Open stomach to an Open Mind

[ErictheViking]

JW that almost sounds like "bubbles and squeak" I had at an English pub on the San Juan islands in WA st. it was delicious, except I think they used brussels sprouts and seasoned with bacon.   As far as eating taboo stuff, I'ved eaten frog legs(Mmmm MMMM) deer heart and liver, but I grew up not so rich and would come home and sitting there in the sink was a cows liver and heart waiting for mom to cut up and wrap, and if dad was lucky the guy who bought the steer didnt like the tongue(I could never get myself to slice a strip of tongue off and make a sandwich out of like dad though) now tongue or lengua at the local taco wagon is so tender and soft, good eating. 
   
    As far as head cheese goes, my dad always told the story of coming home from school and myy grandma would have two pigs heads sitting in a oven pan and she would be there brushing their teeth getting ready to cook them til the flesh fell off the bone, then put it in pans and make loaves of head cheese.  never ate it but it's hard to beat the pig for flavor.

[Postman]

Love calamari, marinated octopus, and tripe in tomato sauce, but sanguaniccio (blood pudding) is one italian favorite i didn't like growing up. Tried just about every small game animal, rabbit is probably my favorite. Usually eat the liver (with oniions in red wine) and heart (breaded fried medallions) the 2 days after a deer kill.

Been going to a pho place and getting beef pho with all kinds of extra gristly and organ stuff in it that is just delicious (pho ba, maybe?) the guy just says "beef pho with everything again?"

We also have a little Mexican place  - tacos de lingua (toungue) taste like a cross between  prime rib and pork shoulder - and tripe soup (menudo) is even better than  the Italian version.

[HatchA]

Up until a few posts ago, I'd never heard of "head cheese" and to be honest - even the name doesn't instill me with thoughts of wanting to try it.  But Eric's kind of explanation of what it is, is kind of intriguing...

JW - I was gonna mention colcannon as another way I've eaten cabbage.  Glad you approve, though the nutmeg and cream wouldn't be traditionally Irish additions to it but by golly I think they will be in THIS house from now on!!  

[bobnewboy]

You guys...  

Well here in the UK most things dont seem that weird.  My Dad (God rest him) was a country boy, so we often had pork brawn, ox tongue, black or white pudding, haggis (scots extraction waay back), home reared rabbit (he used to tell my sisters not to get too attached...), pheasant, partridge, venison etc etc.  It was not a good idea to ask where some of them came from, but my uncle was big wheel in a shooting club  .

For myself on holiday I'll try most things.  Elk, reindeer and sill stromming (rotted herring) at different meals in Sweden, rotted shark in Iceland with incredibly strong vodka (traditional meal).  Had all sorts in China, I probably dont wanna know what all of them were, certainly some snake in there.  In Australia we tried Emu (great!), Camel (pretty good), Crocodile (tough and not that tasty) and Kangaroo (fabulous steaks), and have eaten plenty of horse over in France (very good).

Hmm, getting hungry now.

[Bevan R.]

Up until a few posts ago, I'd never heard of "head cheese" and to be honest - even the name doesn't instill me with thoughts of wanting to try it.  But Eric's kind of explanation of what it is, is kind of intriguing...

I do not concider Head Cheese as odd. I buy it at the local deli. I also love souse. (Another version of head cheese pickled with vinegar).
Also grew up on tung sandwiches.

Bevan R

[ErictheViking]

I watched a show(food network)  where a guy who sells headcheese said they are not allowed to make actual head cheese(pork brains, spinal fluid etc) said the FDA banned it for some reason or another and that btheir head cheese is pork fat and pork skin from the head and other stuff but the brain and anything attached to the spine were banned. I dont know for sure but this fella said that.

[HatchA]

The reason could be similar to why all heads of animals processed for meat in Ireland are taken away en masse and destroyed/incinerated.  BSE scare a few years back set new regulations in place 

[JW_Halverson]

That might now be a bad idea, HatchA.  Here in America they take the mad cows and give them television talk shows. 

 

[HoBow]

That might now be a bad idea, HatchA.  Here in America they take the mad cows and give them television talk shows. 

 

        

[JustinNC]

livermush....not odd or nasty but nobody outside of NC likes it haha

[Bevan R.]

livermush....not odd or nasty but nobody outside of NC likes it haha

Is that like a Southern Scrapple?

Bevan R

[JustinNC]

livermush....not odd or nasty but nobody outside of NC likes it haha

Is that like a Southern Scrapple?

Bevan R

Heck I dont know haha.....liver, cornmeal, maybe some brains, and seasoned and cooked then sliced and fried......livermush egg and cheese with mayonaise (DUKES!!!) and lettuce on a biscuit or toast...........make ya feel so good you'll man up and pluck dingleberries off a bear's hindend

[Bevan R.]

Heck I dont know haha.....liver, cornmeal, maybe some brains, and seasoned and cooked then sliced and fried......livermush egg and cheese with mayonaise (DUKES!!!) and lettuce on a biscuit or toast...........make ya feel so good you'll man up and pluck dingleberries off a bear's hindend

If you can eat that, you would probably scare a bear!!
Scrapple is something like that without the organ meat. usually boil the bones then add onions and cornmeal & oatmeal.

Bevan R

[skyarrow]

Mmmmm  scrapple


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wgBxSX1SiE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[JackCrafty]

Hmmm...not much left that hasn't been mentioned already. 

I've had every part of goat.  Meat, eyes, tongue, blood, etc.  Very good, except for the brain.  I've eaten lots of carp, a trash fish by some people's standards, but I thought is was quite good.  Better than catfish IMO.

I haven't eaten many bugs (on purpose) but I would definitely try it.  As long as it doesn't smell rotten, I'll eat eat.  That's my standard.

I used to eat almost everything but I've cut way back and tried to stick to a "paleo" diet for the past 5 years.  I also don't drink much beer these days.  It's easy to keep the weight off.  Well, easier, anyway.