Saturday, January 27, 2007

Disgusting foods people eat

Joanna told me that she and Gabe just read a book about disgusting foods some people have eaten throughout the ages and around the world. Interestingly, one of the foods mentioned from Asia I just ate last night.

Today was Jen's birthday and last night X, one of our Thai friends, organized a dinner and karaoke party for her. She prepared a game for us all to play that involved passing around a present that had been wrapped multiple times while music played. When the music stopped, the person holding the gift had to open up a layer then do whatever "task" the note on the wrapping said. Several other people got pleasant, happy things like "sing a song that the birthday girl will dance to" or "say 5 Thai words or phrases". When it landed on me, I unwrapped the gift to find "eat a special Thai snack". Right away I knew what sort of "snack" it would be. X handed me a little package and said I only had to eat one sliver. It was dried squid. After she passed it around the whole room so everyone could smell and be disgusted, I plugged my nose, stuck in my mouth, crunched and swallowed. At first it wasn't so bad - until the smell reached my own nose. I tried to drown the fishy taste in pepsi and ice-cream cake, but the whole thing was disgusting. I managed to keep it down though. Griffin would have been proud.

Tonight I had another food adventure. I got myself some "take home" Lebanese for dinner and was just beginning to enjoy my meal when I popped what I thought was a raw green bean into my mouth. (This may sound like a strange thing to assume it was, but many Thai dishes here, and apparently Lebanese dishes, are served with raw vegetables.) I ate it like I would have a raw green bean. Soon my whole mouth was on fire and I was reaching for anything remotely "cool" to ease the pain: water, slices of cucumbers and tomatoes, reeses pieces, mango juice, more water (in that order). (I probably drank 2 or 3 full glasses of water in a matter of seconds!). My eyes were all watery and my nose was running. It took a while before the inside of my mouth stopped hurting and I could taste my food again. I took a closer look at another of the "green beans" and it was, of course, a type of green pepper, which I guess eaten whole, is quite hot. Another lesson learned...

3 Comments:

At 12:13 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I so enjoy reading about your adventures!
Just curious ... how is your new roommate doing?

 
At 4:41 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Catherine,

I too had a "hot food" experience last night at our bookclub dinner and everyone thought I was choking...I really wasnt, just trying to catch my breathe from the "heat" in the my mouth.

I guess I better really watch what I eat when we get to BKK in just two weeks!

See you then.
helen

 
At 5:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice. Well I think i am going to send you a pack of American hot dogs so that you don't starve. (he he)
Oh yeah how is little Sam doing? Meghan did an instant replay of your reaction (on the phone) when you found out it was in you room.
Well got to go get ready for bed and stuff like that....Good Morning! (He he ha ha)
Love,
~Rachel~

 

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