My Husband’s Taste of African Exotic Delis

 

Last Sunday, September 12, 2010, at 22:32 Singapore time (past 5 PM in Kinshasha), I received a text message from my husband Frederick bragging that he had caterpillars and preserved smoked fish for dinner.  Squeamish as I am, I almost puked.  Good thing we’ve already had supper, otherwise I won’t be able to gulp the food down coz I’d be imagining the rice to be caterpillars wriggling all their way down my throat (gross!)

My husband Frederick has a wild and sometimes weird sense of adventure, not only when it comes to outdoor activities but most especially when it comes to food.  He has a thick stomach and an unusual palate matched with high degree of curiosity and an annoying determination to explore the unknown (my vehement objection is really not effective – huh!).  He loves adventures. He loves to eat anything and everything (oh I pity his tummy, poor thing).  Everywhere we go and anywhere he goes, he always wants a taste of local food, and not just the ordinary local food but the exotic ones!  When we were in Thailand, he asks every local people we meet as to where he (not me!) can eat cockroaches, snakes, grasshoppers and whatever strange stuff  Thai restos can offer. I really can’t stomach it (I’ m not coming with you!)

Well, strange /weird/gross exotic food may be disgusting and disturbing for some people (like me) and for some cultures but it is common, acceptable,  and palatable for others (like my husband Frederick).  It’s not about “kaartehan”, Filipino culture has its own range of exotic food – we have the balut;  isaw, dinuguan;  bagoong, dogmeat and pinikpikan for the Ilocanos and other northern Luzon people;  bungsus, etag, tapey for the natives of Cordillera, and a lot more, and I eat most of them, especially balut, isaw, dinuguan, bagoong, pinikpikan etc. I also had tasted crocodile meat, well I had too coz my husband bribed me to. It tasted ok, nothing special really, not that I am expecting that it will taste nasty or something, it was, like, sour? Or maybe it was just how my husband cooked it (Dear naman next time sarapan mo ha)

See? I’m not “maarte”.   But if you are talking about wriggling, crawling, hopping, flying, whatever nasty and gross  “what-have-yous” you call food, please spare me.

I hope my husband had learned his lessons with his caterpillar-eating-adventure coz he had developed an allergic reaction to it – half of his face had been swollen !!! after a long scolding and begging from me, trying to talk him out to NOT eating exotic food again (DO NOT EAT MONKEYS Dear.  Please!), he boastfully told me that their supplies (plural) of crocodile meat are on their way and he is already salivating at the idea of gorging over crocodile meat on the weekends.  What can I do but to sigh (haaaaaaaayyyyssssss deep deep deep sigh)  He promised though that he’s not going to eat caterpillars again (kain lang dear para yung kabilang pisngi mo naman lumobo, para pantay na :D)

my husband Frederick enjoying his caterpillar meal

 

... he really is eating it???

fried caterpillar

 

fried caterpillar

 

PS:  Edible worms, caterpillars, and other insects are considered traditional foods in most part of Africa, and these thingy are high in protein.  UN’s FAO is reconsidering it as an alternative source of protein in order to increase food security in African countries. Sapelli caterpillars  and  mopane caterpillar are those commonly served in Kinshasha, DRC (That’s for your information Dear)

 

– Sharosem (15September2010)

 

 

My Daily Rant

1) Setting  :  MRT greenline

    When  :  early morning of  September 9, 2010

What About :  There was this young man comfortably sitting down inside the MRT reading the bible glancing up once in a while as if to completely absorb the holiness of his readings –  YET HE CAN’T EVEN OFFER HIS DARN SEAT TO THE OLD WOMAN JUST INFRONT OF HIM @#%&*!!!!

2) Setting  :   inside a previous company’s office

    When  :  between years 2002 – 2004

What about  :  Speaking of religious hypocrisy! – a former colleague of mine (from a past-life) branded me to be a self-declared righteous when I told her I am an agnostic (she asked me why I seldom go to church!!!) Then, she’s what?  A Catholic self-declared righteous who passes judgments so quickly on others – for not sharing her views and beliefs! #&@*%!!! She doesn’t even know the meaning of the word agnostic- you idiot @#*&%$!!! 

3)  Setting  :  dito sa Opisina

When  :  Kaninang umaga lang (Sept 15 before 8AM)

What About : Tagalog tayo ngayon. Kaninang umaga, kakapasok pa lang naming sa opisina. Kasabay kong umakyat ang isa sa mga pakialamerang grumpy and frumpy old hag na kaopisina ko, at pinansin niya agad ang suot ko. I am wearing a short dress (4 inches above the knees) with long sleeves.  Tinanong niya ako kung kumportable daw ba akong magsuot ng ganun kaiksi. Sumagot naman ako ng “yes, I’m used to it”. First of, hindi bastusin ang suot ko kahit maiksi, hindi naman masikip ang damit ko (buti na lang at hindi niya ako sinabihang mataba ako).  Sabi niya, hindi daw kasi siya kumportableng mag-suot ng maiksi katulad ng damit ko. Tanong nya ulit “what a? you one wear one inside?” naintindihan ko naman tinutukoy niya, yung undergarment na ladies slip. Sabi ko hindi. Tanungin ba ulit ako kung kumportable akong walang hapislip. Sabi ko “yes, very much”.  Sabay layas at iwas though I tried to remain calm and polite kahit diko malaman kung matatawa ako o magagalit sa kanya.  Inaantay ko na nga lang tanungin niya kung may panty at bra ako noh at sasagutin ko sya ng “none, coz I’m not comfortable with it” wehehehehe 😀

Ay, tinawanan ko na lang pala yung nangyaring yun sabay post dito sa blog ko :D:D:D

– Sharosem (15September2010)