I like fresh, but.... Many many moons ago I watched a TV segment on Japanese cuisine. It showed a party of about five picking at and eating a live lobster with their chopsticks as it crawled across the table. I draw the line at oysters.

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That is definitely not normal Japanese cuisine!!
Most Japanese would be as horrified as you are!!

It is like suggesting that American college students are addicted to swallowing live goldfish !!

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Hey, I like fermented soy beans !

Fermented fish sauce has been a part of Western cuisine since the days of the Romans -- who also adored dormice in honey!!
The insecty things are no different than eating crawdads, shrimp, prawns, crab and lobster -- not to mention scallops and oysters !!
And in a proper Japanese restaurant they would be presented artfully and attractively, not in a higgledy-piggledy pile as in your photo !!

I can see you are spoiling for a fight, Greger, so I will match your ten and raise you five ! · ·

15 American Foods That Are as Weird to Foreigners as Poisonous Blowfish Is to Us


Then, one might mention :

* Consuming the lactic secretions of ruminants
* Grits -- or maize in all its forms
* Processed cheese [ugh!]
* Squishy "bread"
* The ersatz "food" called "marshmallows"
* Glop that pretends to be something like mayonaise

* And, of course, American hot dogs!! · ·

I don't eat shellfish precisely because it does look like bugs. Therefore, I will not be eating any bugs(on purpose), either. You eat with the eyes first, and my eyes cannot stomach what these crustaceans and bugs look like.

lamb, however, is a different kettle of fish! I love lamb chops. roast lamb with mint sauce, lamb stew and lamb pie!

All this talk about cute animals reminds of a story:

A traveling salesman was talking with a farmer about the new tractor accessories his company had, when he noticed one of the pigs in the farmer's pen had a wooden leg.

"So what's the story with that pig there?", he asked.

The farmer replied: "That's some kind of pig there, that Bessie. Why we had a fire a couple of months ago, and that smart pig broke out of the pen, busted down the front door, and saved us all!"

The salesman asked: "Did she lose her leg in the fire, then?"

The farmer answered: "No, she was fine. But you know, a pig like that you don't eat all at once!"

Japanese?

Made Miso Ramen on Monday.

Broth: Homemade chicken stock, brown rice miso, sriracha, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, scallions.

Buckwheat soba noodles, boiled egg, ribbons of carrot and zucchini, a few small pieces of leftover chicken, Nori sprinkle to finish.

The most time consuming bowl of instant noodles ever. Totally worth it.


Tonight's delight was:

Aglio et Olio and a little gem side salad with a balsamic vinegarette.

So simple, yet so wonderful.

Tomorrow is mexican night. Chicken fajitas on fresh cooked tortillas, with peppers and onions, home made salsa & Guac with a garlic yoghurt!

3 continents in 3 days!

I'm enjoying a bit of time off at the moment, and so able to put a bit more effort than usual into it.

Fried Chicken, French Fries, Butterbeans and a nice healthy salad with homemade Ranch Dressing for me tonight.

Friday I'm doing Cheese Fondue for 200 people. One recipe is a traditional Swiss version with white wine, Gruyere and Ementaler. The other will be aged sharp cheddar with Guinness Stout and a tiny bit of concentrated apple juice.
It's a wine tasting affair and I'll be matching an Italian Pinot Grigio to the fondue.

Isn't the King Hawaiian bakery off of the 405 around Normandy AV?