Do they really eat this?

[ninnymary]

Great @ninnymary !
I still can't understand why anybody would put a super spicy pepper in their mouth more than once.

I don't that's for sure! haha Nowadays I have to watch my spice level cause that darn heartburn creeps up.

Mary

 

[seedcorn]

I was lucky enough to be able to travel overseas and stay for a while in many different places, both in the army and later with work. Staying in one place and getting to know some locals instead of spending a few nights in a hotel and moving on gives you a different perspective. It's interesting what foods they eat and how it is prepared in some places.

Some people may be familiar with kimchi, a fermented spicy Korean food made primarily from cabbage. It can smell up a room. I ran into other foods prepared much the same way in other places. Fermenting is a good way to preserve it. I'm not sure exactly what the spices contribute other than taste but most foods of that type seem to have them.

When I was in Kazahkstan I made sure I was never the guest of honor at a party. The guest of honor got to eat a real delicacy, the eyeballs. I don't know where that custom came from, maybe some kind of hunting tradition, but getting an eyeball was a special honor. It might be from a goat, might be from a big fish like a sturgeon. I don't know how much vodka I'd have to drink to get one of those down.

But yeah. dog in Korea, pickled herring in Denmark, horse in France, those smoked eels in the Netherlands, certain breakfast foods in Israel, and many things I just don't want to know from a lot of places. I tried many things. Some were good, some like those smoked eels once was too many, and some I just avoided all together.

Sounds like you have an interesting life. You will have to post more of your travels. Maybe a thread dedicated to those who live (d) outside of USA? Pix of course are assumed....otherwise you know I will have to get (as @baymule puts it) grumpy old man.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Grumpy! I'm only on my third mug of coffee this morning, you are treading on dangerous ground. You need to respect your elders anyway.

I don't have photos from the dark ages where you used film. I don't really have any others that would interest people. I certainly did not go around taking photo of food which is the topic of your thread.

I'm not going to write a book of my life history on here or anywhere else. That would take dedication. I occasionally do share a few stories, I think I have seen some interesting things, inside the US as well as overseas. A Tennessee hillbilly in Cajun Country, come on, there have to be stories. One thing I've learned, people are pretty much the same underneath no matter where you go. Race, religion, economic background, nationality, or social status are superficial differences. You can always find some extremists but most people care for their families and want some stability in their lives. Most are decent human beings if you bother to get to know them.

 

[flowerbug]

Great @ninnymary !
I still can't understand why anybody would put a super spicy pepper in their mouth more than once.

consider it like a drug which can make your brain a bit happy. if anything happy that you've only ate a bit and then stopped (like beating your head against a brick wall it feels good when you stop )???

 

[digitS']

Is that it, @flowerbug ?

I was wondering how I could describe my appreciation for hot peppers to @ducks4you ... I think you are onto something, 'Bug.

It might be like my appreciation for tobacco in the old days. Nah, let's pick something better ... how about my appreciation for any spice with flavor that I like - it brightens the moment 🌤

Steve

 

[flowerbug]

Is that it, @flowerbug ?

I was wondering how I could describe my appreciation for hot peppers to @ducks4you ... I think you are onto something, 'Bug.

It might be like my appreciation for tobacco in the old days. Nah, let's pick something better ... how about my appreciation for any spice with flavor that I like - it brightens the moment 🌤

Steve

spices bring variety and complexity. i'm a big fan of spices too. i don't cook as much now as i was when i was on my own, but once in a while i get out the inspiration and cook up a pot of something that Mom won't touch. zing!

i actually think the capsaicin hit is more than what i've said, some people really do get a bit of a buzz off eating really hot mustard or wasabi. i'm not into either of those but i do like a bit of hot peppers. up to about jalapeno is enough for me, or just a bit above that and of course the Hatch chilis out of New Mexico... yum. now i'm drooling again...

 

[seedcorn]

@Ridgerunner agree that people are basically the same in what they want out of life. Their foods, customs are different. I worked with French that were shocked when they found out all Americans weren’t “John Wayne’s”. Believe he was disappointed. I actually believe America is a melting pot as people from different sections of country eat, speak, little different. I embrace diversity.

 

[baymule]

I like good food and will try different things. Insects are off the menu. Not happening.

 

[flowerbug]

I like good food and will try different things. Insects are off the menu. Not happening.

i have eaten fried grasshoppers. would eat them again if i had to. crunchy and a bit resinous, but otherwise just fine.

 

[seedcorn]

I like good food and will try different things. Insects are off the menu. Not happening.

Not on my bucket list but fixed by someone who knew what they were doing, I’d try them. (If you have eaten processed food, you have eaten insects-& things I’ll leave alone).