7.10.10

Food Frenzy: Of Termites, Snails, Snakes and Frogs Legs…

“Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside” Mark Twain
Stuffed Porcupine

This is about food and not the pretty foods we salivate over but foods that demand a strong stomach and an acquired taste... Have you ever tasted snake meat? What about roasted termites? And goats brains? Well … I have. Welcome aboard.

The first thought that entered my mind when I read today’s Tell The Truth Thursday prompt below was “Oh no, it’s Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmer!” I don’t know about you, but I don’t enjoy watching that show; even though I am drawn to it and watch it religiously anyway. Why? Because, it makes me queasy watching Andrew shoveling forkfuls of white Ants, Dung Beetles and whatever other scary foods he discovers on his journeys around the world. I’ve tried a few thing but nothing like Andrew.

Tell The Truth Thursday

What is the grossest thing you've eaten OR what do you eat that other people would think is gross?

Interestingly, Andrew has an upcoming show on October 25th about his snake meat adventures in Vietnam. I hope to dvr the show and watch it when my gag reflex and churning stomach calm down. I might still eat a few new things on a dare, but I definitely cannot compete with dear Andrew. Join me below for some more photos and my adventure with foods that others might consider gross.




Fresh Frogs
Squirrel Heads

Redhead Riter’s prompt got me thinking about some of the foods I tried as a young adventurous girl back in my father’s village. It’s funny that I am now vegetarian but back in the day, I was as curious as the next person and when a bolder cousin dared me to try something new; albeit odd, I went for it. Yeah, I actually enjoyed eating snails and roasted termites. Flying termites are seasonal and gathered by lamp light in basins of water and then roasted with salt in large clay pots. Goats’ brains are made into a very popular and tasty dish with other ingredients that could be equally barf-worthy to people unfamiliar with the dish. As for frogs’ legs, the French still eat them and they aren’t bad at all. 

Mini Recipe - Fried Flying Termites
Gather them by lamp or candle light
Start a woodburning fire outside
Dig up your metal or clay wok
Add rock salt to the mix and roast till crispy. Bon Appétit

I’m not sure why I bothered to try snake meat other than because I was eager to prove a point. I don’t like snakes and whenever I would come across even a garden variety on our farm, I would run off. One of my male cousins, Chuks, found a garden snake one day and killed it. Before you knew it, kids gathered, a small wood fire was started, and the bloody thing roasted to an oily, crispy treat. Pieces were handed out and when I refused, another cousin dared me to eat it and not wimp out. I tried it. The Snake was oily and I barfed.
Snails
Goat Intestines

I am no Andrew Zimmer but I can understand how foods are appreciated and tastes for certain foods are acquired by people around the world. For instance, I love hot peppery foods and can handle some pretty hot stuff.  Another person may love raw meats and fish or other delicacies unique to their culture; even drinking sour milk is an acquired taste and while it makes one person wonder why, it makes another smile.

What makes Andrew’s adventures disturbing to watch is the way the camera pans right and then at close up as he shoves another fried worm down his throat, rolls his eyes and smacks his lips. Excuse me, at least Anthony Bourdain shows sufficient disgust when he eats something off the chart; that way we, the audience, can commiserate as his grimaces and barfs off camera. Andrew will have none of that. He goes for the gold, and eats anything no matter what or where.

The foods I showcased and the ones I’ve tried are considered delicacies. Hey, one man’s meat is another man’s poison. What have you eaten that might make me barf?


PHOTO CREDITS:
All Photos of Bizarre Foods via the Travel Channel


Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank

39 comments:

  1. The most daring that I have ever been is frog legs - they weren't bad.

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  2. Following from Hop Along Friday!!

    www.mamalovesherbargains.com

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  3. Wild Boar. It was in a pasta sauce. It just tasted like Chef Boyardee to me. But I think Chef Boyardee is enough to make me barf sometimes. (Sorry, Chef!)

    Glad to be part of your tribe on SITS!

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  4. I'm consider myself an adventurous eater; mind you, I've never had roasted termites! This might not qualify, but I used to eat peanut butter & pickle sandwiches. Try doing a wine pairing with that! :)

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  5. Hi, I'm a new follower. I missed this post for Thursday. But loved it totally. I'm a big fan of AndrewZ and AnthonyB. I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to food But some of the stuff they try....Wow!! I absolutely love Escargot. Probably not the grossest but it make a lot of people gag when you tell them.

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  6. I'm not very adventurous when it comes to eating - although I do love food. I have a habit of smelling at my food before I put it in my mouth. If I don't like the smell, I won't even try it. The most adventurous thing I have ever eaten is sushi. Not very bizarre; although I do eat all kinds of sushi and sashimi, not just California rolls :) I guess that is because it was a normal thing to eat in my family from the time I was very little, which I guess is similar to your situation - except I was never dared to eat it, it was just what we ate!

    Anyhow, Thanks for buzzing by my blog for Following Friday. I'm here to return the love!

    ~ Busy Buzzer
    Buzzing the Day Away

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  7. The worst thing I've eaten is Beaver meat. We didn't have any money one winter, my grandfather was a trapper, so we tried beaver meat. It smelled awful cooking, tasted awful, and just wouldn't go down!

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  8. Here from the Hop ... hope that you are having a Fab Fall Weekend. Down in FL, we are trying our very best to make it seems a little like Fall, trying :)
    Please make a note that Wednesday Wishlist is my blog hop on you guessed it, Wednesday - for The Twelve Weeks of Christmas with a fab bling piece giveaway - don't miss, make a note and you just have to sign up!

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  9. Here from the Hop ... hope that you are having a Fab Fall Weekend. Down in FL, we are trying our very best to make it seems a little like Fall, trying :)
    Please make a note that Wednesday Wishlist is my blog hop on you guessed it, Wednesday - for The Twelve Weeks of Christmas with a fab bling piece giveaway - don't miss, make a note and you just have to sign up!

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  10. Thanks so much for joining our hop! We love having you =)

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  11. Hmmm, I'm not too into eating crazy foods... but I have tried crocodile, dog, sea tortoise, and barracuda before. Not really my cup of tea! :)

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  12. Hello! I am your newest follower from a weekend blog hop. I would love for you to follow back at one or all three of my blogs!

    www.singleparentretreat.com
    http://singlemamachallenges.blogspot.com/
    http://motherdaughterconnection.blogspot.com/

    Thanks! Have a great evening!

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  13. Now, that sure is interesting. Anything meat makes me nauseous, so I could not stomach this.

    Thank you for participating in last week’s Follow Us Monday Morning! I hope you will stop by and participate in this week’s Follow Us Monday Morning @ Frugality Is Free.

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  14. when i went to papua new guinea a few years ago, we ate bbq alligator! well, it was good! =p

    we have all sorts of gross foods in the Philippines... one day old chicken, chicken feet, duck egg with nearly developed embryo...

    (i dont eat them!)

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  15. Thank you all for your feedback... I will back on track soon. Life has been very hectic of late with a few challenges tossed in the mix.
    Blessings,
    Elizabeth

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  16. I ate alligator once and I thought it would be horrible, but it tasted like chicken. Really.

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  17. I've tried snail, frog legs, rabbit, and rattlesnake. I also tried alligator, which I really liked.

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  18. Gotta be honest. That was a tough one to get through for me. While I don't eat any gross foods, my husband would tell you that I do because I LOVE mushrooms, but he hates them.

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  19. Gosh I do like that show. Wouldn't eat many of the things he has!

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  20. I am just not a brave soul when it comes to eating things that I'm not used to. I wish that I was more courageous!

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  21. I have only tried snails from this list and I admit they taste good to me!

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  22. Nope - nope and nope. The most daring thing I ate were frog legs and that was when I was a young child. I'm good on all the rest and wouldn't eat any of the aforementioned in this lifetime - nope, nope, nope!

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  23. I have tried frog legs but weren't my cup of tea. My brother and dad love them.

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  24. I haven't eaten anything (knowingly) that is gross. I'm a very, very picky eater!

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  25. I cringe anytime Bizarre Foods comes on but it's so interesting! The most adventurous I've ever been was when I ate alligator meat. They were alligator tenders (like chicken tenders) and actually tasted quite good!

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  26. I love spicy food but I'm not sure that I could handle eating some of these strange foods LOL!

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  27. Poor squirrels! I haven't eaten anything that crazy, but I really do like sour milk.

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  28. I actually haven't tried anything and just stay with the basics. Chicken and beef mostly. Not sure if I would ever touch a squirrel or even frogs.

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  29. I was on an extreme press trip recently, and we ate duck tongue tacos and beef heart and tongue jello stuff.

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  30. I could never stomach these foods!! I have eaten frog legs and alligator meat....love them both!!

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  31. Seeing all of this, makes me realize that I am really not all that adventurous with food! Don't think I could quite stomach any of these...

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  32. These foods are definitely for the most adventurous among us!

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  33. OH, gosh, I could never! LOL NEVER!!!! salad is always a good safe choice for me. LOL...but your wriite up was entertaining!

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  34. I've never been too adventurous with food that I'm not familiar with and cringe whenever Bizarre Foods is on, lol!

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  35. The only thing i have eaten that may be odd is alligator. Cannot like in Florida and not try it however, it took me almost 41 years to try it! LOL

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  36. I am pretty main stream when it comes to eating. I have not tried anything that other people consider gross.

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  37. I'm not even sure I can read this post without getting sick!! I had Haggis once. That was the grossest thing.

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  38. I use to love watching bizarre foods. Some foods might be different but Id try at least once. But other foods, no way would I even think of about trying. It's amazing what some people can and will eat.

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  39. I love Bizarre Foods. Some weird foods I have eaten include bitter melon, durian and shark.

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