# Unusual foods you've recently tried for the first time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [October 19, 2022, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477 "2022-10-19T07:47:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2022, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/21 "2022-10-19T23:24:54Z")
I had a lot of unripe figs left on my trees prior to the first serious freeze (which may come as early as tomorrow a.m.), so I picked them and made fig jam, squeezing the fruit between periods of boiling to expel the latex that unripe figs contain. Tastes pretty good. I will have some tomorrow morning on a toasted bagel or English muffin. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/22 "2022-10-20T02:15:21Z")
I understand that ground cherries don’t ship very well, and don’t keep long either. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/23 "2022-10-20T02:22:08Z")
Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray celery soda. I’d been curious about it for decades, but recently went to a deli in Seattle that had cans of it in stock, so I decided to try it. It was sweeter than I expected, and tasted like a spicy ginger ale with celery seed. Not something I’d drink every day, but it wasn’t bad. ---
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/24 "2022-10-20T08:07:55Z")
I’ve gotten into fungus cookery in the last couple of years, and tried all kinds of culinary mushrooms sauteed in butter or olive oil. Recently we’ve had Black Trumpets (most peculiar looking), and Lobster and Hedgehog mushrooms. Tonight I made fried Matsutake and Chanterelle mushrooms over white rice; they were fabulous. And I’ve got a bag of deep purple potatoes waiting in the refrigerator, which will get mashed or fried within the next couple of days. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/25 "2022-10-20T10:47:27Z")
_Manischewitz Sweet Jellied Gefilte Fish_ has been tempting me from grocery store shelves for decades since my childhood. My curiosity was forever piqued trying to imagine what this odd, fishy Kosher product tasted like, but not being Jewish, it seemed somehow taboo for me to try. A misplaced feeling of cultural appropriation? Perhaps. Strange because it never felt taboo to try other typically Jewish foods—latkes, lox & bagels, challah, kugel, kibbeh, and the like. Previous Jewish girlfriends introduced me to these fine, tasty foods and I liked them a lot. According to an ancestry search, I _do_ have a few Jewish ancestors in my bloodline, so maybe this accounts for my affinity for these dishes. And perhaps this gives me an allowance for eating them? Last year, my curiosity finally got the best of me, so I bought a large jar of gefilte fish (_yeah, I’m badass_). I figured a bagel was the appropriate vehicle to transport the fish from my plate to my mouth, so I toasted a poppy seed bagel with a schmear of cream cheese for the gustatory occasion and topped it with copious lumps of gefilte fish. Then, I gobbled it down my gullet with gusto. _Blech!!!_ …just kidding. I want to say that I liked it, but the best I can say is that I didn’t _dislike_ it. I am however proud to have finally checked gefilte fish off my bucket list. And I’m happy to say I didn’t get arrested by the Hebrew police. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/26 "2022-10-20T11:18:46Z")
I grew up in a Jewish community and loved the food. I could never understand why people didn’t like gefilte fish. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/27 "2022-10-20T11:28:06Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > It tasted better than it smelled, but not by much. Caution: Toxic Substance! 😳 > A [fermentation process](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermented_fish) of at least six months gives the fish a characteristic strong smell and somewhat acidic taste.[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surstr%C3%B6mming#cite_note-2) A newly opened can of surströmming has one of the most [putrid](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Putrid) food smells in the world, even stronger than similarly fermented fish dishes such as the Korean _[hongeohoe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hongeohoe)_ or Japanese _[kusaya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kusaya)_.[[3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surstr%C3%B6mming#cite_note-3) ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/28 "2022-10-20T12:26:27Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I could never understand why people didn’t like gefilte fish. I much prefer lox and Nova. But the gold standard bagel spread is my homemade smoked whitefish salad—it’s da bomb. I’m too modest to claim it’s the best in the entire universe. But, it is the best in the _known_ universe. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/29 "2022-10-20T13:13:38Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > We recently tried fresh [Jackfruit](https://www.thespruceeats.com/preparing-and-cooking-jackfruit-3217061), which is available at our local Asian market. They sell it in large chunks in plastic wrap, since the whole fruit weighs many pounds, and looks like something prehistoric. I had to consult youtube to learn how to butcher the thing, but the edible parts are tasty for sure (sort of like a milder pineapple with less juice). I read you can roast the large seeds for additional snacks, but I have not done that. Mrs. solost wanted to try jackfruit, so when I saw a whole one for sale at our local grocery awhile ago I bought it. It was huge and cost like $20-30. My observations: - Yeah, the butchering / dissection of it is a ton of work. - The fruit was bland and mealy, pretty disappointing. It’s very possible the jackfruit we got was either under or overripe, though. I think the fruit is supposed to be tastier than what we experienced. - The seeds were the best part-- we boiled them instead of roasting, and the result were sort of savory-tasting things, very similar to giant chick peas. They probaly would have made a good hummus. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/30 "2022-10-20T13:28:56Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > And perhaps this gives me an allowance for eating them? The insulting thing would be if you weren’t eating it. But, gefilte fish does not belong on a bagel with cream cheese. It belongs on a plate with horseradish. As **Tibby** said, whitefish salad does belong on a bagel. I prefer mine with a slice of Swiss cheese, a slice of tomato and a slice of onion. For a long time, the Russian market near me did not have whitefish salad. (The neighborhood is full of Jewish ex Soviets). Now, they finally do. It’s delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/31 "2022-10-20T13:36:10Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I grew up in a Jewish community and loved the food. I could never understand why people didn’t like gefilte fish. The fact that it looks like the turds of an extremely anemic person floating in a jar is off-putting. Gefilte fish is on my throw-up-in-a-bucket list. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/32 "2022-10-20T14:10:11Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > The fact that it looks like the turds of an extremely anemic person floating in a jar is off-putting. > > Gefilte fish is on my throw-up-in-a-bucket list. When I was growing up, we always had gefilte fish in the fridge. My friend said “what’s that jar with the ball of barf in it?” 🙂 None of my friends could believe I eat it, considering how picky I was / am. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/33 "2022-10-20T14:16:52Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > The fact that it looks like the turds of an extremely anemic person floating in a jar is off-putting. Pedantically: They might have a biliary obstruction, and not be anemic at all! Anybody want to start a thread on foods that look like they’ve already been eaten? ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/34 "2022-10-20T14:42:22Z")
??? I’m curious. The corn muffin thing is the arepa. Unless you are describing something else? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/35 "2022-10-20T14:44:38Z")
I’m describing what the vendor described as a genuine venezuelan arepa. I took them at their word. [Anytime Arepa](https://anytimearepa.com/milwaukee-3rd-street-market-hall-anytime-arepa-food-services-llc-food-menu) ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/36 "2022-10-20T15:59:01Z")
Okay, yeah. The arepa is the actual corn (or sometimes wheat) patty. I was a liittle confused. I like them with just butter or maybe butter and queso blanco. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/37 "2022-10-20T17:01:20Z")
We have eaten food from a Venezuelan food truck that specializes in arepas with various fillings. Very good food, and interesting banter about Venezuela. To hear him talk, all of South and Central America is a wasteland other than Venezuela. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/38 "2022-10-20T18:22:13Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > _Manischewitz Sweet Jellied Gefilte Fish_ > [. . .] > I am however proud to have finally checked gefilte fish off my bucket list. You haven’t really; not unless you’ve tried an unsweetened version. Which is unfortunately getting pretty hard to find. (And I suspect my grandmothers wouldn’t have recognized either version; but producing the original type is, I gather, a complicated process. I’ve never tried it.) ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/39 "2022-10-20T18:34:08Z")
My wife hasn’t eaten meat in years (doesn’t like the taste rather than specific ethical reasons) but is often trying to find options that can fill the ‘meat’ roles in dishes she would otherwise want to make. Saitan was meh for her, and we go through a good bit of tofu, as well as lots of other options. Mushrooms though are always good, just trying to get more interesting options fresh enough to enjoy in our neck of the woods is often hard. 6 months ago we went by our local Asian market and secured 3-4 king oyster mushrooms, which made a most excellent stir fry and tempura. Sadly though, the Asian market is all the way across town, and our efforts to reheat leftover and/or frozen options revealed that the texture suffered greatly in both. So it’s once every few months when we’re going to the market anyway ingredient. Thankfully I’ve gotten a lot better at making butter chicken (for myself) and saag paneer (for both of us), and those ingredients are a lot easier to manage! ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477/40 "2022-10-20T18:41:45Z")
I was in Paris a few weeks ago and made the mistake of ordering [Andouillette](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andouillette), thinking it was the French version of Andouille. It is not. It was basically like standing in a petting zoo and chewing rubber bands in a delightful mustard sauce. The thing is, I was a big fan of Andrew Zimmern’s “Bizarre Foods” before they emasculated it, and barnyard scented intestines were a staple of that show. Had I known what it was ahead of time, I may have tried it on purpose anyway. But coming on it unexpectedly was horrifying. And the worst part was my mother-in-law’s friend was treating my wife and I to dinner, so I had to eat a substantial amount and pretend I was enjoying it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-foods-youve-recently-tried-for-the-first-time/973477.md?page=3)