Um, um, good!
Published on November 30, 2005 By AvantiTexan In Misc
Being in another country, or culture for that matter, one has the opportunity to taste a variety of foods and goodies that one would not be able in their home country.

On that note, I give you a delicious, mouth-watering, and delectable pasta that is good on any occasion. It is…(drum roll please)…Squid Pasta! Yes folks, you heard me right, squid pasta. Not only is it lovely in form, but also leaves a piece of its tantalizing color with you for several days (use your imagination).

Without further ado, I give you Pasta Nera!



It is made with fresh squid. They use the ink packets from the squids to make the pasta sauce. It is a typical dish of Sicily, and boy is it good!

My curiosity has now gotten the best of me, therefore I ask JU, what are some of the most weird/interesting/gross meals you have had and where?


Comments
on Nov 30, 2005
Escargot that we picked ourselves.

We were staying with our friends in Aix En Provence a their villa on the edge of town. It rained really hard, and half an hour after it stopped, they took us for a walk across the fields behind their house. We picked the snails off blades of grass, and when we got back to the villa, we placed them in a tub of seasoned flour that was on the stoop. They staed in there for three days, consuming the flour and ridding themselves of the icky stuff that they had consumed before being abducted by us.
On the evening of the third day, Monsieur Guillion (the man of the house) fired up the grill, and Madam Guillion, my mother and I all used small syringes to squirt a garlic butter sauce into the shells of the snails. They then got placed on the rack of the grill......you could tell when they were cooked because they popped about a foot up in the air.

They were definitely a different tasting kind of deal. Rubbery, salty.....not bad, but not the best either.

I also ate horse meat (cheveaux) whilst in France. That I didn't really care for at all. ick.
on Nov 30, 2005
Nasty. Does Amanda eat it?

You're sick. Sick, sick, sick.

That's all I have to say.

Sicko.
on Dec 01, 2005
dharmagrl
Escargot that we picked ourselves.


Ummmm...fresh snails......(picture homer simpson drooling for his forbidden donut)

They staed in there for three days, consuming the flour and ridding themselves of the icky stuff that they had consumed before being abducted by us.


So, they were kind of like short-term pets that you get to eat?

Rubbery, salty.....not bad, but not the best either.


Similar to how the squid tastes, except w/squid you definately have a "fishy" taste to it. The squid ink had almost a gritty texture to it, but it sure was good!

I also ate horse meat (cheveaux) whilst in France.


Hmmmm...horse sausage...good stuff. I never had eaten horse before I came to Italy, but I do enjoy it now and again. Actually, I think there are more horse butchers close to our house than cow butchers. We don't buy it often (actually only once for a party), but we have eaten several, several times at friends' houses.

Sis

Nasty. Does Amanda eat it?


No, she is usually a pretty good sport about tasting weird things, but this was too much for her! But that's okay, it was all the more for me! he he he

You're sick. Sick, sick, sick.That's all I have to say.Sicko.


Thanks! *s*
on Dec 01, 2005

Escargot that we picked ourselves.

I have had escargo, but never knew how to prepare fresh ones!  Fascinating!

And I would like to try that Squid.  My wife would not, but I am game!

on Dec 01, 2005
Squid, gator, frog, if it's been alive, if I haven't tried it yet, I will. And I've tried a lot of weird stuff. But stay away from javelina jerky, blech.

I've had lots of exotic foods, but the weirdest stuff was the oddball creations I made at home. Avocado and tomato cobbler. Sweet potato and banana fritatas (delicious by the way) A club sandwich with thousand island dressing on a chocolate chip bagel (so good it's sinful) Most actually turned out okay. Although the texture in that first one was too weird for words.

But what's really important, is that if you're creative, and keep an open mind no matter what, gazpacho still sucks.
on Dec 01, 2005
So, they were kind of like short-term pets that you get to eat?

Yes, sort of.

Hmmmm...horse sausage...good stuff.

That's how we had it too, rounded into balls. It was a little gamey and strong for my taste, but it wasn't horrible.

have had escargo, but never knew how to prepare fresh ones! Fascinating!

Yeah, we were a little freaked out the first time we went snail picking, and watching them get cooked was a trip....as was actually eating one.
on Dec 01, 2005
I had squid once. It was so rubbery it took like five minutes to eat one little piece.

You must still be eating that WHOLE bowl of the nasty stuff.

And it DIDN'T taste like chicken!
on Dec 02, 2005
Dr. Guy
And I would like to try that Squid. My wife would not, but I am game!

Sounds like us! I am game for just about anything! I think it is so great to be able to taste all kinds of food!

SNS
Squid, gator, frog, if it's been alive, if I haven't tried it yet, I will. And I've tried a lot of weird stuff. But stay away from javelina jerky, blech.

Wow! Perhaps even braver than I am! I've eaten frog and tasted gator before but have no idea what javelina jerky is!?!?!
Avocado and tomato cobbler.

....interesting....
Sweet potato and banana fritatas (delicious by the way)

That sounds really good actually! How do you make it?
gazpacho

Huh? What is that, I have heard of it, but don't know what it is exactly.

Trova7
I had squid once. It was so rubbery it took like five minutes to eat one little piece.

HA HA HA!!! It can be a little difficult to eat, especially if it's not real fresh.
You must still be eating that WHOLE bowl of the nasty stuff.

It did take me a while to eat it, but because it was a big bowl!
d it DIDN'T taste like chicken!

Ain't it the truth!

Little_whip
Hmm, rubbery, fishy, gritty....gak!

ha ha ha
on Dec 02, 2005
I really have to say that I haven't had anything exotic. My family was so white bread, meat and potatoes that I never had chinese food or shrimp until I met my husband and he took me to China Garden and Red Lobster.

I have a hard time trying new things. I just would hate to spend money on a dinner that I would hate so I stick with the boring things that I know I like. And my opinion is that if it tastes like chicken then I'll just have the chicken, thanks.

This is one thing that has kept me from Amazing Race. All the hang gliding, hot air balloon riding, bungee jumping adventures look fun to me but eating some of that food - I just don't know about that.

Enjoy your culinary adventures. When Anthony Bourdain went to Sicily they were eating some kind of long, stringy entrails looking stuff. Have you tried that yet?
on Dec 02, 2005
Hey I just remember I ate a piece of pizza with anchovies in high school on a dare. Is that adventurous enough for you?
on Dec 06, 2005
Hey Jeremy, them thar nightcrawlers you iz eatin' iz fer fishin'....stop eatin' dem worms son....Love ya, Dad
on Dec 06, 2005
but have no idea what javelina jerky is!?!?!


Javelina is a kind of wild boar that runs around North Texas, Lousiana, and Arkansas. (the arkansas razorback for example) They get fairly large some places. Jerky, like beef jerky, dried and salted/spiced meat.

interesting....


You're not kiddin'.

That sounds really good actually! How do you make it?


Frittata's somewhere between a giant omelette and a quiche. Standard recipe goes about like this.

First, whisk eight eggs in a bowl, and add maybe a quarter to half a pound of cheese cubed small, (gruyere is choice, but swiss works too) You might toss in a little basil or parsley for good measure.

Then get a big saute pan with deep angled sides. Heat up a little olive oil. Toss in some sliced red potato and cook 4 minutes on high, stirring. Add some onions and sweet bell pepper and cook for about five minutes more.

Turn it down to medium/medium high and add a little more oil and the egg/cheese mixture. After a minute, run a spatula around the edge or it will never, never come out whole. Cover. Cook on medium for 'bout 5 or six minutes till the bottom sets good.

Ready? Now take off the lid, and stick it under your oven broiler. Which I know you already preheated, right? Until the top's a nice toasty golden brown. Now put a plate over the top and flip the whole shebang over like an upside down cake so it comes out of the pan. Get a serving dish and repeat so it's right side up, and voila.

Optionally you can add a little sliced kielbasa or hamburger. For my wierd ass version, substitute sweet potatoes for the red potato, and add the banana with the cheese mix. And strongly consider leaving out the onions in this version, they taste kinda funny with the banana. Not bad, just funny.

Huh? What is that, I have heard of it, but don't know what it is exactly.


A spanish dish, cold tomato soup. Cold soup I don't mind, but gazpacho sucks. And your friend is lying when he/she says, no no.....you haven't tried mine, it's alright. It still sucks. Always. Trust me on this.

Jeez, Could this comment get any frickin' longer?
on Dec 06, 2005
I didn't mean to post twice. Also, with the fritata, you need to put salt and pepper in with the egg mix at the beginning. Otherwise the egg is a little too strong. I also like to eat it with a little tabasco sauce.
on Dec 07, 2005
Locamama
I just would hate to spend money on a dinner that I would hate so I stick with the boring things that I know I like.

In the states, I am all about that! I hated trying something new, paying $8-15 and then it sucking. I am with you. However, I decided to try everything at least once while overseas. So far, so good!
And my opinion is that if it tastes like chicken then I'll just have the chicken, thanks.

That's a great quote!
When Anthony Bourdain went to Sicily they were eating some kind of long, stringy entrails looking stuff. Have you tried that yet?

No, do you happen to remember the name of the dish? I haven't spent a lot of time in Sicily, but have friends from there. I will ask them about it.
Hey I just remember I ate a piece of pizza with anchovies in high school on a dare. Is that adventurous enough for you?

That counts! : )

Spc Nobody Special
avelina is a kind of wild boar that runs around North Texas, Lousiana, and Arkansas. (the arkansas razorback for example) They get fairly large some places. Jerky, like beef jerky, dried and salted/spiced meat.

Yum....(again, picture homer simpson drooling over the forbidden donut)

Thanks so much for the recipe! I am definately going to try that! I too eat almost everything with tabasco sauce (I finally found it in a store here, a little expensive, but worth it.) I will let you know how it turns out!