I'm often asked about what I'm exposed to for food, and how I handle it when I travel abroad. I believe strongly in "When in Rome, do as the Romans do". How many chances in your life (besides reality game shows) do you get a chance to be exposed to such unusual food choices? I love food as it is, I love adventure, and I enjoy being tested / taken to the extreme at times. Plus, you win the respect of the locals and learn more about the culture when you are open to try new things!
China:
- Duck tongue (weird, but good)
- Pickled silk worm larve (sadly, a lot of these)
- Baby octopus (raw) - I liked it except for the "stomache / ink sack"
- Cuttlefish on a stick - I love cuttlefish, to have the whole squid-like thing on a stick was a bit weird...
- 100 year old egg (took like 30 minutes to get up the courage to take a bite - turns out to be quite good)
- Crab on a stick (entire softshell crab)
- Shui Zhu Yu (live fish boiled in hot pepper oil and served with these other peppers that make your tongue numb / tingle)
- Tianjin pancake (looks like a rotten pancake wrapped around fish)
- Rabbit stew (in the middle of rural China)
Favorite - Dim Sum meals with dumplings (esp BBQ pork), and so many things to try, and it is communial, so you get to try it all!
--> Love all the food I've had in China so far (some more than others)
- Toughest thing - it is extremely rude to be seen picking at your teeth, espeically with fingers instead of toothpick. (Would be like someone picking nose and eating your boogers in public in the US). It is a habit I have (picking at teeth) and struggle with there in public. Even using a toothpick is to be "hidden" from view.
Korea:
- Pigeon hot pot - lots of bones, work for a little gamey meat.
- Squid soup at 3am from a street food vendor (after bar hopping)
- Mulaki (sp?) a milky alcoholic drink - bizzare
- Soju - kinda like sake... but it sneaks up on you...
- Toughest part is sitting cross-legged on floor at low tables... and remembering to never eat / drink with left hand. In Korea, that is the "unclean" hand you "wipe" with... Oh - and take your shoes off before going in!
Japan:
- Sea urchin - just don't like it raw, cooked or otherwise. One of few foods I just can't get to like.
- To many, all the sushi and sashimi is weird. I love it and it is one of my top favorite meals in any country - when done properly, of course!
The rest of the food, I really, really like!
Holland:
Nutella ice cream with hot Nutella on it - not weird, but unique and soooooo delicious!
Germany:
Again, not weird dishes like Asia, but different and delicious!
Breakfast is always smoked salmon and other meats, cheeses and breads. Fresh local yogurt and whatever berries are in season.
The Hotel Weidenbruck where I always stay (a little, family hotel) has incredible food, and my favorite dinner (Ratsherrenteller = "Mayor's plate") is an incredible pork / spaetzel / bernaise sauce dish. They always have it ready for me on my first night there.
I wash it down with Kolsch beer (the local beer there)... YUM!
Spain
Paella, tapas and cheese plates are big in the Basque region where I stayed, and very, very good with their local wines y cerveza!
Nothing weird here, except for the hours... Tapas (snacks and beer time) from 6:00-8:30pm... can't even get into a restaraunt until 8:30pm at the earliest... I can't eat a big meal that late in the day every day.
Toughest part - finding out the hard way that breakfast isn't served until after 8:00am... I'm usually up, had a run and starvin by 7:00am... That was tough to get used to.
You are a lot braver than I could be. I would fail epically in Asia. I don't like fish of any sort so they would probably politely escort me from their country and ask me to never return again.
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