (became very fond of)

-bamboo rat (ok, i guess)

-softshell turtle - 水鱼 but not a fish at all (never liked)

-stinky tofu (i love this)

-periwinkles 螺蛳 (love these)

-snake blood with baijiu (the worst thing I've ever ingested in my life)

-snake bile with baijiu (bad, but not as bad as the blood)

-pangolin (still feel guilty, but didn't know what it was at the time)

-smoked toads (in Zhejiang, but liked them all the same)

-spicy duck heads (ok)

-dog hotpot (tasty)

-cat hotpot (never tried, and still wouldn't)

-several kinds of lizard (not worth the price to pocket and environment)

That said, I know plenty of Chinese who wouldn't touch half the stuff on this list. Then again, my girlfriend thinks bleu cheese is one of the foulest culinary inventions known to man.

My next business venture will be exporting MD-style Scrapple to China. I'm going to open stands all over China selling scrapple 肉夹馍 with Vietnamese iced-coffee.

[hzrt8w]

Do Chinese eat fish eye balls from a steamed fish?