Bizarre Foods Night

Andrew Zimmerman Is My Role Model



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Have you ever watched the Travel Channel's show "Bizarre Foods"? I watch it every chance I get. Then I go online and watch the shows over and over again. I just can't get enough of Andrew and the things he will try. I like to imagine that given the same chance I would try the same things. Thus we arrive at a "mini" Bizarre Foods night with my family and friends.
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Above is a picture of the main course for the night. And if you look close you can probably guess what it is. But if you can't, well I'll tell you. That my friends is pan fried chicken feet. It would end with a BBQ sauce to make it a little more appealing to my less adventurous siblings.
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You can usually find chicken feet in a Mexican grocery store. And for this cut of meat you can expect to pay around a dollar to a dollar fifty a pound. But to me you can't really beat the price for something you most likely will not find in a Mexican restraint. And the adventure of cooking them is even better for the price.
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The following video will explain how to prepare the chicken feet.

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I think chicken feet taste great. They don't really have much meat on them but they do have a good crispy skin if fried. And the meat that you get is just as good as chicken wings in my opinion. You just have to get use to snapping off toes to get at the rest of the meat.
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The other sorta main dish was a simple baby octopus risotto made with mahogany rice cooked in goat butter and a mixture of spices. The herbs used were savory, saffron, tarragon, and lovage. I used these to help bring out the flavors of the rice and the butter. All were also selected to help complement that sea food flavor one can expect from fresh baby octopus.
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Now I will be the first to admit that the little guys aren't the cutest little buggers. But they are rather tasty. In a way they aren't that much more fishy than jumbo shrimp. However they are much harder to cook. After all you don't want them to be too chewy and you really don't want sushi when you aren't planning on making it.
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So that is why I steamed the rice and then added it to the pan after searing the cut up octopus. I went just under three minutes before removing the meat from the heat of the pan so as to stop the cooking process. And for me, that was a perfect time frame for a pound of octopus.
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The dish tasted great and ended up being one of the most well received amongst the bravest of the foodies (my mother and I). However my brother and sister found it to be rather hard to swallow simply because of those little suckers and curly tips of the tentacles. I thought that the goat butter did a great job of keeping the meat on the tender side. And the flavor was better than most rice dishes I have gotten at high end restraints... most likely due to the exotic rice mixture.
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Some of the sides were just as bizarre if I do say so myself. However I had already had most of them when I cook for myself at home. But anyhow they were a little different and yet oddly everyday foods in their own ways.
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First their was Ugli fruit. And from the outside it is rather ugly for a tropical citrus fruit. Yet it tasted great... somewhat like and orange actually.
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Next was the goat milk kefir which I was certain my family had not tried. And of course, my sister hates all things goat, it didn't go over well. But it may have very well have helped them prepare for the food that was still to come.
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I actually used goats milk to saute some yucca root and taro root then made a mash out of the two. With an addition of some goat butter and the flavor was complete. All it needed was some pepper and salt to bring out the subtle flavors of the two roots.
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Now for the meats that I left for the side dishes.
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Frogs are by far one of my latest favorites. They just taste so much like blue gill fish. And the tender meat is so easy to cook. You just toss some butter in the pan and let it melt then toss the meat in. Wait, flip, wait, and flip again. Once the meat is firm to the touch you are ready to eat. It is just as simple as that.
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Then there was the squid cooked in ink sauce. Or should I say calamari? Anyhow, it tasted good to me. I mean the ink sauce was a little less flavorful when used on the squid than it is when used to make pasta. But the dish tasted great.
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But for me their is nothing that says bizarre here in the Midwest than escargot. After all, we don't typically like the idea of eating bugs. And snails are not only bugs but are typically snot covered bugs. And that turns a lot of people off. Yet it makes me hungry just thinking about them.
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These were store bought and tasted great. Got them at my local Marsh. And the herb butter in them made the snails taste amazing to me. I alone ate about half of these while my brother and sister could hardly finish one.
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And in the end we all had a good time. Even if the other two in the picture above were about to run to the restroom, I ate till I could eat no more. So I would encourage you to find some local bizarre foods the next time you venture out to the grocery store. It is always a great way to be a little more adventurous with your food.
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As Andrew Zimmerman always says, "if it looks good, eat it."
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Goat Kefir

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First off I would like to point out that I did finish my trial of Lemon Grass Dry Soda... Not my cup of tea. But now for Goat Kefir.
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You might be asking yourself what Kefir is, I did too. So I looked it up (after getting home and having been talked into trying it by the Whole Foods lady). It turns out that Kefir is a fermented milk drink that originated with the shepherds in the Northern Caucasus. And yet unlike other fermented drinks, Kefir does not have that rotten tastes some associate with fermented foods.
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Originally the yogurt like drink (can almost be chewed... so it might be eaten more than drinking) was concocted by mixing milk with kefir grains. The grains naturally have large amounts of bacteria and yeast to start. But when mixed the two foods make a fermented (and mildly alcoholic) concoction similar to a thin but still very much yogurty mixture.
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Modern methods yield only about 1 percent alcohol and yet still have that faint fermented flavor. The product is thick and creamy in its own unique way. And it is rather difficult to swallow if you take a large mouthful in at one time (as I did on my first attempt at "drinking" goat milk kefir.
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I would suggest that if you like goats milk than you should definitely try goat milk kefir. I purchased Redwood Hill Farms Plain Goat Milk Kefir at Whole Foods for $5.99. And I'm pretty sure that you would have to go to a specialty store if you aren't looking at Whole Foods or Fresh Market.
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This drink/food is definitely worth a try.
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My Violent Torpedo of Truth

"Tantalizing Flavor, Exotic Essence, All Natural"
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Dry Soda Co. Lemongrass Soda.
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When I was at Whole Foods I decided that I needed to try something different. I was looking for something really off the wall sort of strange. One might even say bizarre in describing a soda that uses lemongrass as its main flavor. I thought "heck ya"... I mean I use lemongrass as a kitchen herb a lot anyhow.
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So on the side of the box it gives serving suggestions.
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1. Taste / No Ice.
Serve chilled with no ice for full flavor.
2. Visual / Champagne Flute
Serve in champagne flute for full visual effect.
3. Aroma / No Garnish
Serve without garnish for full aroma.
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On the other side of the box it describes the soda.
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Flavor Profile
Bubbles with the refreshing and tantalizing essence of lemongrass.
Characteristics
Dry, bright, grassy, medium acidity.
Pairing Ideas
Asian inspired foods, spicy dishes, sushi, shellfish, goat cheese, asparagus.
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OK, with all that said I must say that "Dry" is a very accurate "Flavor Profile" of this soda. It is very dry... my wife described it as "baking soda" sorta dry. And that is something that I wasn't really expecting. It is like sand almost as it grates over your tongue on its way into your mouth.
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And as for flavor... it does not have a lemongrass sorta flavor. The other few people who tried this drink did however agree that it tasted "grassy". It does in fact taste like grass (I love using nira grass and lemongrass both as herbs). But even that flavor is masked by the taste of soda water. And that taste of carbonated water you get when the pop machine is running low on syrup.
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However, what I found very odd (and all the other tasters did too) was that the first drink is kinda pleasant. Then you take the second drink and it hits you. And I do mean that it hits you like a violent torpedo of flavorless sandy water.
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As for the rest of the description of this drink... sure it sparkles in a glass. And it has a very... very... very faint aroma to it. An aroma that doesn't even really smell like fresh cut lemongrass.
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But I would invite you to try the soda for a whopping price of 5.99 or so for four bottles. It is worth a try i suppose. After all, you never know if you will like something unless you give it a try.
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Dry Soda Co: Refined Flavor / Lightly Sweet
www.drysoda.com

Reed's Jamaican Ginger Brew

And Other Ginger Ales
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Over the years I have drank my way to the bottom of every ginger ale bottle I could find. Maine Root Ginger Brew, Reed's Jamaican Ginger Brew (especially the Extra Ginger Brew), and Cock N' Bull are three of the best I have ever found. They have complex flavors and rather strong ginger bites to them. And they have a price to match unfortunately.
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Now for the ones that don't come in traditional glass bottles there are a few good mass produced ones out there. Canada Dry is a good everyday ginger ale along with Seagram's Ginger Ale. But like I said... they are the kind I drink every day simply because I can't afford to have a Reed's ginger beer in my hand whenever I want.
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As for the price... Canada Dry sells for four bucks or so at any given big box grocery store. Seagram's is about the same. But Maine Root goes for around seven bucks for a four pack (only have found it at Whole Foods thus far). Reed's (my personal favorite) Extra Ginger Brew sells for 1.25 to 1.50 for a single bottle and 5.99 or so for a four pack (can only be found at Fresh Market, select Kroger stores, and Whole Foods). Cock N' Bull is a Fresh Market favorite of mine but once again is a single bottle drink that goes for about 1.50 a pop.
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So what is the difference between a Jamaican Ginger Brew and Canada Dry?
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Everything. Reed's has a traditional way of doing things that is like comparing a micro brewery and Bud Light. The flavor has a little bit of a floral taste at first with a nice strong ginger bite if you buy the Extra Ginger Brew (the original is good but doesn't have that strong ginger bite at the end). Canada Dry is more like the Bud Light of ginger ales. It is cheap and easy to find. As for the flavor, well it is OK but just isn't as complex as the Reed's line.
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What about the store brand ginger ales?
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When times are tough and money is tight... just about always anymore... Dollar General has a variety that is great. It is right up there with the other big box stores ginger ale. However like Canada Dry, Dollar Generals ginger ale is good for those days when I can't afford Reed's.
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So I would have to suggest to anyone out there looking for a new drink to try that will stimulate the taste buds... Reed's Jamaican Extra Ginger Brew. It is simply unbeatable for those of you who like a nice flavorful ginger ale.
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P.S. for those of you who like using ginger ale with liquor, Cock N' Bull has a recipe for what they call a real Russian Mule. I don't drink so I haven't tried it.

Al Basha Middle Eastern Restaurant and Grocery

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I'm not exactly sure on how I found this place but I'm sure happy I did. The food there is amazing. And the Hookah I purchased from them has saved me money by not having to go down to Broad Ripple whenever I want to smoke one.
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Every time I have gone there I have almost always gotten their falafel sandwich. And I have to say that their falafels are the best I have ever eaten. And their grape leaf wraps are far better than anything you can get at the big box grocery stores.
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My wife on the other hand enjoys their gyros sandwiches. So much so that every chance we get, and many we make up just because, we stop on in at Al Basha. After all, you can't beat their prices.
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Plus if you are a foodie like me you can't beat the selection of new and exciting foods they have available in their grocery area. Anise cookies have been a recent favorite of mine. And their tahini, the same exact product Miejer had, was far cheaper... thus my wife can make homemade hummus.
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So if you are in the area and would like to find a new place to eat I would suggest you stop in at Al Basha.
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11321 Village Square Lane, Fishers, IN 46038-4554
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It is right behind the tire place and the strip where Cigar Haven is.
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Fishers Indiana.

Cheese And Hoosiers

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It is hard to imagine living so close to Wisconsin and never having known that there is more to cheese than Cheddar for so long. Swiss, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Cheddar, and Colby are all rather boring to me. Especially if the word Kraft is on the package. And if what you call Parmesan is already grated and in a tube... you don't know what Parmesan is.
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As of late I have been able to get more and more people to try more and more bizarre foods (The TV show by that name is a major inspiration of mine). We have had cows head roasted in a pit over night, pigs feet in a kimchi that was mildly spicy, and escargot backed in squash blossoms.
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The reaction to these has always seemed to be far less outrageous with the addition of cheese. And that is where Manchego comes in. A cheese that I like to imagine that God himself would eat every day.
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Now you can get Manchego in a few different varieties around Indy. There is the usual three month Manchego that is a little softer and easier to cut if you want to eat it raw (which I personally suggest). Next there is the six month Manchego that is better suited for cooking and is in my opinion the best for macaroni and cheese. Or there is the stuff that should rain down from Heaven itself, twelve month aged Manchego.
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Mahon cheese is a good one too... but that isn't the point.
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If you are lucky enough to find the twelve month Manchego I would suggest using it in any way you would usually use other grating cheeses. It makes absolutely the best backed macaroni and cheese. And it is rather useful as a cutting cheese if you want a nice snack... you will need a good cheese knife for this one.
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So far I have been able to find the three month Manchego at places like Marsh, Meijer, and some Kroger grocery stores. Fresh Market carries a nice selection of this cheese and sometimes has six month Manchego available too. However, the best place to go for cheese up here north of Indy has to be Whole Foods.
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Whole Foods has almost every type of Manchego you can think of. They carry the 12 month Manchego, the best type available in Indiana. And they have other forms of Spanish cheeses to choose from... some you probably never have even heard of too.