On 10/16/2014 11:34 AM, Travis McGee wrote:
> http://www.floridatoday.com/story/li...path/17052505/
>
>
> Epicurean adventures go off beaten path
> Christina LaFortune, FLORIDA TODAY 12:11 a.m. EDT October 12, 2014
>
> Taste in food is purely a matter of perspective.
>
> Here in the United States, we are used to eating cows and chickens, but
> that is an accident of geography. Had we been raised in another part of
> the world, we could just as easily have developed a taste for haggis,
> ant larvae or century eggs. People who travel have long known that the
> experience of immersing yourself in another culture includes trying new
> foods.
>
> It wasn't long ago when sushi was considered exotic, but today it can be
> found across the country. Do you have a hankering for pork belly or
> halibut cheeks? Chances are you could find a restaurant with those and
> other trendy foods on the menu.
>
> In the spirit of culinary adventure, here are five interesting food
> trends that may take diners out of their comfort zones.
>
> 1. Black chicken. Silkie chickens have beautiful wispy feathers in many
> different colors, but are otherwise pigmented black right down to their
> skin and bones. Even their meat is dark, which can be disconcerting to
> diners. You probably won't find them in the local grocery, but you might
> spot one in an Asian market or a gourmet specialty store. As for the
> taste, well, it tastes like chicken. The flavor is often a little deeper
> and richer, a little gamier, but still basically familiar to American
> palates. In Asian cuisine, Silkies are often braised or made into soups,
> and are prized for their medicinal properties.
>
> 2. Insects. Many of us would recoil at the sight of roasted grasshoppers
> or deep-fried moth larvae. But the protein-rich insect cuisine trend is
> gaining traction in the United States, and there are even metropolitan
> restaurants that specialize in serving bugs. When you think about it, it
> makes sense. People around the world have been doing it for milliennia.
> A 2013 report by the United Nations explains that entomophagy, the
> eating of insects, can fight malnutrition and have positive impacts on
> the environment. How do they taste? Well, there are almost 1,500 edible
> species, and connoisseurs say they're all different, with comparisons
> ranging from nuts (mealworms) to bacon (palm weevil larva) to peanut
> butter (grubs).
>
> 3. Kopi Luwak. The most expensive coffee in the world is processed
> through an Indonesian civet. The name literally means "civet coffee." It
> is harvested from the droppings of the tree-dwelling cats. Prized for
> its caramely flavor, it sells for up to $600 a pound. The idea is that
> the civets are unable to digest the coffee beans, but the enzymes in
> their digestive systems break down the bitter flavor, resulting in
> smoother, more complex coffee. And this process isn't unique. There are
> expensive gourmet coffees on the market that have been "refined" through
> elephants and even weasels.
>
> 4. Guinea pigs. Yes, you read that correctly. The cute little rodents we
> keep as pets are considered a food staple in Peru, Ecuador and other
> South American countries, where they're known as "cuyes." Believe it or
> not, they're gradually finding their way into restaurants in the United
> States. Like insects, they are easy to raise in large quantities in an
> environmentally sustainable way, making them a green alternative to
> beef. If you do find it on the menu of your favorite Peruvian
> restaurant, aficionados report that you can expect the meat have a
> slightly stringy texture and taste like a combination of pork and rabbit.
>
> 5. Bone marrow. Rich and buttery, bone marrow has been growing in
> popularity among foodies for years. Marrow bones are inexpensive and
> easy to find in the market, and are packed with flavor. Chefs around the
> country are serving bone marrow as an ingredient in other dishes to add
> richness, or even on its own, roasted and scooped up with a spoon or
> spread on toast.

My brother and his wife went to a restaurant where they were each served
a single ravioli as part of a 30 dish taste extravaganza. You have to
bit down hard on the thick membrane of this dish and the whole thing
explodes in your mouth. They were warned to keep their mouth closed when
they did this. He said it was scary.

They were also served balloons made of taffy inflated with helium. This
dish was lighter than air! To eat it, you give it a kiss which
immediately causes the taffy skin to break and then you inhale the gas
and the taffy collapses into your mouth. This raises the pitch of your
voice and you get a mouthful of taffy. Amazing!