What is the funkiest food you ever ate?

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

I would say the "funkiest" thing I ever ate was.......some wild flower that grew down in south Florida it was actually the seed pods and they had such a very neat and distinct taste! I wish to this day I could taste them again. As far as I knew they were a common weed flower, and unknown by anyone but me as a food source!

I found a photo of them and the seeds at this web-site! Google Image Result for http://butterflies.heuristron.net/pictures/mainPage/plants/nectar/07068.JPG Click on The Florida Native Lantana photo and you will see a photo of the seed pods YUMMY!!!!

P.S.
OK CanMan you got me on that, except these flowers did not smell good, they were not pleasant smelling at all! But I would not describe them as foul smelling, just sort of non-descript! So maybe I should phrase my description as most UNUSUAL food you have ever eaten!!!

In reading about these Lantana flowers it says butterflies like them, so they must not be poisionous! But I do not recommend people rushing out and eating these! PLEASE!

I found some great info on wiki re: these Lantana Lantana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia if the seeds are under-ripe it says they are mildly poisionous e-gads!!! But I only ate the ripe ones when totally red in color! They never made me sick. This info from wiki is much better than the other info at the other web-site!

 

[CanMan]

Hmmm, "having an offensive smell; evil-smelling; foul" is the definition I found for "funkiest" so I have a feeling your use of the word is different.

By yours I would go with "Cotton Candy".

 

[The Ironic Chef]

Going through the state of Pa, there are signs along the thruway advertising "Brother Grimms Liver Balls". Or something like that. The bill boards showed a Amish looking Dude.
I am in no way a fan of liver and balls in no way made them seem appetizing but I had to tempt fate and when I got into the area of the restaurant I tried one with my meal. After seeing a zillion bill boards advertising them I figured I'd see what the fuss was about. I think that brother Grimm was of the twisted fairy tale type because the taste was dreadful and reminded me why I didn't like liver.

 

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Hmmm, "By yours I would go with "Cotton Candy".

Not Cotton Candy flavored at all! The Lantana seeds had a flavor I could never begin to describe, it was pleasant and very unique, something I have never eaten again since moving away from Miami Springs! The seeds were a liquid filled sac encasing the actual seed, much like a pomegranate seed is.

 

[jfain]

I think it's interesting Cathy that one of the funkiest foods for you is a plant. Normally when you start to talk about weird foods there are never any plants involved. I've eaten a lot of unusual fruits and vegetables. I like to try wild herbs and lettuces with the correct guide to help me find them of course.

My weirdest foods though would have to come from the meat category. I love, love eel thought it's not that strange. I've also had jelly fish, sea urchin, blood sausage, tongue and various other organ meats but my all time weirdest is going to have to be deep fried scorpions. I don't know if I will ever be able to top that one.

 

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Oh my gosh Liver Balls and Scorpions!!! I would die, liver literally gags me; and I am afraid crunching down on a scorpion would do the same!

Jfain how did it taste?

And you crack me up with the remark about Grimms fairy tale guys IC, but there is a good deal of truth to that remark, some of their stories were a tad warped!

 

[jfain]

Oh my gosh Liver Balls and Scorpions!!! I would die, liver literally gags me; and I am afraid crunching down on a scorpion would do the same!

Jfain how did it taste?

They didn't taste like anything. I was pretty dissapointed actually. I got them in China and I expected them to be sort of like crayfish. You know scorpions can get about that big but instead it was a bowl of these teenie tiny scorpions that you just eat stinger and all. You know the outer part of the popcorn kernel that gets stuck between your tooth and gums? Well that was both the texture and teh flavor. I wouldn't order them again.

 

[The Ironic Chef]

When I was a kid we did a lot of fresh water fishing during the summer and we stocked up the freezers for the winter. During the winter you would take out the eel that we froze in roughly 4"-5" pieces. Thaw them out and throw them into the frying pan after dredging in a seasoned flour or corn meal. They would still move around in the pan even after being frozen for months. We always got a kick out of it.
Anyone ever clean and eel?

 

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

They would still move around in the pan even after being frozen for months. We always got a kick out of it.
Anyone ever clean and eel?

Yes and they.....as you pointed out still squirm once you place them in the pan and start frying them!

But I had no idea they would still squirm around even after being frozen, that is funny. I'll bet it cracked you guys up. My sons used to get tickeled when I would fry them. All the eels I cleaned and fried and I never would even taste one bite! Too squirmy for me I could just imagine putting it in my mouth and having it start squirming e-e-e-e-ekkkk

 

[chubbyalaskagriz]

RE: "I love, love eel thought it's not that strange."

At one restaurant we had this waitress named Diane who used to scream like a BANSHEE when we'd pull out these wiggly EELS and chase her 'round the kitchen w/ them! She used to joke (At least I think she was joking!) that each time we did that she had to change her uniform!

 

[jfain]

RE: "I love, love eel thought it's not that strange."

At one restaurant we had this waitress named Diane who used to scream like a BANSHEE when we'd pull out these wiggly EELS and chase her 'round the kitchen w/ them! She used to joke (At least I think she was joking!) that each time we did that she had to change her uniform!

One time I chased my ex-step Mom around the house with a decapitated squirming black snack that my PaPaw killed on the farm. She just had no sense of humor.

 

[jglass]

I tried octopus once at the chinese place we like to eat at. I tried it...

 

[CanMan]

You are a better person that me. 4 legs is a limit for me.

 

[jfain]

I tried octopus once at the chinese place we like to eat at. I tried it...

oooo I LOVE grilled octopus tentacles with tzatziki. mmmm delicious! I like squid too about any way you make it. Speaking of which I have this recipe from Mark Bittman on my menu for next week. Delicious!

Squid in Red Wine Sauce
Yield 4 servings

Time 1 hour, largely unattended

Mark Bittman

Summary
You can vary this dish in many ways. Add some crisp croutons or sauteed potatoes at the end for a contrasting texture. Cook the squid with fennel seeds or some crushed red pepper instead of thyme to alter the flavor entirely. Or you can add a few chopped tomatoes (canned are fine) to make the sauce a bit thicker and more plentiful. If you choose to do that, you may as well serve the dish over pasta. Otherwise, crusty bread is more the spirit.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil5 cloves garlic, crushed2 pounds cleaned squid, the bodies cut up if large1 cup fruity red wine, like Côtes-du-RhôneSeveral sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thymeSalt and freshly ground black pepperChopped fresh parsley for garnish, optionalMethod
1. Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet with a lid, and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Add the squid and stir, then lower the heat, and add the wine. Stir, add the thyme, and cover.
2. Cook at a slow simmer until the squid is tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover, season with salt and pepper to taste, raise the heat, and cook until most but not all of the liquid is evaporated. Stir in the remaining olive oil, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Source: The New York Times