[Food] Food you love that most people would turn their noses up at nowadays?

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Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,885
Almería
There's a great book by the food historian Mark Kurlansky called The Big Oyster all about how in late 1800s oysters were the food of the poorest people in New York. If you couldn't afford anything else to eat you'd get a few oysters to see you through.

I'll have to get hold of a copy, being a big fan of Kurlanksy's other books. The cod one is probably my favourite.
 




Worried Man Blues

Well-known member
Feb 28, 2009
7,288
Swansea
No mention of bread and dripping yet!!, after swimming wonderful, don't know why swimming but after the King Alfred great
 


Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,885
Almería
Same here. Although I did feel a bit queasy in Barca recently when I went to that offal cafe I recommended to you. I took a few recommendations from the waitress and one was lamb cheeks. Never had these before but they were on the (jaw) bones, jaw bones which were very visibly and which still had teeth in. The plate looked rather demonic as it stared up at me.

That's not something I've come across before. In fact, I've never had a lamb cheek as far as I know. But if they're half as good as pig and ox cheeks, count me in.

The one dish I've had that tested my open-mindedness was in a Chinese restaraunt in Madrid. The menu said it was mollejas, which could be gizzards if from a bird or sweetbreads from a ungulate. Either way it sounded great on paper. When it came neither sweetbreads nor gizzards could be seen. Just hexagonal cartilage of some kind. I crunched and chewed on a few pieces but I wouldn't say it was particularly pleasant. What exactly it was I never did find out.
 


Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
25,506
Worthing
Just having a corned beef and mustard sandwich on white sliced with a nice cup of tea. I'm really enjoying it but most people I know would never have corned beef on their shopping lists.

I imagine anyone under the age of 30 would scoff at such an old fashioned snack.

Pining for a pickled egg? Penchant for a prawn cocktail ? Loving some liver? What food do you enjoy that people largely shun these days?

I tried some of my Jack Russells dinner recently………… it tasted exactly like corned beef and put my mind at rest as to the taste of what she was actually eating. It was nice but I prefer a nice ham sandwich.
 






Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,685
The Fatherland
That's not something I've come across before. In fact, I've never had a lamb cheek as far as I know. But if they're half as good as pig and ox cheeks, count me in.

The one dish I've had that tested my open-mindedness was in a Chinese restaraunt in Madrid. The menu said it was mollejas, which could be gizzards if from a bird or sweetbreads from a ungulate. Either way it sounded great on paper. When it came neither sweetbreads nor gizzards could be seen. Just hexagonal cartilage of some kind. I crunched and chewed on a few pieces but I wouldn't say it was particularly pleasant. What exactly it was I never did find out.

The ones I had were not great, far less flesh than an ox or pig cheek and they were a bit tough and chewy. I appreciate the latter is more due ot the qualities of the kitchen than the cheek itself. I love ox and pig cheeks though.

Whilst we're on this subject of crunching and chewing on cartilage, I was away last week and went to a restaurant and had their special of oxtail, mash and green beans. It was superb, slow cooked so the meat fell off the bone/cartilage, gravy was rich and mash lovely. Couple with oysters to start it was a dream. Went back a few days later and had the same, boy was it different. More cartilage and grissle than meat, what meat there was, was tough and no green beans at all. Really disappointing. Went back a third time and had a fish soup followed by a steak; soup was very good, but steak was utter shite. I cannot understand how a restuarant can fluctuate so much between days and also between courses; the lack of consistency was quite extreme.
 


Originunknown

BINFEST'ING
Aug 30, 2011
3,155
SUSSEX
Vivid memories of boiled tongue on sandwiches and cigarette smoke on the air in my great grandma's kitchen.

Liver and bacon still delicious though certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at that.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,685
The Fatherland
Weirdly, in France chicken is really expensive - 17 euros for a very small bird last I was there - yet you'd think with all that land they could produce loads of chickens.

Salmon is very expensive here. Conversly duck is very cheap. Turkey is very popular; the supermarkets always have turkey fillets alongside the chicken.
 








Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
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Jul 23, 2003
37,341
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
The ones I had were not great, far less flesh than an ox or pig cheek and they were a bit tough and chewy. I appreciate the latter is more due ot the qualities of the kitchen than the cheek itself. I love ox and pig cheeks though.

Whilst we're on this subject of crunching and chewing on cartilage, I was away last week and went to a restaurant and had their special of oxtail, mash and green beans. It was superb, slow cooked so the meat fell off the bone/cartilage, gravy was rich and mash lovely. Couple with oysters to start it was a dream. Went back a few days later and had the same, boy was it different. More cartilage and grissle than meat, what meat there was, was tough and no green beans at all. Really disappointing. Went back a third time and had a fish soup followed by a steak; soup was very good, but steak was utter shite. I cannot understand how a restuarant can fluctuate so much between days and also between courses; the lack of consistency was quite extreme.

Oxtail is another to add to the list here for me both slow cooked as a stew (Canhams normally have good oxtail) or that other delicious 1970s delicacy Heinz Oxtail Soup in a can which is a good lunch staple and cheap as anything.
 




BNthree

Plastic JCL
Sep 14, 2016
11,452
WeHo
I'll have to get hold of a copy, being a big fan of Kurlanksy's other books. The cod one is probably my favourite.

:thumbsup: He is a great author. The cod one is brilliant.
 


Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,885
Almería
Oxtail is another to add to the list here for me both slow cooked as a stew (Canhams normally have good oxtail) or that other delicious 1970s delicacy Heinz Oxtail Soup in a can which is a good lunch staple and cheap as anything.

Surely no one would turn their nose up at an oxtail stew, would they?
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,685
The Fatherland
Oxtail is another to add to the list here for me both slow cooked as a stew (Canhams normally have good oxtail) or that other delicious 1970s delicacy Heinz Oxtail Soup in a can which is a good lunch staple and cheap as anything.

Ah yes, tinned soup. In my childood would also often have oxtail....or if my parents were feeling exotic a tin of watery minestrone. Gotta love Heinz.
 






Goldstone1976

We Got Calde in!!
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Apr 30, 2013
14,124
Herts
Lamb brains are probably the most extreme food I like which others find a bit repulsive. I have eaten fried insects, which are probably more extreme, but I wasn’t too enamored with these. Bone marrow on sour dough toast is probably my favorite.

As well as being at least happy to eat everything that’s been listed so far*, mashed lamb’s brains on toast was going to be my contribution, but you got there first.

Bone marrow on toast sounds delicious, but the last time I ate it, it was underwhelming. :wink:

* except the white dog shit.
 
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Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,885
Almería
As well as being at least happy to eat everything that’s been listed so far*, mashed lamb’s brains on toast was going to be my contribution, but you got there first.

Bone marrow on toast sounds delicious, but the last time I ate it, it was underwhelming. :wink:

* except the white dog shit.

I've never had underwhelming bone marrow- I'm not even sure how anyone could mess it up. Whether on toast or straight for the bone, it's pure ambrosia.

Bone.jpg
 


Goldstone1976

We Got Calde in!!
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Apr 30, 2013
14,124
Herts
I've never had underwhelming bone marrow- I'm not even sure how anyone could mess it up. Whether on toast or straight for the bone, it's pure ambrosia.

View attachment 145122

Have you ever had it in a 1* restaurant near Smithfield that employs a bouncer? No? Underwhelming, I tell you. Generally, it’s divine, as you say…

Sorry [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION], I was pressed…
 




Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
14,885
Almería
Have you ever had it in a 1* restaurant near Smithfield that employs a bouncer? No? Underwhelming, I tell you. Generally, it’s divine, as you say…

Sorry [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION], I was pressed…

I haven't but I know exactly the place you're talking about and believe the marrow comes with a parsley salad. How was the rest of the meal?
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
62,685
The Fatherland


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