Down the Rabbit Hole

Chapulines & Cold Pasta

30Day Blogging Challenge
PROMPT November 27th
Do you have any "weird" tastes in food? Carrots and ketchup? Peanut butter and ice cream? Watermelon and salt? Can you convince us to try your odd food combo?

I had to think about this prompt for a while because I wasn't sure I could come up with any examples of weird tastes in my food repertoire. Even when I was pregnant, I don't recall any cravings that would be considered odd. I did sustain on a lot of grilled cheese and McDonald's vanilla soft serve ice cream to quell the horrendous heartburn I suffered with until my daughter's birth. Those choices were out of my normal consumption patterns but not what I would consider "weird" tastes.

I'm fairly adventurous with food, I like trying new things. I enjoy eating and cooking dishes from many different cultures. The term "weird" strikes me as being a relative one. What I might consider a weird food choice or delicacy, another person could have grown up eating it as a familiar and normal meal for them. I spent a lot of time in Mexico with my ex-husband. It was entirely common to see his young nephews running about with a bag of chapulines, (chapulines are roasted crickets dosed in copious amounts of chile and lime) crunching and snacking to their heart's delight. It was something they grew up eating and while I would politely and emphatically decline their offers to share, I was never offended by their choice of snack. It wasn't weird or strange for them so it never resonated that way with me either.

I do like several things that might be considered more acquired tastes perhaps. I'm an avid fan of asparagus. I liked mine roasted with lemon and feta cheese. I love roasted kale...although, admittedly, it has a very noxious odor while cooking it. I really like brussel sprouts, tossed in olive oil and dusted with some Parmesan cheese and powered garlic...even better when roasted with mozzarella and bacon! I will eat most sushi but steer clear of eel, urchin and those big orange spheres of salmon roe. There is nothing better than a really good grade of tuna steak chopped and tossed with salt, lime and avocado in a fresh tartare. As far as some of the cooking ventures...I've yet to be able to convert many people beyond my immediate family to partake some of my Turkish dishes - like the one with cool pasta in a garlic yogurt sauce with a pepper paste relish.

I find food interesting though, and I'm looking forward to reading some of the other blogs on this topic.