tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72598216975751023992024-02-20T05:54:05.371-05:00Edible OdditiesSampling and critiquing the strange and obscure foods found in our progressively more boring and uniform supermarkets.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-26233617512500422932009-07-16T07:53:00.007-04:002010-02-10T19:15:32.213-05:00DurianThe kings of myth, legend, and cinema are typically the pinnacle of man. Handsome, noble, wise, unwavering; faultless creatures that transcend their biological form.<br /><br />But then there's the occasional deviation, and one methinks probably more true to reality: the rotting, decrepit, corrupt monarch. Almost as vile in appearance as his foul essence within, this is the king who hath inspired many a violent revolution. <br /><br />It is the latter of these two extremes that comes to mind when I hear durian described as the king of fruits. This is no just and noble monarch but he will certainly bring you to your knees.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3397275362/" title="durian waits by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3583/3397275362_a1d690eacc_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="durian waits" /></a></div><br /><br />Durian is legendary, particularly among any community fascinated with strange and exotic fruits. In many south-east Asian countries it is illegal to carry them on public transport and they are banned from many hotels. It's not hard to understand why but upon first glance the reasons aren't so obvious.<br /><br />I first encountered durian in the flesh at a local flea market. The giant spiky ball was far too exotic to resist. I had a sneaking suspicion as to what it might be but I wasn't certain. This giant weapon of war had a sweet, floral fragrance; definitely not what I had learned to expect. Twelve dollars later and the 15 pound monster was dangling from my arm, imparting a strange feeling of power. Well, to be honest, there was nothing too strange about it. This was nature's version of the medieval mace. I could have crushed the skull of any would-be attacker looking to steal my day's bounty.<br /><br />Upon arriving home, the strange treasure was too enticing to save for later so I quickly turned to the all-knowing internet to identify my catch. And there it was: Durian, the king of fruits, the most infamous of the world's edible (and survivable) plant products that doesn't illicit some sort of pharmacological reaction (except as a possible emetic).<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3396465803/" title="durian cut by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3568/3396465803_325755a6d7_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="durian cut" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3397275760/" title="durian spread by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3628/3397275760_7b1ae30444_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="durian spread" /></a></div><br /><br />Careful surgery is required to pierce the tough, thorny exterior to reach the flesh within, particularly if you don't want to damage yourself in the process. Regardless of the delicacy of the operation, this surgery is best performed outdoors, preferably with materials that are disposable or easy to wash. After the first cut, the reason for this becomes more than apparent.<br /><br />From the recesses of the initial incision flows a stench reminiscent of an open sewer. Perhaps a bit more floral, but the stench of rot and sulphur dominates the surrounding air. One begins to suspect that this is no mere fruit, but the egg of some foul demonic creature.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3396466451/" title="durian open by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3656/3396466451_8b497cd22a_m.jpg" width="169" height="240" alt="durian open" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3397276370/" title="durian flesh by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3584/3397276370_a9314210a2_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="durian flesh" /></a></div><br /><br />Removing a portion of the husk to reveal the flesh within does little to quell this suspicion. An embryo? A large maggot-like larva? Scrambled eggs? I can't be expected to put that in my mouth, can I?<br /><br />Yes, that's it, the edible flesh, the king of fruits and the source of the foul stench. So what's there to do but hold your nose and dig in?<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3397276486/" title="durian flesh close by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3640/3397276486_1e595d7693_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="durian flesh close" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3397276564/" title="durian flesh closer by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3565/3397276564_0f8ea9d75a_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="durian flesh closer" /></a></div><br /><br />How can I describe the taste? While I think about it, here's a few choice quotes from other, more gifted scribes on the subject:<br /><br /><quote>"The five cells are silky-white within, and are filled with a mass of firm, cream-coloured pulp, containing about three seeds each. This pulp is the edible part, and its consistence and flavour are indescribable. A rich custard highly flavoured with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes. Then there is a rich glutinous smoothness in the pulp which nothing else possesses, but which adds to its delicacy. It is neither acid nor sweet nor juicy; yet it wants neither of these qualities, for it is in itself perfect. It produces no nausea or other bad effect, and the more you eat of it the less you feel inclined to stop. In fact, to eat Durians is a new sensation worth a voyage to the East to experience. ... as producing a food of the most exquisite flavour it is unsurpassed"</quote> - Alfred Russell Wallace<br /><br /><quote>"... its odor is best described as pig-shit, turpentine and onions, garnished with a gym sock. It can be smelled from yards away."</quote> - Richard Sterling<br /><br /><quote>"Its taste can only be described as...indescribable, something you will either love or despise. ...Your breath will smell as if you'd been French-kissing your dead grandmother."</quote> - Anthony Bourdain<br /><br />And tweeted by the ever-so eloquent and charming Steven Fry:<br /><quote>"<b>@stephenfry:</b> Eating durian fruit by the roadside. A stench straight from Satan's anal ring, but a taste from an angel's sugared nipple."</quote><br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3396466979/" title="[don't] eat durian by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3577/3396466979_a9a9f245d7_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="[don't] eat durian" /></a></div><br /><br />My assessment? Rotten egg and banana cream omelette with hints of year old mango cheesecake. At least that's what the sweeter, custardy parts taste like. The rubbery, egg-like flesh tastes like pure, unadulterated rot. But yes, the sweet custard; only mildly reminiscent of raw sewage does have a strange quality to it that compels one to eat more. There must be some sort of psychoactive effect to this odiferous, chemical cocktail to make a person want to keep taking bites between the retches. But even more vomit-inducing than the off taste is the overpower nature of the stench. More than anything, this foul odor permeates and saturates the experience, prompting the consumer to plug their nose when venturing to take a bite.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3396466221/" title="durian maggot by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3645/3396466221_2ace64d65c_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="durian maggot" /></a></div><br /><br />Strictly speaking in terms of nutrition, durian doesn't live up to its moniker. It's very high in sugar but does a decent amount of Vitamin C, some Potassium, and fats. I could understand all the hype if durian was some sort of nigh-incredible superfood, the maggot-like sections packed with vitamins and minerals but, strangely enough, all of the allure seems to be based on the vile flavor.<br /><br />There's a wide variety of confections and sweets in southeast Asia in which durian is a primary constituent. Now, I've had those Harry Potter jelly beans that taste like vomit and other disgusting substances but they clearly a novelty. I couldn't even imagine taking a mere sip of a durian milkshake no matter how dilute the fetid, sewer flavor.<br /><br />Rather than eating durian which, with its ghastly smell and odd flavor, I think nature is trying to dissuade us from doing, I think durian should instead be used as a weapon of war.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3374886570/" title="durian mace by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3577/3374886570_010da46821_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="durian mace" /></a></div><br /><br />Exhibit A: its uncanny resemblance to a mace. The sheer bulk of this fruit with its array of sharp thorns make it a deadly armament, capable of crushing skulls.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3374069201/" title="durian warrior by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3456/3374069201_208e6be4c7_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="durian warrior" /></a></div><br /><br />Exhibit B: the smell. Anyone nimble enough to escape your wild swings with soon be overcome by the stench. And really, why damage the environment with manufacturing byproducts and waste all of that metal and plastic in the creation and use of tear gas canisters when you could just lob a durian into a crowd. They're even a renewable resource.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3374067729/" title="durian-gladiator by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3591/3374067729_21d0b3b6ff_o.gif" width="162" height="242" alt="durian-gladiator" /></a></div><br /><br />I'm planting my tree now so I'll prepared when the economy dissolves further and bands of former-middle-class marauders begin wandering the streets. What are you going to do when you run out of bullets? I'll be there with my formidable durian arsenal, crushing skulls and, in times of great desperation, grabbing mouthfuls of rotten mango omelette.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-73946971153708235272009-05-02T21:57:00.002-04:002009-05-02T22:03:23.509-04:00Almond MilkRejoice, here I dispense with the last of the more obscure milk substitutes (at least that I know of) so you don't have to hear about how much I like Oat Milk ever again... at least until I find out someone is making barley milk or quinoa milk or something like that. But anyway, I finally got around to buying and trying some Almond Milk and now comes the hard part: coming up with something to say without repeating myself.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3412969286/" title="almond dream by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3401/3412969286_d8083b6d94_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="almond dream" /></a></div><br /><br />I already regurgitated plenty of information on almonds in the <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2009/01/almond-butter.html">Almond Butter</a> entry and weighed the various qualities of milk substitutes in the <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/10/oat-milk.html">Oat Milk</a><br />and <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2009/02/hemp-milk.html">Hemp Milk</a> entries so what is there left to say apart from the specifics?<br /><br />Well, almond milk may be a little different from its other milk substitute brethren as very minimal processing is required. Take some ground almonds then stick them in a blender with water and you're on your way to almond milk. Just don't do this with bitter almonds; combining them with water produces cyanide.<br /><br />Nutritionally speaking, unfortified almond milk doesn't quite stack up to its cow borne counterpart but it does have fewer calories, even less than soy milk so it's a good choice for those on a diet.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3412969736/" title="almond dream by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3349/3412969736_bcdb565c0e_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="almond dream" /></a></div><br /><br />The flavor? How can I say this without stating the obvious? Watery almonds, that's what it tastes like. But this isn't as bad as it sounds. Really, the flavor is quite pleasant and it actually worked out quite well as a tasty, low-calorie addition to my post-workout protein shakes.<br /><br />Oat Milk still wins for me although I did buy some recently, the only brand I've yet to find in US stores, and actually didn't enjoy it all too much. It wasn't bad, just didn't compare to my past experience with the British champion, the one and only Oatly. I hope to find some other brands that will rekindle my love for the oat milk but, baring that fortunate turn, I think Almond Milk is a close enough second to warrant a switch. But I'm not looking for a substitute, just an occasional alternative. As long as there be cows, I'll be prepared to drink them dry.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-21487469055738218912009-04-26T18:18:00.002-04:002009-05-03T08:34:47.511-04:00LonganLongan translates phonetically to "dragon eyes" in Cantonese and Vietnamese and "cat eyes" in a few other Southeast Asian languages. At first one might think this is due to the rough, mottled exterior of this little fruit but the secret to the name lies within. Rarely seen within the US, I was fortunate enough to encounter these strange little fruits on a recent visit to a local flea market where there are a few great stalls featuring some exotic Asian produce.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3374886120/" title="longan bunch by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3461/3374886120_de87ae9a2b_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="longan bunch" /></a></div><br /><br />A member of the Sapindaceae family of trees, longans are relatives of lychees and <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/05/rambutan.html">rambutans</a>. They are grown in the same Southeast Asian lands as their cousins but their origins have been traced to the southern region of China, a bit further north than the fertile tropical breeding grounds of their family members.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3396467097/" title="longan in hand by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3432/3396467097_300a4df997_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="longan in hand" /></a></div><br /><br />The longan doesn't appear edible at first glance. It isn't until you squeeze these tough looking orbs that you start to suspect there might be some viable fruit inside. Peeling back the skin is much like peeling a lychee or a hard-boiled egg. The rind is thick but pliable and breaks off to reveal the dragon's eye inside. The flesh is veined and translucent with a dark seed embedded in its center, giving the appearance of an eyeball, hence the name.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3396467193/" title="longan open by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3441/3396467193_257eaf8ed1_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="longan open" /></a></div><br /><br />The taste of the translucent longan flesh is a little strange. Whereas the flavors of the lychee and rambutan are wholly sweet and floral, there's a mild tang in the longan. One could aptly describe it as being like a lychee with a hint of sweet onion. Not bad, but this odd note dampened my enthusiasm about finishing the rest of the bunch.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3397277020/" title="longan flesh by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3625/3397277020_7d10bb7a70_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="longan flesh" /></a></div><br /><br />There are some bumpier varieties but mine was essentially smooth with some slight texturing. The minor pickled-onion flavor puts me off wanting to make them a regular part of my repertoire but since my beloved <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/05/rambutan.html">rambutans</a> and lychees are far more expensive, I might be forced to pick up some more of these little snack sized fruits on my next trip to the market.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3397277142/" title="longan seed by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3641/3397277142_75124c6d46_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="longan seed" /></a></div><br /><br />Then again, if I can get one of these to produce a fruit-bearing tree in a reasonable amount of time, I might just have to get used to the idea of onion flavored fruit.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-77022717690347738862009-04-18T10:03:00.004-04:002009-07-17T07:10:02.850-04:00Red Bull Cola"Cola? Really? Is he really at such a loss for ideas?"<br /><br />No, I have plenty of ideas... and plenty of good subjects lined up for when I can scrape together enough time to write about them. So stay tuned for more excitement!<br /><br />Right now I just ask that you humor me for a bit.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3452822940/" title="red bull cola by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3410/3452822940_7caa999cf3_m.jpg" width="158" height="240" alt="red bull cola" /></a></div><br /><br />It wasn't my intention to educate you about the oddness that is cola and this still isn't my primary aim, but the fact of the matter is that cola is undeniably strange. It's like the chai of soft drinks, a sweetened infusion of exotic ingredients. Sugar and spice and everything nice. And looking at the cola consumption amongst the youth of today, I'd concur that it is indeed what little girls are made of. As for the snakes and snails and puppy dogs' tails bollocks, I for one have never eaten and will never eat a dog's tail (outside of a nuclear holocaust) so I call into question the validity of that ancient assessment of little boys.<br /><br />Cola is named for the kola nut, the seed pod of a number of species of African trees that are close relatives to the godly South American cacao tree. The kola nut, like its cousin, contains caffeine and it is for this very reason (and also perhaps because it has euphoric qualities) that its bitter extract has long been used as an additive to soft drinks. However, it is reported that these days many of the major cola companies use an artificial kola flavor and crush up generic No-Doz for the caffeine.<br /><br />Fun Questionable Fact: Most pure, isolated caffeine found in your favorite alertness pills and energy drinks is a byproduct of the decaffeination of coffee and tea.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3346013864/" title="red bull cola by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3663/3346013864_26dee7500a_m.jpg" width="159" height="240" alt="red bull cola" /></a></div><br /><br />So why write about Red Bull Cola? Go to the store, or our kitchen, and read the ingredient lists on the back of any major cola brand. You're bound to see something like this:<br /><br /><quote>CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP [or SUCROSE, depending on the country), CARAMEL COLOR, PHOSPHORIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVORS, CAFFEINE</quote><br /><br />What the hell does all of that mean? What are natural flavors? Here's what the FDA has to say about that from their <a href="http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2002/aprqtr/21cfr101.22.htm">Code of Federal Regulations</a>:<br /><br /><quote>The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional...</quote><br /><br />Through additional rules and regulations, there is no requirement to list the foods from which these flavors are derived. But the recently released Red Bull Cola is one of the few brands of cola that proudly flaunts all flavor constituents on the label and therefore, despite my typical blanket avoidance of soft drinks, I was compelled to purchase a pack for private experimentation after a quick skim through the ingredients. So let's read through them, shall we:<br /><br /><quote>Water, Sugar, Carbon Dioxide, Caramel...</quote><br /><br />So far this is pretty standard...<br /><br /><quote>...Galangal...</quote><br /><br />Ok, that's a strange one. Galangal is a root with what is described as an earthy citrus flavor with hints of pine and soap. It's used in Chinese medicine as a stimulant and aphrodisiac. Odd, but that's not what got my attention...<br /><br /><quote>...Vanilla, Mustard Seed, Lime, Kola Nut, Cacao, Licorice, Cinnamon, Lemon, Ginger, Coca Leaf...</quote><br /><br />Coca leaf? Coca leaf! The scourge of the modern world, primary ingredient in <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/11/coca-tea.html">Coca Tea</a> and source of the dreaded compound cocaine (from which novocaine and many other incredibly useful painkillers were derived). No wonder Red Bull gives you wings.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3345179115/" title="red bull cola by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3623/3345179115_d66aa5a521_m.jpg" width="155" height="240" alt="red bull cola" /></a></div><br /><br />Well, the coca leaves are, of course, decocainized but here we all thought that colas no longer used such ingredients. We've been taught to believe that the cocaine in early versions of Coca Cola was a myth. Turns out they still use coca leaves in their flavoring as well. We've also been taught that the USA has a blanket policy barring the import of this despicable vegetation. As it happens, the unprocessed leaves are imported and then the cocaine is removed in domestic factories. So, in essence, the USA is the largest importer and processor of coca leaves in the world. And like the processes used to decaffeinate coffee beans and tea leaves that result in the production of pure caffeine that is used in pills, drinks, and other stimulating foods, cocaine is undoubtedly a byproduct of the decocainization process. So what happens to it all? What indeed...<br /><br />But let's finish up on these ingredients:<br /><br /><quote>...Orange, Corn Mint, Pine...</quote><br /><br />As in pine tree? Isn't that crap poisonous? <br /><br /><quote>...Cardamom, Mace, Clove, Lemon Juice concentrate, Caffeine from Coffee Beans</quote><br /><br />What a strange cocktail of exotic spices, the most surprising of all being the coca leaf, and it just happens to be the most popular drink in the world. But there's potentially a more sinister side to it all beyond the multinational/globalization issue that people are always up in arms about. It seems as though the cola industry might be supporting the drug trade. Them and the bakers of poppy seed muffins. Madness.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-11611678728555581452009-04-05T13:30:00.001-04:002009-04-05T13:38:29.620-04:00Meyer LemonThe graphical depiction of my childhood would be sunny and surreal, filled with dry thunderstorms, fires, floods, and ferocious fauna. It would also taste like lemons. You see, I grew up with a lemon tree in the backyard and, as a consequence, I ate a lot of lemons. Yes, ate, I <b>ate</b> them. In fact, I don't really recall drinking much of what is called lemonade in the US although I sucked plenty of juice out of raw lemons pulled off the tree. But in these circumstances where one experiences beautiful, fresh fruit straight from the plant, one also encounters the spoiled specimens. I was forever stepping on rotten lemons, feeling their brown, leathery exterior give way to the rancid juice inside. Naturally, being lemon-scented rot, the off-lemon doesn't smell as bad as most decaying vegetation but they don't smell very nice either. Our dogs would frequently attempt to eat the fallen lemons and then, as happened every time, vomit a yellow foam in the garden which you would also inevitably find yourself stepping in.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3345179215/" title="meyer lemon by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3562/3345179215_8360050e53_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="meyer lemon" /></a></div><br /><br />As I sit here thinking about my past I realize that my mind categorizes lemons in a strange way. Having shared an intimate connection with this fruit I hold them in a sacred, high regard but, by that very same token, I completely take them for granted. I don't think I've ever bought a lemon and I don't feel I should have to buy them. Instead I should be able to walk into my backyard and pluck one from a tree. But alas, the tree is no more... chopped down a long time ago in a land far away.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3346013590/" title="lemon addition by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3413/3346013590_810b750cb2_m.jpg" width="240" height="173" alt="lemon addition" /></a></div><br /><br />My non-commercial pact with the lemon was slightly broken when I encountered the Meyer lemon at a local grocery store. The smooth skin and darker tone told me that this was no ordinary lemon which left me both intrigued and slightly affronted. It turns out that the Meyer lemon is a hybrid between a regular lemon and a mandarin, from which it gets its smooth skin and darker hue.<br /><br />I typically don't do much research about the strange foods in this blog before I consume them so that can approach them with as little bias as possible (fortunately, I violated this self-imposed ignorance before tackling the <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/12/cherimoya.html">Cherimoya</a> and spared myself the inconvenience of paralysis or death). So it was out of character for me to do some reading about the Meyer lemon prior to consuming it because, despite my long history of raw lemon consumption, I didn't want to eat the whole thing and figured I could find a few interesting ideas to try.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3345179325/" title="meyer lemon cut by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3639/3345179325_460f3900a3_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="meyer lemon cut" /></a></div><br /><br />I hit jackpot when I found an online article from the Los Angeles Times boasting <a href="http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-meyerlemons16jan16,1,7792191.story">100 things to do with a Meyer lemon</a>. With so many to choose from, I figured I'd be set so I proceeded to photograph and dissect my specimin.<br /><br />I had every intention of exploring some of the articles suggestions but after my first bite I abandoned all plans.<br /><br />Yes, the fragrance was sweet and so was the taste but it was strangely sour as well. Strange because I don't mean a typical lemon sour; that tart, lip puckering taste we've all , but sour in a rotten way.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3346014296/" title="meyer lemon cut close by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/3346014296_e19d03575e_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="meyer lemon cut close" /></a></div><br /><br />Memories of dead lemons and yellow dog vomit came flooding back. I forced another couple bites in a vain attempt to acclimate myself to the taste and then tipped the copious remains into the trash.<br /><br />Despite the bad experience, my interest has been piqued about what other hybridized lemons are out there but this one won't be entering my shopping basket again.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-4722519108756828802009-03-30T08:15:00.004-04:002009-03-30T09:00:22.283-04:00Butter MilkI'm a simple [minded] man. Upon encountering a compound word I, like many of my fellow humans, naturally assume it to be a portmanteau word, where the meanings of the root words are also combined. One great example of this concept is the spork. Spoon + fork = spork. Even if you'd never encountered such an implement, it's easy to imagine what it would look like. Food is not excluded from my blind assumptions. After all there are so many examples that wholly support my bias. Take for example<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><br /><img src="http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d117/01001111/strawberry.jpg" /><br />the strawberry,<br /><br /><img src="http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d117/01001111/watermelon.jpg" /><br />the watermelon,<br /><br />and my favorite of all<br /><br /><img src="http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d117/01001111/crabapple.jpg" /><br />the crab apple.<br /></div><br /><br />I'll admit, my natural assumption is highly illogical but is it the fault of my misguided brain or the inconsistencies of the English language that are to blame here?<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3357746099/" title="buttermilk by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3599/3357746099_be499c9eb2_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="buttermilk" /></a></div><br /><br />I don't do the typical breakfast foods but I associate buttermilk pancakes and biscuits with creamy buttery goodness since the pictures of said items always show a steamy mound of carbs slathered in creamy, melting butter. With this association stuck in my mind and my biologically driven love for butter, I had always assumed butter milk was just as the name implied: some unsalted, half-churned stop off between whole milk and butter. <br /><br />I hadn't given the stuff much serious consideration until I saw it on the menu at a local restaurant. For a week I couldn't get my fabricated idea of buttermilk out of my head and I leisurely daydreamed of drinking this frothy fat smoothie. It took some frantic searches of a few local stores to find it, but on my next shopping trip I was able to secure a liter of the mythic buttermilk. Immediately upon arriving home I dispensed with the requisite pictures and got down to business.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3357746213/" title="buttermilk by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3537/3357746213_1bfb5c35b6_m.jpg" width="160" height="240" alt="buttermilk" /></a></div><br /><br />The slight scent of salt hit my nose and I initially thought that, like most butter, it was just salted but then the culture followed. Sour milk. Intentionally sour milk at that. We were dealing not with the formula buttermilk = butter + milk. Instead, like many of life's mysteries, the answer to the equation x = buttermilk - milk was far less obvious. In this case, solving for x would give us an approximation of yogurt + salt.<br /><br />According to Wikipedia, fount of all modern knowledge:<br /><br /><quote>Buttermilk is a fermented dairy product produced from cows' milk with a characteristically sour taste. The product is made in one of two ways. Originally, buttermilk was the liquid left over from churning butter from cream. In India, buttermilk, widely known as "chaas" is known to be the liquid leftover after extracting butter from churned curd (dei). Today, this is called traditional buttermilk. On the other hand artificially made buttermilk, also known as cultured buttermilk, is a product where lactic acid bacteria called Streptococcus lactis have been added to milk.</quote><br /><br />See, "originally" I wasn't as wrong. In the original meaning, the fat was mostly removed from the milk/cream leaving a leaner liquid behind, not the fatty broth I was dreaming about, and still tart due to the high lactic acid concentration. Quite possibly to increase its longevity, the beneficial bacteria were added to the mix in other cultures, giving it more of a sour, yogurt-like taste.<br /><br />I drank up and I drank deep but by the end of my little glass I couldn't stomach the thought of tasting any more until the next day when I'd slightly forgotten what it was like. Rather than comparing it to yogurt, I guess it would be more apt to describe the texture and taste as being like a blended and slightly diluted batch of cottage cheese. Not bad, but not something I could drink with any regularity.<br /><br />Health nuts take note, it is quite a nutritionally sound beverage. There is less fat than whole milk, high levels of potassium, vitamin B12, and calcium and the added bacteria aids in the absorption of the protein.<br /><br />So there you have it, further evidence of my shocking ignorance but at least I now know to be a little more careful next time when making assumptions about foods with compound names (at least I still have the <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/08/aprium.html">Aprium</a> to back me up). I think I'll go knock back a few shots of pure cream to lift my spirits.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-34052762082245557052009-03-22T10:04:00.002-04:002010-06-28T22:24:59.057-04:00Buzz BitesI spent my childhood in Australia jealously shaking my fist at the fortunate youth across the ocean, the kids in America. These kids had it all. Movie stars walking the streets, gadgets galore, and a holiday like none other; a holiday where all young people prowled the streets in fantastic costumes, collecting enormous amounts of FREE candy.<br /><br />Australia didn't celebrate Halloween when I was young. Oh, we knew about it of course, but good luck trying to squeeze some chocolate out of your neighbors, you'd be more likely to get hit with an empty beer can.<br /><br />But in my 10th year of life I was given the greatest gift any young Australian child could hope for. No, not an anti-venom variety pack; that would be the second greatest. I was given the gift of relocation to the holy land: The United States of America.<br /><br />So I hit the Halloween scene late. At first I hated all of the candy. My first of many major illusions about the US to be shattered was the realization that you guys have it bad in the chocolate bar department... really bad. However, even before I became accustomed to the sweets of the land, there were a few varieties that stuck out as being the worst of the worst and the dreaded Tootsie Roll may very well be at the top of that horrid list.<br /><br />What the hell are Tootsie Rolls? I know they mention something about sugar but, as far as I'm concerned, they're just brown colored taffy flavored with the same dirty mop water used to make Yoohoo.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3346011860/" title="buzz bites wrapper by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/3346011860_572b205783_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="buzz bites wrapper" /></a></div><br /><br />ANYWAY, this isn't about Tootsie Rolls so I'll cut that rant short. However, I needed to use these vile little pieces of sugary excrement as a point of reference.<br /><br />You see, or perhaps you've already seen, I'm a depraved caffeine addict. All you have to do is mention the word coffee in a product description and I'm already at the checkout, shoving it in my face and looking for my debit card. And this is how I was stung by the Buzz Bite.<br /><br />Buzz Bites are little "chocolate" squares that contain as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. It even says so on the label through the use of very clever symbology. For a more in depth description, this is what the buzz bites website says about them:<br /><br /><quote>Buzz Bites - Chocolate & Mint Chocolate Energy Chews contain a proprietary blend of caffeine, ginseng, taurine and B vitamins, which enhance performance, increase endurance, stimulate metabolism and sharpen that edge that lets you take on life!</quote><br /><br />Oh yeah! Sharpen that edge! What am I saying? Who am I to criticize? That's exactly what drives me to consume dangerous levels of caffeine in the first place, the desire to maximize focus and productivity. So sure, Buzz Bites definitely deliver in the caffeine department, but it's how they do it that's the problem.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3346012014/" title="buzz bite by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3327/3346012014_727de4932d_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="buzz bite" /></a></div><br /><br />Buzz Bites taste like Tootsie Rolls. But wait, that's not all! Buzz Bites taste like those "cream filled" Tootsie Rolls but instead of the "creme" filling they shoved a caffeine pill inside. At 50 cents or more a pop, you'd be better off doing just that yourself. The vile, bitter taffy may give you the kick you're looking for but there's no benefit in the delivery.<br /><br />Drink a cup of coffee, drink a red bull, or swallow a caffeine pill with some chocolate milk. Just don't waste your money on these. But if you do decide to <a href="http://www.vroomfoods.com/buzz_bites.html">buy some</a>, I definitely won't turn them down when I'm standing at your door with my pillow case in my hands and my moth-eaten bed sheets draped over my head.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-62525813700767111472009-03-11T07:01:00.003-04:002009-03-11T07:44:07.473-04:00Coffee Berry JuiceOne day I was in the midst of consuming excessive amounts of coffee, a regular occurrence, when I started wondering about what happens to the fruit surrounding coffee beans after they are harvested. You see, coffee beans come from berries that look like cherries, little red orbs that grow on a vine. In some places civets eat these berries and poop out deliciously adulterated coffee beans which are then roasted and sold to rich Americans as <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/08/kopi-luwak.html">Kopi Luwak</a>. But is the flesh of coffee berries/cherries fit for human consumption?<br /><br />Soon after posing this question I discovered that <a href="http://www.onenaturalexperience.com/">O.N.E. (One Natural Experience)</a>, makers of the strangely delicious <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2009/01/cashew-juice.html">Cashew Juice</a> and refreshing <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2009/01/coconut-water.html">Coconut Water</a>, offer a beverage made from the flesh of coffee cherries.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3345177401/" title="coffee berry juice by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3602/3345177401_302825cf22_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="coffee berry juice" /></a></div><br /><br />Continuing in their line of intriguingly unorthodox and deliciously nutritious drinks, <a href="http://www.onenaturalexperience.com/">O.N.E.</a> combine the nutritious coffee fruit, the benefits of which are typically destroyed and discarded during the processing of the beans, with strawberry puree and Acerola (Amazon Cherry). This mixture of fruits results in a potent nutritional cocktail high in antioxidants and Vitamin C. In fact, Acerola juice itself contain 32 times the amount of vitamin C as an equal volume of orange juice.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3345177293/" title="coffee juice breakfast by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3540/3345177293_bc5668c39e_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="coffee juice breakfast" /></a></div><br /><br />The coffee berries themselves are said to be a bit bland but I think I detect some hints of the typical astringent qualities of coffee. The flavor of the juice is dominated primarily by the strawberry puree which, along with the meaty texture, results in a drink that is akin to the expensive, exotic juice blends at high end natural food eateries. There's about as much caffeine as green tea so, while it won't give you a huge boost, there's enough stimulation to kick your brain into gear. Add to that the almost paradoxical filling and refreshing nature of the beverage and there's no reason not to fill half of your refrigerator with cartons of this stuff (the other half, of course, being reserved for chilled coffee). Unfortunately, I only have one left at the moment but I can't bring myself to drink if because I can't stand the idea of not having anymore (I'm in the same situation with the Cashew Juice as well).<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3345837235/" title="pour by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3595/3345837235_d1c7f89db6_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="pour" /></a></div><br /><br />Nothing will ever replace coffee as my one true love but, not wanting to have a heart attack before I'm 30, I can't very well drink it all day. With its delicious flavor, high nutrient levels, mild caffeine concentration, and pure convenience, I'd gladly make Coffee Berry Juice my beverage of choice in between shots of espresso.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-27782543321948596662009-03-04T22:01:00.001-05:002009-03-04T22:20:02.000-05:00Heater MealsWhat happens when a company consolidates various edible items from a series of low quality food producers to create a gigantic mass of meal for people on the go? Well, you might get something like <a href="http://www.heatermeals.com">HeaterMeals©</a>, the self-heating meal that is perfect for anyone lost in the wilderness, embedded in a war zone, or hopelessly wandering across the charred remains of a post-apocalyptic wasteland.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3295847309/" title="heater meal top down by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3555/3295847309_3276a23d40_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="heater meal top down" /></a></div><br /><br />For my birthday, many months ago, I was given a HeaterMeals Plus™ by a co-worker. This may have been because he knows about my penchant for trying strange foods. More likely is that, having just returned from training with the Army Reserves, it was "leftovers" and he thought it would be funny to pass it on. Either way, I was quite grateful to be the recipient of such an odd parcel and, noting the expiration date of nearly a year later, promptly stuck it in the cupboard to be used on some future adventure. Well, the adventure never came and one day I was hungry, curious, and looking to free up some cabinet space and decided this was the day I would put the self-heating meal to the test.<br /><br />Innotech invented their Flameless Ration Heater technology, TRUETECH™, in 1990 which has been used to heat over 1 Billion Meals for the U.S. Armed Forces. <br /><br />Using this self-heating technology, Innotech developed, copyrighted, and branded an array of ready-to-eat meal options including:<br /><ul><br /> <li><b>HeaterMeals© Self-Heating Meals</b> - "a tasty, nutritious mobile, hot meal"<br /> </li><br /> <li><b>HeaterMeals Plus™, The Self-Heating Meal, Plus all The Fixings™</b> - a HeaterMeal with some snacks, condiments, and a drink<br /> </li><br /> <li><b>HeaterMeals3©</b> - a HeaterMeal© with a 3 year shelf life<br /> </li><br /> <li><b>HeaterMealsEX</b> (which, curiously, isn't listed with a copyright next to its name... I guess they reached their quota on the number of copyright symbols one can use on a web page and still be standards compliant) - a HeaterMeal© with a 5 year shelf life!<br /> </li><br /></ul><br />Whew, that was a lot of product. Within each of these categories are a variety of meals for carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores alike. Some of the options include: <br /><ul> <li>Chicken Pasta Italiana</li><br /> <li>Green Pepper Steak with Rice</li><br /> <li>Homestyle Chicken & Noodles in Gravy</li><br /> <li>Mushroom Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, & Beef</li><br /> <li>Vegetarian 3 Cheese Lasagna</li><br /> <li>Zesty BBQ Sauce & Potatoes with Beef</li><br /> <li>Southwest Style Chicken with Rice and Beans</li><br /> <li>Pancakes, Real Blueberry Topping and Bacon Slices</li><br /> <li>+ many, many more!</li><br /></ul><br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3296672818/" title="heater meal malnutrition by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3438/3296672818_33bfb03be7.jpg" width="500" height="257" alt="heater meal malnutrition" /></a></div><br /><br />I had the "Pancakes, Real Apple Topping & Bacon Slices" from the HeaterMealsPlus breakfast series. Weighing in at a whopping 1240 calories, this is one burly breakfast! Included were two little pancakes, some strips of bacon-esque material, trail mix, raisins, apple juice, apple topping, a fruit cup, and the TRUTECH™ heating aparatus itself. There were more raisins and apple products than you could shake a stick at. Were these the fruits harvested towards the end of the season? Dried grapes and mushy apples rendered palatable through desiccation, liquefaction, and juice extraction? Well, it's a better fate than letting them go to waste.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3296672528/" title="heater meal steaming by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3301/3296672528_f330d93d53_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="heater meal steaming" /></a></div><br /><br />To heat the food you place the appropriate items into the orange heater bag, pour in the provided pouch of water, and fold the bag in half to keep the heat in and prevent resultant chemical reaction from making a mess. At first the steam trickles out slowly but before you know it you're witnessing a violent boil. This thing really does get quite hot so one must take great care when removing the contents for consumption. I'm not a stickler for hot meals and can very well enjoy my food cold or tepid (I actually prefer to not heat up leftovers) but I could absolutely see this being indispensable in a cold environment where lighting a fire is not an option.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3295847589/" title="heater meal prepared by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/3295847589_ca168a27e3_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="heater meal prepared" /></a></div><br /><br />Now onto the food itself: basically it tasted like crap. The raisins, fruit cup, juice, and trail mix had enough sugar to kill an entire army of diabetics. The bacon was like fat jerky and, although it didn't taste too bad, it's not something I'd choose to eat again. Although most would disagree with me on this point, the pancakes were quite palatable. They were dry and rubbery but that just tricked me into thinking they were some sort of healthy, whole grain pancakes (is that an oxymoron?). But seriously, taste and enjoyability are not the point of these meals; this is not food you're supposed to choose to eat. You eat HeaterMeals because you have to. Despite my biting criticism about the quality of this product, there's no denying how incredibly essential it could be in a time of need. So while it may not win out in the taste arena (and I must admit, I only tasted one and it could very well be the poorest of the bunch) they certainly do excel in terms of:<br /><ul><br /> <li><b>Longevity:</b> 1 - 5 years is a long shelf life for a meal and could mean the difference between life or death.<br /> </li><br /> <li><b>Nutrition:</b> sure, not the "healthiest" food around but it provides all of the essentials and more for dire situations. The high calorie content could again mean the difference between life and death.<br /> </li><br /> <li><b>Warmth:</b> because there's no socket for your spot heater out in the wild.<br /> </li><br /> <li><b>Portability:</b> you can fit a lot of these in a backpack, particularly if you ditched the box and sorted everything out before packing it, and there's no need for extra cooking equipment.<br /> </li><br /></ul><br /><br />If I was roughing it or surviving in a bind then these types of products would be essential. So yeah, they may not taste very nice to the comfortable and well fed but these are the best post-apocalyptic meals money can buy.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3295847481/" title="heater meal pancakes and bacon by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3526/3295847481_717c20a7ec_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="heater meal pancakes and bacon" /></a></div><br /><br />Wow, I had planned on just making a bunch of disparaging remarks about this meal, particularly considering I couldn't even finish it (no need for the excess calories) but it appears as though I instead formulated a mini-infomercial. If only my endless drivel made any sense, then I might be able to capitalize on this aimless venture.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-70475664259203779772009-02-26T06:36:00.000-05:002009-02-26T06:45:08.408-05:00Toasted Coconut Sesame Brittle Ice CreamAs a male, I've never understood the whole "curled up on the couch with a pint of Häagen-Dazs" method to cheering oneself up. If you haven't noticed by reading through these expositions on gustatory experimentation, I haven't much of a sweet tooth, in fact I can be quite sensitive to sugar, and I am prone to freak outs about nutrition. Ergo, ice cream and other desserts are not at all comfort food for me, quite the opposite. This means I can walk down the ice cream aisle with nary a fear of temptation... well, except when it comes to the coffee varieties but I've been burned too many times to fall for that again.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3260413674/" title="cocunut sesame ice cream by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3383/3260413674_89c312da3b_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="cocunut sesame ice cream" /></a></div><br /><br />But a few weeks ago I was grocery shopping and found myself in a mighty struggle against the gods of girth. Breezing past the frozen sweets my eyes briefly scanned the word sesame, forcing a double take and a halt for further investigation. Toasted coconut and sesame brittle ice cream? Upon first seeing this tub of [very expensive] frozen dairy dessert amongst a small collection of other [very expensive] exotic varieties in the <a href="http://www.haagendazs.com/reserve/default.aspx">Häagen-Dazs Reserve Series</a>, I was immediately enthralled. Sesame seeds have long been an ingredient in deserts throughout Asian and Middle Eastern cultures but as far as us Western folk are concerned, they're what gets sprinkled on top of hamburger buns or, if you're looking to be adventurous, fried chicken at Chinese restaurants. That's it, end of story.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3260413724/" title="cocunut sesame ice cream by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3485/3260413724_da4202b598_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="cocunut sesame ice cream" /></a></div><br /><br />Being slightly unfamiliar with the ways of the sesame, I was very eager to try this odd indulgence but slightly afraid of the horrors detailed in the nutritional information. Sugars and fats galore with 300 whopping calories per serving but in the end my curiosity won out over my health concerns and I purchased the tub of [very expensive] ice cream.<br /><br />Häagen-Dazs says that their inspiration for the Toasted Coconut Sesame Brittle flavor is drawn from <i>"the lush islands of Thailand, where coconut trees line white beaches and the local markets are filled with exotic Asian spices like ginger and sesame."</i> However, due to the hot climate and lack of beach-side refrigeration, the Thai people were prevented from coming up with the brilliant idea of mixing this all together in a tub of ice cream.<br /><br />Looking at commodity prices, sesame seeds are far less expensive than I had imagined. I mean, you never really see them for sale in Western supermarkets except in the aforementioned form of a hamburger bum adornment so I figured they were a luxury of sorts. At approximately $2.50 per pound for the consumer, it's cheaper than many other seeds and grains. But what I did have prior knowledge of was their great nutritional profile, particularly when unhulled. While incredibly high in fat, the fats are primarily of the monounsaturated variety which has been shown to lower LDL [bad] cholesterol levels. Sesame seeds are also high in copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, and iron and have significant amounts of zinc, vitamin B1, and vitamin E.<br /><br />Not only are they super nutritious, sesame seeds are also super delicious. There's a lot of flavor packed into these tiny little seeds. However, I have no idea what one would compare said flavor to.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3260413796/" title="cocunut sesame ice cream by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3381/3260413796_ac7083f52a_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="cocunut sesame ice cream" /></a></div><br /><br />But anyway, onto the ice cream itself; this stuff is simply too good. The sesame brittle is reminiscent of the tiny, meatless artifacts found within a helping of fresh, good quality sesame chicken but with a hint of ginger to spice it up. The toasted coconut pieces themselves would have made a great singular ingredient in this creamy confection but the sesame brittle gives a welcome kick of exoticism, transforming a dessert into a delicacy.<br /><br />As with any food of this kind, a few bites are enough to satisfy me, too much sweetness can put me off for a while, but I found myself visiting the tub more frequently than usual throughout the week so that by the time I got around to taking pictures it was almost all gone. Had I waited any longer, would have been forced to purchase another tub and that would have put me in a very, very bad situation. I don't want to buy new pants. Like a woman in the midst of a personal tragedy, I think I'll have to avoid the ice cream aisle from now on... I don't know if my will is strong enough to resist further temptation.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-9962227753156324102009-02-21T07:22:00.002-05:002009-02-21T08:08:38.431-05:00Thai GuavaThe thai guava is one ugly fruit. Not ugly in the same grotesque vein of an <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/05/ugli-fruit.html">Ugli Fruit</a> or a <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/12/cherimoya.html">Cherimoya</a>, just an "if I found this in the wild I would not be tempted to stick this in my mouth" way; mottled green and brown with an odor that gives no indication of edibility. But given that it reminded me in that sense of a <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/06/feijoa.html">Fieoja</a>, I was optimistic that the flesh contained some secret delight.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3203227755/" title="thai guava by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3511/3203227755_77ff4392b7_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="thai guava" /></a></div><br /><br />Nutritionally speaking, guavas are pretty good food. Packed with vitamin C, vitamin A, antioxidants, and fiber, this is something that you should want to eat, right? Even the seeds contain a healthy dose of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. So I should definitely want to eat this... right?<br /><br />Well, I think I left my Thai Guava too long before getting around to the eating business. This could partially account for the abominable appearance of the skin and a slight brown region in the flesh. Undeterred by the slight decay I prepared to consume the sparkling white regions untouched by rot. Moving my face towards the fruit, the aroma still didn't shout "eat me" but I continued my mission and took the first bite.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3204076928/" title="thai guava cut by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3297/3204076928_8b0dd47a0a_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="thai guava cut" /></a></div><br /><br />Soap. It tasted like soap. So maybe that was just the first nibble or maybe there are some complex secondary flavors that explode forth after the enzymes in my saliva set about breaking down the chemicals left in my mouth. No, still tasted like soap. I couldn't finish and hastily threw the rest of the fruit away.<br /><br />Was I missing something?<br /><br />Some sites liken the taste to a pear but I wasn't experiencing anything like that. Ideally I'd sample some more in order to make my observations more scientific in a sense. But this isn't science, dammit! This is self-righteous, opinionated, babble. However, the judgment isn't final as there are some other strange varieties of guava that I will certainly try if I ever happen to find them available commercially.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-1038579463519369992009-02-14T08:11:00.005-05:002009-02-14T08:19:01.934-05:00Fritos Chili Cheese WrapWhat has this world come to where something like the Fritos Chili Cheese Wrap can be suffered to exist? The shock of seeing this abomination parading as food in a local circular had me journeying to Sonic in a matter of minutes. Being completely out of touch with popular culture (and reality in general), I have no idea how long this crime against nutrition has been perpetrated but the sheer indecency of it left me completely dumbfounded.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3240201062/" title="chili cheese frito wrap by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3102/3240201062_62c722fd11_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="chili cheese frito wrap" /></a></div><br /><br />Sparing myself a couple dollars and few hundred calories, I bought the junior version of this foul beat. There's no need to tell you that it bears no resemblance the depiction in the menu in terms of, shall we say, rotundness. I want to move to the alternate dimension where fast-food menu pictures are taken. Even if they serve crap like this at least it's big, warm, and inviting as opposed to the tepid, sloppy, grease cakes you always end up with. There will be no obesity-epidemic finger pointing, multinational corporation condemnations, or questions concerning food quality standards here; but having worked in fast-food during high school, I should know enough about the realities of the food to stay away. However, without any sliver of shame I can attest to the fact that it really does serve its purpose in times of great need and frugality. Regardless, even in times of desperation, I don't think I could stomach the likes of this.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3239363521/" title="chili cheese frito wrap by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/3239363521_f54382c13c_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="chili cheese frito wrap" /></a></div><br /><br />So, back to the meat of this post: The Fritos Chili Cheese Wrap. Wait, where the hell is the meat? Unfolding the thick layers of tortilla I am confronted with a bunch of corn chips slathered in a sloppy brown sauce with a few small flecks of something that I assume used to belong to a mammal. Okay, I know what you're thinking: diarrhea. Yeah, I was thinking that too.<br /><br /><div class="imgiseverything"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3240201306/" title="chili cheese frito wrap by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3483/3240201306_a17eb66054_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="chili cheese frito wrap" /></a></div><br /><br />However, it wasn't the defecatory resemblance that prevented me from finishing it. One mere bite set my salivary glands off in pre-vomit state but I still proceeded to go back for a second taste. Now, I must admit that I really don't like Fritos at all so that did factor into my disgusted and disgusting reaction to this monstrosity but honestly, it was mostly the starch and grease overload that brought me close to bringing it all back up. One must assume that there are people out there who actually enjoy this kind of garbage and, sadly, they probably outnumber those of us who think the very idea of it is vile; how depressing.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-85901667340300927772009-02-11T06:09:00.003-05:002009-02-11T07:15:28.133-05:00Passion FruitOne day I was walking the dog with the wife and happened upon a strange green fruit growing on a vine. "Hmmm... what's this? I wonder if I can eat it," I remarked but was summarily warned that I would not be transported to the hospital in the event of any poisoning. The orb was about the size of a racquetball ball and had the same flexible, hollow feel. This oddity puzzled me for weeks every time I saw it. What on Earth could it be?<br /><br />Here's the kicker: I had seen flowers on that same vine before. I knew was these flowers were called yet, in an extreme and prolonged case of idiocy, my feeble mind refused to make the connection. What was this flower, you ask? The passion flower:<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2532885923/" title="Passiflora incarnata by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2355/2532885923_660d99dc3f_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="Passiflora incarnata" /></a></div><br /><br />And the fruit, of course, was a passion fruit. Get your iodine lest you end up a cretin like me.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3203227377/" title="passion fruit hangs by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3452/3203227377_a34816d79c_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="passion fruit hangs" /></a></div><br /><br />Ever present as a flavoring in fruit drinks, candies, and confections, I was slightly puzzled to find that many people I asked had never eaten a passion fruit. Strange, since they are actually grown commercially (and wildly) in Florida, where I currently reside. When I lived in Australia, another big producer, they were in all grocers. But I can't remember having seen them in any local supermarkets for years and only just recently found a few on the Island of Misfit Produce at Whole Foods.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3203227267/" title="passion fruit skin by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3511/3203227267_97b90cd158_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="passion fruit skin" /></a></div><br /><br />There are two main varieties of passion fruit. The purple passion fruit is the most commonly known and has the characteristic wrinkly purple skin. It only grows to about the size of a lemon whereas its cousin, the yellow passion fruit, can grow to the size of a grapefruit. Both varieties have a tough, outer rind that contains a clutch of seeds coated with a gelatinous, yellow/orange substance. The skin of mine was actually a mottled white/purple, something I had not seen before and I can only make the logical assumption that it is a cultivar of the purple variety. Regardless, just as our mothers told us, it's what's inside that matters. <br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3204076486/" title="passion fruit seeds and flesh by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3509/3204076486_c319152a07_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="passion fruit seeds and flesh" /></a></div><br /><br />Juices containing passion fruit really do the fresh fruit no justice. The aroma is sublimely sweet and floral with hints of mango. One whiff and you'll be incapable of resisting the temptation of the sweet flesh. The flavor is far more incredible than I had remembered; delectably rich and sweet but with a refreshing quality that can't be found in equally rich foods. Like a pomegranate, you scoop the innards out and consume both flesh and seed. Unlike a pomegranate, the seeds contribute favorably to the flavor, adding a slight dash of bitterness and sourness to counteract the intense sweetness of the flesh.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3204076618/" title="passion fruit weeps by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3431/3204076618_e97176f27e_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="passion fruit weeps" /></a></div><br /><br />Unfortunately, there's a meager amount of edible matter and, at a dollar or more a pop, there are economic deterrents from just grabbing another for a repeat experience. Still, this salacious fruit is one you can quite happily take your time to savor.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-38715744353313777622009-02-07T08:06:00.002-05:002009-02-07T08:19:17.551-05:00Hemp MilkHippies of the world rejoice, you can now legally imbibe the nectar of your gods... somewhat. It seems as though hemp has been [justifiably] making inroads into the food market, particularly in health food stores, and not solely as a ploy to capitalize on the break-up of Phish and the resultant spike in the hippie population's disposable income. Who am I kidding? Hippies don't have any money to spare. But no need to worry as Hemp Dream, a hemp seed based milk substitute, doesn't cost all too much and also comes in a sweet tie-dyed container that can double as a decorative piece.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3159177047/" title="hemp dream by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3080/3159177047_5811fde1ac_m.jpg" width="158" height="240" alt="hemp dream" /></a></div><br /><br />Hemp seed is a great source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 essential fatty acids which are, as their name implies, essential for maintaining bodily well-being and have an integral link to cardiac health. Essential fatty acids cannot be synthesized by the body from other components and therefore must be obtained via the diet. Hemp seeds are also said to contain all essential amino acids, the very building blocks of life, and significant levels of Manganese and Magnesium. In addition to the nutrients supplied by the hemp seed itself, Hemp Dream is fortified with Vitamins A, B12, D, and Calcium.<br /><br />As with other milk substitutes, one of the main selling points of hemp milk is that it contains no lactose, for the lactose intolerant individuals amongst us. (But really, what do you find so intolerable about lactose anyway? Don't you think you're being a little too biased? It's the year 2009, we're all about tolerance. What did lactose ever do to you? Bloating, gas, and cramps? Ok, fair enough, but try to be a little more forgiving in the future.) Additionally, for those with other allergies or dietary restrictions, hemp milk is free of soy, gluten, and cholesterol.<br /><br />I really enjoyed my carton of <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/10/oat-milk.html">Oat Milk </a> and was looking forward to trying the Hemp Dream out, hoping that it could match the Oatly in terms of its taste and refreshing quality. Visually the two drinks are very similar. Cloudy, off-white, and slightly less opaque than skim milk. The scent is hard to pin down. There is a slight vegetative or grainy quality but overall it's fairly weak and can only be aptly described as smelling wet.<br /><br />I'm torn by the taste. I got the unflavored kind in order to better experience the true nature of hemp milk but it is also available in chocolate and vanilla. It's not drastically different from soy milk, rice milk, or oat milk and has a slight nutty flavor. Sometimes I enjoy it, other times I struggle to swallow my mouthful. I can't quite discern what quality it possesses that occasionally makes me want to retch but I do strongly recommend drinking it chilled. As the liquid warms it becomes unpalatable and I assume this is primarily a factor of the texture rather than the taste. Cold, cloudy water? Should be fine. Tepid, cloudy water? That's a no-go.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3259580785/" title="hemp dream junkie by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3361/3259580785_9f309776a0_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="hemp dream junkie" /></a></div><br /><br />As far as milk substitutes go, oat milk gets my firm backing but this one has some great nutritional advantages. Strongly recommended for lactose intolerant hippies and vegetarians looking for a good source of essential fatty acids. However, I urge you to drink with caution. Hemp milk is a gateway beverage and can end up ruining your life and causing undue harm to your loved ones. But in all seriousness, the greater adoption of hemp as a viable food, material, and fuel crop would really be in the best interest of us all. Negative associations and potential misuse aside, this truly is one incredible plant and it's a shame it has been so vilified for its uses as an intoxicant.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-50397186398216066222009-01-31T08:13:00.002-05:002009-01-31T08:32:34.581-05:00Sour OrangeThis ugly little orange was sitting with other strange and exotic fruits in the produce section of Whole Foods so I was lead to believe that there had to be something particularly special about it. While not as grotesque as the <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/05/ugli-fruit.html">ugli fruits</a> sitting nearby, these little creatures are noticeably rougher than their navel orange brethren; marred with black spots and streaks like a mini orange model of the moon. They're also incredibly dense. If I'd been attacked in the parking lot on the way back to my car then I could probably have used this rock-like fruit to fight off my would-be-assailant.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3196628350/" title="sour orange by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3103/3196628350_b692dee012_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="sour orange" /></a></div><br /><br />Being a native of Vietnam, I have a sneaking suspicion that the sour orange, also known as bitter orange, bigarade orange, or Seville orange, was developed as a weapon of war. Currently, however, it is used for its essential oil in perfumes and flavorings (one variety, bergamot, is used in the delectable Earl Grey tea) or as an ingredient in food items such as marmalade. More recently it has replaced the now-illegal ephedra as a dietary supplement because of its stimulant and appetite suppressing qualities. I can't find much information about the nutritional profile but I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that it has high levels of vitamin C.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3195785031/" title="sour orange peeled by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3131/3195785031_11823c5609_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="sour orange peeled" /></a></div><br /><br />In peeling the bitter orange, one can certainly begin to understand the value of the oil as a perfume or flavoring. The aroma is incredibly strong and distinct. At the same time, it is rather harsh and irritating to the skin, eyes, and passage ways; the sour orange does not like to be peeled and its tough exterior makes it an arduous task. Within the thick rind are very pulpy segments with a texture much like that of those found in grapefruit. In fact, much about the sour orange is similar to the grapefruit; particularly its texture, astringency, and taste. The sour orange, however, still has that distinctive "orange" scent and flavor that is responsible for its oil's popularity. <br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3196628452/" title="sour orange innards by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3439/3196628452_9d3a10a331_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="sour orange innards" /></a></div><br /><br />The rind must be where most of the value is contained as the innards indeed smell sour, but more along the lines of sour as in rotten. The pulpy skin around the juicy flesh is incredibly bitter and not very nice at all. After eating two pieces I couldn't stand the taste of the skin any longer and resorted instead to chewing the pieces until I'd extracted all of the juice and then promptly spat the pulp out. The juice itself was pleasant but overbearing at times. If I were to buy another one of these then I would definitely forgo the hassle of peeling and sectioning. Instead I'd just slice it in twain, juice the two halves, and sip slowly. Being so sour, it's probably something that can't be enjoyed in isolation all too often but would work quite well as an ingredient in meals or cocktails.<br /><br />While the experience of peeling and eating the sour orange was rather unpleasant in and of itself (the tender flesh under my fingernails burned for the rest of the day), I've quite enjoyed learning about them. Now I shall run to the store and pick up some Earl Grey tea because I've got a craving for the sour, citrus flavor.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-77286239284972457382009-01-24T10:10:00.001-05:002009-01-24T10:13:06.181-05:00Coconut WaterMy first experience with coconut water came during a trip to the dark depths of the Everglades. And by dark depths I mean the tourist walkways in the Everglades National Park but it was overcast and there were alligators everywhere, one even tried to attack me. And by attack me I mean it swam towards me with a sinister look in its eye and then disappeared into the murky depths, preparing itself to pounce upon me at any moment for being too close to its precious baby gators. Seriously, here's a picture of the angry mother right before she turned towards me and sank; I imagine she's still there at the bottom of that roadside swamp, waiting for me to return.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3206504424/" title="mama gator is a hater by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3335/3206504424_c73faf3014_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="mama gator is a hater" /></a></div><br /><br />Anyway, seeing all of the coconut palms about, our foreign guests told us that you can drill a hole in the green ones and drink the water inside. Not only is it delicious but it's supposed to be highly nutritious as well. So being the adventurous types, we left the safety of the National Park and went straight to a roadside market called Robert Is Here to lawfully purchase our green coconut. The water wasn't that bad but it also wasn't very good either. Rather bland with a heavy consistency; not the crisp, mildly sweet, juice we had been expecting.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3485/3206504460_2a2a79c192.jpg" width="500" height="166" alt="robert is here" /></div><br /><br />The next day we decided to take it one step further with some real adventure and created a teetering tower of flesh in order to procure a coconut from a roadside palm in one of the Keys. This one turned out to be even more disappointing as there was no water in it at all and the flesh didn't taste very nice either. So the dream was dead and my curiosity about coconut water disappeared with the green flash of the setting sun in Key West.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3381/3206504496_30d7905a3d.jpg" width="500" height="146" alt="liberated coconut" /></div><br /><br />But then Whole Foods opened up nearby and they carry cartons of the stuff made by a company called <a href="http://www.onenaturalexperience.com">O.N.E. (One Natural Experience)</a> who also manufacture the <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2009/01/cashew-juice.html">Cashew Juice</a> I previously wrote about. <br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3159177979/" title="coconut water container by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3261/3159177979_9ca3691a46_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="coconut water container" /></a></div><br /><br />Coconut water is the liquid from the innards of of a young, green coconut. The liquid and gelatinous meat eventual becomes the solid coconut meat we are all used to seeing and from with coconut milk is extracted. While mature coconut meat and coconut milk are high in oils, coconut water has no fat and it fairly low in calories despite its sweet flavor. It is also provides five essential electrolytes: calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, and potassium (of which it has more than a banana).<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3160011992/" title="coconut water in glass by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3263/3160011992_0c65191c0d_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="coconut water in glass" /></a></div><br /><br />There's not much of an aroma beyond a faint smell of vegetation. The liquid is slightly cloudy but without coloration. It's easy to fathom why some countries offer this as a sports drink because it's quite crisp and refreshing. Despite the sweetness, it doesn't suck the moisture out of your mouth or burn as drinks high in sugar are likely to do. As for the taste, the typical coconut flavor is definitely noticeable but there is a more vegetative quality to it; I'm reminded of chewing on sugar cane or a mango peel. Overall a nice drink and something that could easily serve as a substitute or complement to other more common fruit juices.<br /><br />You can go for the authentic, straight-from-the-coconut experience but, taste-wise, it seems to be the luck of the draw. I'd certainly like to try again but I'll keep a couple cartons of the prepackaged variety around in case of further disappointment.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-76510665431394120932009-01-17T12:55:00.001-05:002009-01-17T12:59:29.051-05:00Almond ButterI never liked peanut butter much as a youth. It's not as popular in Australia and the formula is slightly different. During my time as a vegetarian I found the taste of America's number one spread growing on me and now I really like the stuff (the all-natural variety in particular).<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3196628104/" title="almond by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/3196628104_f6cc6c5463_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="almond" /></a></div><br /><br />Also being a great fan of the almond, another not-technically-a-nut-but-called-a-nut-anyway, I have been interested in trying almond butter ever since encountering it a few years ago but the price tag had put me off. Now that there are some generic offerings, the price has come down a bit but it's still exponentially higher than peanut butter. This is understandable though as almonds come from trees and the crops yield far less than a typical peanut crop of similar size, naturally making it a more expensive commodity. I was surprised to find that California is the world's largest producer of almonds with most others coming from the Mediterranean countries of Europe and Africa.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3196628142/" title="almond butter by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3474/3196628142_ae0477a8dc_m.jpg" width="240" height="165" alt="almond butter" /></a></div><br /><br />Almonds are often touted as nutritional super-foods as they are packed with vitamin E, good fats, protein, and dietary fiber. They have also been shown to aid in lowering LDL cholesterol levels. These nutritional qualities and the fact that they're not peanuts so won't kill you if you have a peanut allergy has made almond butter a viable alternative to peanut butter.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3195784849/" title="almond butter and knife on crisp bread by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3357/3195784849_86482af4b7_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="almond butter and knife on crisp bread" /></a></div><br /><br />In terms of consistency and texture, there's really no difference between the additive-free peanut butter and the additive-free almond butter. Both have some oil separation and a similar viscosity. Like peanuts in peanut butter, the almonds are roasted before being made into a paste. Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of roasted almonds and much prefer to them "raw" (apparently they're often pasteurized using steam, so not technically raw). That being so, I wasn't as enamored by this spread as I had hoped. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad at all; definitely enjoyable and satisfying, just not as nice for me as a handful of raw almonds.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3196628242/" title="almond butter on crisp bread macro by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3088/3196628242_5a27493f8c_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="almond butter on crisp bread macro" /></a></div><br /><br />That being said, I don't foresee shelling out six or seven bucks for another small jar and will happily stick to the big jars of all-natural, additive-free peanut butter which is more befitting my palate and budget.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-68830891012283589912009-01-14T05:55:00.000-05:002009-01-14T05:56:19.054-05:00Bee PollenNaturopaths and deluded peddlers of pseudoscience claim that bee pollen, also called bee bread, is nature's most perfect and complete food. Many purport that it rejuvenates, invigorates, prolongs life, heals organs, enhances athletic and sexual performance, fights infection, and inoculates against allergic reactions. That's quite an impressive array of medicinal properties packed into such tiny little balls of pollen. But there's a flaw to even the most basic claims about the nutritional profile of this supplement. Because bees don't typically stick to one flower, the composition of the pollen can be very hard to ascertain. Therefore, the proclamations that any container of bee pollen contains all of the essential amino acids along with high values of vitamins and minerals cannot be completely verifiable. And because the pollen sources are not known, those with allergies to any specific type of pollen run the risk of suffering a severe allergic reaction by consuming the stuff.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3196628310/" title="bee pollen on spoon by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3449/3196628310_cf60e85dd2_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="bee pollen on spoon" /></a></div><br /><br />Anyway, there's a <a href="http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/bee.html">great article here</a> by an actual doctor debunking the erroneous claims put forth by the promoters of bee pollen (which can be found en masse with a simple google search). So, crap aside, let's get down to the food stuff itself. I'm sure you've seen these little balls of spit and honey dangling from the hind quarters of a bee making daily nectar rounds in the garden. These are brought back to the hive used to manufacture honey, fueling the colony and the future generations of bees... that is if they're not stolen by some malicious supplement salesmen as the poor, unsuspecting bee arrives home from a hard day in the fields.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3159176683/" title="bee pollen by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3258/3159176683_4666e2cca7_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="bee pollen" /></a></div><br /><br />I was taken back at first upon opening my bottle and smelling the contents and even more surprised by the taste. The pollen balls smelled sweet and, get this, honey-like so, logically, my reaction didn't make much sense. But I could detect no distinct flowery scents nor any other aromas one associates with the pollen storms of spring. Noting the smell, the flavor and texture should have come as no surprise but this dry, chalky honey still caught me off guard. Illogical, yes, but it's hard to divorce honey's sweet and pungent flavor from the syrupy texture, as if some particular quality of the bee spit is responsible for the characteristic taste. But no, here it was in near-raw form. Surprisingly nice but not something that remains pleasant after the first couple teaspoons.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3159176867/" title="bee pollen by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/3159176867_ff3b26c867_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="bee pollen" /></a></div><br /><br />Don't believe the hype. If you're interested in trying some bee pollen, approach it as food and not some miraculous panacea. I could definitely see myself sprinkling it over some ice cream or adding it to the foamy top of a fancy coffee concoction. But one must take great care if they are prone to pollen allergies. There are cases of people dying after having a severe reaction to this food/supplement and there's no guaranteeing the composition of the pollen. Proceed with caution and skepticism.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-83181664798443347502009-01-09T05:36:00.002-05:002009-02-28T21:35:03.117-05:00Cashew JuiceOur aspiring city recently took another small step forward in modernity with the opening of the region's very first Whole Foods. Organic produce, healthy meals, and weird foods galore. One late night trip resulted in enough bounty to satisfy my penchant for the strange for the next couple months... or at least it will have to considering these uneasy economic times.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3146525193/" title="cashew juice by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3195/3146525193_acfefc4228_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="cashew juice" /></a></div><br /><br />My first sampling from the lot was a carton of cashew juice. Cashews, like almonds, are the seeds of a drupe and not actually a nut although they are commonly often referred to as such. This juice is made from the fruit part of the cashew which, with the seed dangling down from its nether regions, is a strange looking beast indeed. The fruit is high in tannins and rather astringent so it requires a bit of processing prior to consumption. As a result it is rarely consumed in this part of the world.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3147358286/" title="cashew juice in cup by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/3147358286_a175c945ca_m.jpg" width="157" height="240" alt="cashew juice in cup" /></a></div><br /><br />The cashew fruit contains a high levels of vitamin C and therefore the juice box goes on to list a variety of health claims linked to the indigenous use of the cashew fruit in South America and vitamin C in general.<br /><br />Poured into a glass, the juice looks strikingly similar to commercially available grapefruit juice but expresses no distinct odor. Upon my first sip I actually yelled out in surprise. This stuff is incredibly acidic, like a very tart orange juice, an effect which is exacerbated by the addition of citric acid.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3146525247/" title="cashew juice in cup by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3109/3146525247_cf5fe314db_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="cashew juice in cup" /></a></div><br /><br />Beyond the first mouthful, the taste starts to mellow out a bit and begins to take on the characteristics of a poor quality orange juice with an aftertaste of nuts. This aftertaste is quite unsettling at first but gets better with time. Still, it gives one the sensation of having a mouthful of nuts and can remain a little unpleasant.<br /><br />I know, it sounds bad, but the overall combination of the strange qualities makes for interesting experience and I'm far from dreading drinking the second one I purchased in a buy-one-get-one-free deal.<br /><br />Addendum: This stuff gets better every time I drink it. I'm at a point where I'd be willing to alternate my daily intake of orange juice with cashew juice. Shocking at first but an easy taste to acquire and enjoy.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-55751974583255860202008-12-31T07:06:00.001-05:002008-12-31T07:06:35.957-05:00KombuchaWe here in the Western world are constantly turning to the East in search of elixirs that will allow us to live a prolonged and healthy life. Sure, there are the yogis and wise men of the orient whose lives ultimately span a century or more but really, when you're sitting down in the lotus position and remaining calm all day then you're bound to live a long, happy life. Reduced calorie requirements from not moving much means that you can survive on far less food than those villagers starving to death at the base of your holy mountain. Living at such great heights also makes it harder for roaming bandits to come and kill you in your sleep.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3138221816/" title="kombucha light by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3255/3138221816_680a0b0549_m.jpg" width="162" height="240" alt="kombucha light" /></a></div><br /><br />The latest oriental potion boasting mystical properties that I've encounter is kombucha.<br /><br />Wikipedia says: "Kombucha is the Western name for sweetened tea or tisane that has been fermented using a macroscopic solid mass of microorganisms called a kombucha colony."<br /><br />Perhaps the recent introduction of this drink to the US stems from the popularity of probiotic drinks and other microbe infested foods that are purported to support well-being.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3137394457/" title="kombucha bullcrap by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3227/3137394457_9cff1c6450_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="kombucha bullcrap" /></a></div><br /><br />Now, I have no problem whatsoever with claims of reasonable health benefits but the label of this drink goes a bit far, forcing me take the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDW_Hj2K0wo">Bill Hicks stance on marketing</a>. What we have here is essentially a soft drink. There is a decent amount of good nutrients loaded into this little bottle but you also get a dose of added sugar (which, admittedly, is significantly smaller than what one typically encounters in most soft drinks). So you can pack the mini-fridge next to the couch with these things to your heart's content but kombucha alone is not going to do anything for your longevity.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3137394519/" title="kombucha ingredients by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3231/3137394519_88ea4f261a_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="kombucha ingredients" /></a></div><br /><br />Spurious claims aside, this commercial implementation of the kombucha recipe is marvelously flavorful. It tastes like a lightly carbonated ginger sweet tea which is funny because it's actually a lightly carbonated ginger sweet tea with magic microorganisms (they apparently don't add much to the taste).<br /><br />I don't remember how much this was because I received it as a gift but expect a high price tag attached to those mystical properties, even if you are just buying it for the taste.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-18080015839366626092008-12-28T16:13:00.001-05:002008-12-28T16:15:55.521-05:00Elvis SandwichEdible Oddities is proud to announce the very first episode in an exciting new series called Creating Culinary Abominations! Not really, but this is the first post where we run you through the process of making the disgusting food before consuming it. <br /><br />Abandoning the sleek figure and sex-symbol status of his young life, Elvis Aaron Presley became a bloated fat man throughout the years leading to his demise and it's no surprise (his fatness or his death) considering what he was eating. One of his favorite foods, a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich, appropriately dubbed the Elvis sandwich, has attained a cult status all of its own. As with most cult figures, including the barking fat man himself, there are many different theories and conflicting ideas floating around about this iconic snack. Some claim the sandwich also contained bacon and, instead of being fried in butter on a hot skillet, the left-over bacon grease was used to do the dirty work. So, in the spirit of going that extra mile for an extra disturbing experience, I thought why not try both? Half with bacon and half without for that simultaneously authentic and awful experience.<br /><br />Here's what you will need for one sandwich:<br /><br />2 slices of white bread<br />1 banana<br />peanut butter<br />butter<br />3-5 slices of bacon<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3088794355/" title="toasting bread by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3143/3088794355_89ef68bb86_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="toasting bread" /></a></div><br /><br />Start by toasting your bread. Don't make it too dark since the sandwich is going to be charred a bit more during the frying process.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3089631364/" title="cut banana by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3058/3089631364_cee5614f48_m.jpg" width="240" height="140" alt="cut banana" /></a></div><br /><br />Cut your banana into relatively thin slices. This will ensure the sandwich fits together tightly and if you want your bananas thick you can always layer them up.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3088794229/" title="cooking bacon by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3143/3088794229_3e6daf5781_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="cooking bacon" /></a></div><br /><br />Now, start cooking your bacon. Keep that grease, we can use it to fry the sandwich later.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3088794447/" title="elvis sandwich ingredients by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/3088794447_df8e6dbb5e_m.jpg" width="240" height="120" alt="elvis sandwich ingredients" /></a></div><br /><br />The toast should be done so, while the bacon is cooking, spread the peanut butter thickly over one piece of the toast. Although the authentic recipe only calls for one piece to be subjected to the peanut butter treatment, you can do both pieces if you'd like. Doing so will probably help the sandwich stick together better.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3089632006/" title="elvis sandwich pre frying by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3131/3089632006_a3d1521052_m.jpg" width="240" height="236" alt="elvis sandwich pre frying" /></a></div><br /><br />Once the bacon is done cooking, keep the grease warm while you collect the ingredients and assemble them together. Again, we were doing half of the sandwich with bacon and half without. Whether you use bacon at all is entirely up to your personal preferences and gastrointestinal fortitude.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3088794921/" title="elvis sandwich by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3137/3088794921_b821659bf9_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="elvis sandwich" /></a></div><br /><br />Grab your assembled sandwich, press firmly, and drop it into the cooking grease. If you find that there isn't enough grease to do a sufficient frying job then butter the outsides of the bread. Once peanut butter starts oozing out of a disgustingly crispy and greasy sandwich then you know you're done. Whip that sandwich out of the frying pan and get yourself excited whilst letting it cool down a bit.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3089632448/" title="elvis sandwich close up by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3219/3089632448_53b4fbff1b_m.jpg" width="240" height="156" alt="elvis sandwich close up" /></a></div><br /><br />There's nothing truly horrific about the taste of the Elvis sandwich. The bacon fits surprisingly well with the banana/peanut butter mush, which by itself is also quite nice. Overall, the sandwich is pleasantly flavorful albeit in a disturbing way. But with such high levels of fats and carbohydrates you can almost feel yourself going into shock. Sure, as animals we are supposed to be uncontrollably drawn to foods with high calorific content but this is almost too much. A few bites into this beast and you'll be fighting the urge to bring it all back up again.<br /><br />I couldn't finish the entire sandwich, leaving a large corner of the bread untouched despite still feeling a bit hungry. I can imagine eating a couple of these things and not being satisfied due to the lack of bulk but I felt so disgusting after my one that I didn't want to eat another thing for the entirety of the day. Still, this is something adventurous eaters should definitely try. Once. I can't fathom how anybody can eat more than one of these in a lifetime, much less with any regularity, but there is ample photographic evidence depicting what happens when you do.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-17480911231786979242008-12-21T07:53:00.001-05:002008-12-21T08:05:54.107-05:00soan papdi / patisaThe formal education system of the Western world, the United States in particular, unjustly neglects to pay much attention to the rich culture and history of India besides giving a cursory nod to Gandhi and the Indian Independence movement and that's only because a movie was made about the period. Now that I mention it, almost everything I "learned" about the history of other countries throughout my time in the American primary education system had some sort of movie tie in. There was "Gandhi" for India, "The Last Emperor" for China, "Nicholas and Alexandra" for Russia, and "Excalibur" because the fictional account of British history is somehow more relevant than the actual history (of which we learned naught). If I remember correctly, think we might have even watched "Braveheart" because everyone knows that it's an accurate portrayal of Scottish history.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3067292111/" title="soan papdi box by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3001/3067292111_2fb01bb4ec_m.jpg" width="240" height="125" alt="soan papdi box" /></a></div><br /><br />Anyway, back to India, the seventh largest country in terms of land mass yet the second most populous country in the world with over one billion people. A smattering of Indian cuisine has been assimilated by the Western world with curry crossing culinary borders into all sorts of foods, Mulligatawny soup appearing on both menus and sitcoms, and naan bread gracing the shelves of the local supermarket. But, in a place with over a billion people and more than a thousand languages (29 of which have at least a million native speakers each), there's bound to be more that we're missing out on.<br /><br />One class of foods that haven't quite made the mass exodus are sweets and confections. Now, I love curries and could easily eat traditional Indian meals daily but I'm not a fan of desserts hailing from any of the world's many nations. However, given that I've enjoyed all of my Indian food experiences, I gladly accepted my friend and colleague's offer to try some of his cherished sweet: patisa (aka soan papdi, sohan papdi, or sohan halva).<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3068129530/" title="soan papdi close by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3282/3068129530_fb78a73218_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="soan papdi close" /></a></div><br /><br />The ingredients in this confection are sugar, gram flour, sugar, flour, sugar, ghee, sugar, milk, sugar, and cardamom. First a quick explanation of some of the ingredients foreign to the Western world: Gram flour is a flour made from chickpeas/garbanzo beans. Think dehydrated hummus without the tahini (sesame seed paste). Ghee is a clarified butter and is a very important ingredient in Indian cultures. It is used for culinary, medicinal, spiritual, and even cosmetic purposes. Rather than attempt, and subsequently fail, at piecing together a proper explanation of this substance, here's a quote from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghee">Wikipedia</a>:<br /><br /><quote>"Ghee is made by simmering unsalted butter in a large pot until all water has boiled off and protein has settled to the bottom. The cooked and clarified butter is then spooned off to avoid disturbing the milk solids on the bottom of the pan. Unlike butter, ghee can be stored for extended periods without refrigeration, provided it is kept in an airtight container to prevent oxidation and remains moisture-free."</quote><br /><br />The resultant dish is a giant block of dry, flaky, meringue-like confection. It's fairly difficult to pick a segment up when the slightest pressure causes it to crumble. If you are able to manage getting a piece in your mouth you will find this strange substance instantaneously melts upon reaching its destination. Despite the apparent dryness during handling, the fats and oils from the ghee come to the forefront when mixed with your saliva producing a creamy texture and flavor. The initial experience is very pleasant and stimulates that cream-loving beast locked within each of us. However, the situation quickly falls apart for me when the second wave hits.<br /><br />Sugar. There's so much of it in this dish that I could almost feel my pancreas convulsing uncontrollably and screaming "don't glaze me, bro." Being somewhat sensitive to things high in sugar, I was afraid that I had gone too far given myself insta-diabetes, like the tragic teenage drug-addict who either gets hooked or overdoses during their first curious self-experiment. And like the young addict, I found myself intensely craving the stuff a mere five minutes later. "Just one more try," said the trembling inner voice, "one more little bite won't hurt." Temporarily weakened by the thought of the lovely creamy taste and sensation, I picked a small piece up and popped it into my waiting mouth. Oh creamy bliss, but again there was the second onslaught of sugar and I had to resolve never to eat the stuff again out of fear for my health.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3068129600/" title="soan papdi top by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3174/3068129600_566aa7e25c_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="soan papdi top" /></a></div><br /><br />I also sampled another dish similar to the patisa / soan papdi but this was more milky and needed refrigeration. It inhabited a realm somewhere between ice cream and cottage cheese in appearance and consistency. It also had a very nice flavor but was, again, loaded with an incredible amount of sugar.<br /><br />For health reasons I'm going to have to stay away from these tasty treats but anyone with a sweet tooth is sure to enjoy them. I will, however, visit one of the many local Indian grocers in the near future and stock up on some other interesting foods so that I can further offend an entire nation by calling their food weird.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-27229508446559823072008-12-16T07:17:00.000-05:002008-12-16T07:23:07.387-05:00Fried Green Tomatoes / Yellow TomatoesTomatoes are my favorite fruit. But they're a vegetable, you say. Fruits are sweet and are thus appropriately artificially approximated as flavors for candy. Even the United States Supreme Court ruled in 1893 that tomatoes are to be labeled, and therefore taxed, as vegetables. But the term vegetable is not scientific and, biologically, a fruit is defined as the ripened ovary of a flowering plant, the simple defining characteristic being the seeds. But regardless of what you want to call it, I think the tomato is grand.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3049684891/" title="fried green tomatoes by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3171/3049684891_8da12d8a5a_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="fried green tomatoes" /></a></div><br /><br />One oddity involving tomatoes that I had long been interested in sampling was the fried green variety. Most fruits are strictly off limits for consumption prior to ripening due to the tough texture, bitter flavor, and occasional toxicity. Cooking an unripe fruit can take care of the hard texture and alter the flavor to a more palatable form. One such treatment is the Southern favorite, fried green tomatoes.<br /><br />Being of Australian origin and British descent, when I think "fried tomato" I think of a few naked slices of tomato fried up in sausage grease, part of a traditional English breakfast. Suffice to say, I was a little confused when I received my order of fried green tomatoes at Savannah's wonderful <a href="http://www.moonriverbrewing.com/">Moon River Brewery</a> (highly recommended if you're in the area) and quickly realized how obviously mistaken I had been to think they wouldn't be breaded. The breading, in my opinion, masks the full flavor of the green tomato so I ripped the outer covering from one of the bunch to fully appreciate the taste. With the breading they tasted much like other fried fruits and veggies like fried okra and even onion rings. Naked, however, the flavor was more distinctly "tomato" yet with some of the pungency one finds in the vegetation of the plant.<br /><br />Not being a fan of battered and fried foods, I think I'll steer clear of these in the future but I might experiment with my own pan-fried green tomatoes to see how they compare.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3089630972/" title="yellow tomato halves by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3066/3089630972_2c85d2cec8_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="yellow tomato halves" /></a></div><br /><br />While the green tomato is simply an unripe red tomato, over the past few years we have seen an increase in the number of tomato cultivars being offered by supermarkets which include some odd colored and strangely shaped varieties. Recently I picked up a yellow tomato thinking that the extraordinarily high price tag would correlate to an extraordinarily wonderful tomato.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3088793503/" title="yellow tomato + red close by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/3088793503_e65375056d_m.jpg" width="240" height="175" alt="yellow tomato + red close" /></a></div><br /><br />Note the difference between the two tomatoes above. One is of a typical red tomato hue, the other inhabits a more orange/yellow position in the spectrum. But if you're thinking that's the only difference between the two, well then, you're just plain right. The yellow cultivar was really no different from a red of comparable quality. There may have been a slight difference in certain components of the flavor but these were only very subtle.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3089630746/" title="yellow + red tomatoes by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3140/3089630746_b7d791c802_m.jpg" width="167" height="240" alt="yellow + red tomatoes" /></a></div><br /><br />Here's my advice for anyone who loves tomatoes as much as I do: grow your own. I have never bought a tomato from the store that has been anywhere near as amazing in odor, flavor, and texture as those I've pulled off the plant myself. Even when they're scabbed and mottled, the amazing succulence and intense flavor put any of the store bought varieties to shame... yes, even those from high-end, over-priced organic markets. They're relatively easy to grow and incredibly rewarding. Just watch out for the <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/06/caterpillars.html">c</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2599619583/">a</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2600449220/">t</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2599619711/">e</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2603156737/">r</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2636454382/">p</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2635629239/">i</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2636454502/">l</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2636454582/">l</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2635629429/">a</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2636454718/">r</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2635629553/">s</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2635629611/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2636454912/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2667495566/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2667495722/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2666673093/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2667495974/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2807587143/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2807587213/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2808436506/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2808436598/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2808436634/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2807587463/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2807587501/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2807587559/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2808436866/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2808436934/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2810064323/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2807587743/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2924259636/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2923408959/">.</a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/2923409005/">.</a>01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-2473772967521768102008-12-11T07:28:00.001-05:002008-12-11T07:28:37.319-05:00Cherimoya"The most delicious fruit known to men," proclaimed Mark Twain in The Sacramento Daily Union on October 25, 1866. While he may be right, the cherimoya is certainly one of the ugliest too. I have a sneaking suspicion that these things are actually the eggs of the reptilian humanoids purported by small bands of delusional neanderthals to be in control of the world's governments and financial systems. If my theory is correct then I, for one, welcome our delicious reptilian overlords.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3023361815/" title="cherimoya by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3213/3023361815_32cbb13c10_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="cherimoya" /></a></div><br /><br />The official story our government wants us to believe is that cherimoyas are fruits native to the Andean-highland valleys of Ecuador and Peru and currently produced throughout many temperate regions throughout the world. The trees don't like frost and snow but thrive in cooler temperatures, leading to the indigenous peoples of the Andes to claim that, "while the cherimoya cannot stand snow, it does like to see it in the distance."<br /><br />The skin of a cherimoya is soft and smooth, not unlike that of a reptile, and the sweet perfume of the flesh comes through slightly, entirely unlike that of a reptile. Cutting the fruit open reveals a creamy white interior and some very large brown seeds, an appearance that could partly explain why it is also commonly called a custard apple. The flesh is actually segmented into velvety pods that each contain a single seed and can be peeled out intact.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3023361887/" title="cherimoya cut by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/3023361887_71d37892d1_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="cherimoya cut" /></a></div><br /><br />Be careful not to eat neither seed nor skin. The seeds are poisonous if cracked and can be crushed up for use as an insecticide. Even better, eating the skin can result in paralysis for a period of 4 to 5 hours. Learning of this only made me want to try it but I didn't want to chance having my diaphragm or heart paralyzed. Death by cherimoya may be exotic but definitely not too glamorous.<br /><br />Mr. Twain has a fairly solid case for proclaiming the cherimoya the most delicious of fruits. The closest comparison I can draw to the flavor is a well made, not-too-sweet, non-alcoholic piña colada but really this does no justice to the complexities and smoothness of the flavor. The sweetness teeters on the safe side of being overbearing so that no matter how many pieces of velvety flesh you eat the taste does not become tiresome. There are hints of banana, pineapple, <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/06/feijoa.html">feijoa</a>, and <a href="http://edible-oddities.blogspot.com/2008/09/dragon-fruit.html">dragon fruit</a>. The texture, sweetness, and flavors also bear a striking resemblance to bubblegum.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3023361991/" title="cherimoya seed by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3276/3023361991_d9a5a4594d_m.jpg" width="161" height="240" alt="cherimoya seed" /></a></div><br /><br />The major drawbacks to the cherimoya are its relative rareness, small window of availability, and high price. Five bucks a pound was what they were going for at my local store and my insane cheapness prevented me from buying more than my initial sample. But I can imagine that the passage of time until next season will compound my craving and leave me compelled to indulge in this succulent fruit once more.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7259821697575102399.post-45249233185731104722008-12-06T07:32:00.002-05:002008-12-12T07:00:58.834-05:00Mochi/Daifukumochi/daifuku<br />2008-11-28<br /><br />You can tell a lot about the agriculture and staple food items of a region by taking a cursory glance at their sweets, snacks, and liquor. Here in the USA, land of the almighty corn kernel, everything is sweetened with corn syrup, we stuff our faces with corn chips, most American beer contains some amount of corn, and proper Bourbon, arguably the most American of spirits, is made exclusively from it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3023360597/" title="moshi side by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3285/3023360597_4e0444fba0_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="moshi side" /></a></div><br /><br />To quote the late, great novelist, Kurt Vonnegut Jr.: "Harold Newcomb Wilbur got his medals for killing Japanese, who were yellow robots. They were fueled by rice." If you can wrap rice around a stick of raw fish and call it dinner then it's not too strange an idea to pummel it into a paste and call it desert. This paste, called mochi, is used as a base for many confections and sweets in Japanese candies. One common preparation, called daifuku, involves rolling the mochi into a ball and stuffing it with a sweet paste made from the red azuki beans.<br /><br />Red beans and rice, eh? Sounds like the only other side item at a Cuban restaurant besides fried plantains, not a piece of candy. But trust me, this little ball of sweetness is a lot nicer than it sounds, sort of like the japanese version of a jelly donut except that eating a couple won't put you into a diabetic coma.<br /><br />"What the hell is that crap?"<br />"Mochi!" chirped my chipper Chinese colleague, thrusting the box in my face. I reluctantly grabbed a piece and retreated to my sanctum for closer inspection.<br /><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverdodd/3023360739/" title="moshi bit by oliver.dodd, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3059/3023360739_826ca55c5e_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="moshi bit" /></a></div><br /><br />The weirdest thing about my little mochi/daifuku sample was the strange covering of blackened sesame seeds, seaweed, and lint with some little green balls that, keeping in mind all of the unsettling ingredients in the sushi I've eaten in the past, are probably best left unidentified. I wasn't expecting much at all from this little morsel, particularly since previous experiences with Asian candies and snacks have been less than wonderful. With facial muscles tensed, I took my first bite... not bad, not bad at all. Having demolished half of my ration in one solitary nibble, I was saddened to see how little I had left to savor. Even without the strange outer coverings the mochi and red bean paste filling would have been a nice, subtly sweet treat but the addition of the complex savory flavors and crunchy texture made it a lot more interesting on the whole.<br /><br />I'm going to have to hit up a local Asian food market for some interesting eats in the near future and, despite not being a big fan of sweets, I can definitely see myself picking up some more of these to stuff my face with on the drive home.01001111http://www.blogger.com/profile/07541159703858678350noreply@blogger.com0