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Paul S -> RE: Food fight! (7/10/2008 9:01:12 PM)
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Jellyfish is served as part of cold dish appetisers in almost all 8 to 10 course Chinese banquets in my part of the world. Everyone just eats them without batting an eyelid. Not my favourite, tends to be a bit rubbery and tasteless except for the sweet seasoning, which I am not partial too anyway. They do pair well with Sauvignon Blanc though.
The worst I have ever had were fried meal-worms from Thailand. I thought they would taste like chicken, similar to the grasshoppers that I had alongside, but no. They tasted just like they looked. Slimy, stinky and a little mushy. Like warm, slightly solidified puke. No wine pairing for that though.
Other things that we Chinese eat regularly -
"Bird's nest", which is actually a euphemism for a sticky substance secreted in a swallow's saliva which is used to put the twigs and branches of a bird's nest together. The whole nest is harvested, and the salivary substance removed an boiled into a soup. Incredibly delicious.
"Cordyceps", a fungus of sort that inhabits a worm, feeds parasytically on it, and kills it, leaving a fungus-stick shaped like the worm. Again, used in soups. Not half bad.
"Hashima", glands from the snow-frog, used in a sweet, soupy dessert."
"Herbal jelly", another euphemism, this time for a thick black herbal jelly whose main ingredient is the powder crushed from a substance found on the underside of turtle shells. Not bad if you can take your bitter herbs. Usually eaten with a liberally does of honey.
"Leng Yong", sweet drink made from the shaving of a deer antler.
"Kway Chap" - a flat noodle dish in Singapore, served with tripe, pig's ears, and other assorted 'spare parts'
I have not tried pairing any of these with wine yet :)
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