My Dad used to eat what us kids considered to be the 'oddest, funniest things' (back in the mid '60's-'70's) however we would all line up for a taste. Things like Crayfish, Oysters, Whitebait, 'Black Sauce' on his steak, dark, musty field mushrooms that us kids used to collect for him from a neighboring farm... and among other things - Asparagus! He encouraged us to stretch our taste buds into new culinary arenas. He would let us have a sip of his beer if we asked him - I didn't do that very often - I didn't really like it... though it did taste better on a really HOT day! He would sometimes have pickled onions and cheese and crackers with his beer. We thought the pickled onions were pretty weird!Now that I am all grown up I appreciate some of those foods a lot more (except beer) and I do still like to try new things. When we were in France we enjoyed lots of new tastes including snails and White Asparagus! My sister tells me that my little niece, Little Miss 5, now LOVES to eat Snails! They live in France where there are snails aplenty! I imagine a conversation - 'What would you like to eat for your Birthday Dinner Darling?' 'I'd like snails please Mummy'. We always encouraged our girls to at least 'try' different foods. If we were out and they didn't like something we taught them to say, 'It's not my favourite.'
My Mum and Dad bought some lovely Chicken Liver Pate this Christmas time which was kind of 'new fangled food' in NZ in the early '80's. Tasting it again reminded me that I really like it - I had quite forgotten about it!! Darling Man is not fond of the concept but I think it's really nice on a grainy cracker and good for my iron levels!
Here in the Waikato Asparagus is grown in abundance and it's really fresh and tasty. While I was trying to think of something yum for our lunch I remembered that it goes well with eggs and I fancied myself making some Hollandaise Sauce. Thought it all seemed like a slightly posh departure from the common sandwich arrangement. Especially now that all our Christmas leftovers are long gone! Darling Man enjoyed it very much and me too, especially thinking of my Dad and all the lovely taste tests he gave us kids when we were growing up! Nice - thanks Dad!
The heart tea-towel is a Christmas gift from my 'forever friend' - I love its 'waffle-ness' and the hearts of course! I am concerned it will become stained and grotty though... any sign of a mark and it gets whipped off into the Napisan for a soak!
A few Asparagus tips that have been passed on to me -
Fresh Asparagus should have nice tight heads at the spear end and they should squeak when the spears are gently rubbed.
Snap off any woody ends and plunge it into already boiling water for about 4 minutes so that it doesn't overcook and go soggy!
Ummmm,.... well... it's not my favourrite
ReplyDeleteA glass of sav on the side and it would be the perfect meal :) I would've loved your dad's kitchen, his funny food are some of my favourite eats... remember when avocado was considered exotic and people wondered how to eat it. I remember my mother serving it on crackers to our very curious and cautious mouths! janet
ReplyDeleteYES! Janet, I do remember Avocado having that exotic status and yet now I ALWAYS have at least one in my fridge! They are HUGE in Fiji - twice the size of NZ avos & when we lived there we would eat them, a huge half at a time with flaked tuna! Delicious!
ReplyDeleteAnnah, my darling girl, that's OK you can live without asparagus! I'm really proud of you though for tasting all those weird things, like the wee fish in Holland, while you traveled xo
Haha Annah... Thats soo funny! Reading your blog and that bit mum made me laugh out loud! Oh the memories... Tasting something oh so terrible and then saying... its not my favorite! Oh how polite.
ReplyDeleteHa ha I loved that bit about "Not my favorite", and then quietly spewing in the bush;s
ReplyDeleteon the way home from the after taste of the little try. I laughed in delight at the lovely photo of the egg dish on the waffly tea towel. Good one.
Yes kids always seem to have all sorts of antics to rid themselves of unwanted mouthfuls! One of our girls, when she was a toddler used to store her peas in her cheek till the end of the meal them spit them out!
ReplyDeleteMy Dad and Mum, along with friends from Dad's SCHOOL days like to go to the Bluff Oyster Festival way down South if they get half a chance and there they indulge in a FEAST of funny food fit for a King!
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