Food for thought

My Brother in everything but blood posted a notice that he was going to go hunting for some wild dogs that had killed a bunch of goats (Herd, Gaggle, Flock?) and then have a massive cook out with the goat meat. Now my first reaction was Hot Dog! Barbecue Goat. Needless to say a lot of the reactions weren't quite so positive and pretty much amounted to Goat? Ewww! Which (Like most things do) got me to thinking. So lets talk about "To talk of many things: Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--And why the sea is boiling hot--And whether pigs have wings." or at least Goat, Deer and fish. (To anyone who doesn't recognize that quote, SHAME SHAME SHAME!)

It annoys my wife to no end when I start a sentence with "Back in the day" or "Back when I was a kid" because she claims that I am not old enough to have earned the right to talk like that, but that's the way this diatribe starts. Back when I was a kid (Hey Goat, Kid? It is a joke, don't you get it), we ate goat, venison, squirrel and pretty much any sort of meat that was slow enough to get caught. We didn't necessarily eat it because it was super good but simply because we were hungry. Half our food came from hunting and fishing. When you grow up dirt poor, you learn to eat everything you can and when you can cause it might be awhile before you get more.

Now that said, a lot of the food we "poor" folks ate and most better-offs turned their noses up was and still, just good food. Ever had Tripe? Most people turn their noses up at it these days, but it tastes great in soups and stews. Chitterlings? "Chitlins" I can promise you most people these days have never even tried them, but properly prepared they are good. The Aforementioned Goat? Goat meat can be a little tough and slightly bitter, but you prepare it properly in BBQ or a good think Stew and you got some darned good eating.

Now the thing that really kills me about people who won't touch these excellent foods is the things they will eat and consider it grand cuisine (Can't believe I spelled that right the first time). I won't even get started on raw clams and oysters since that is a different kettle of fish. Two of the most popular fish out there today for seafood dishes are Whiting and Tilapia. I haven't been to a restaurant lately that doesn't have at least one or two dishes starring this fish. People shell out big bucks for them. A decade ago, these fish were considered "trash fish" and most people would have turned their noses up at them. Now they are the "in" dish.

I guess what it boils down to and to make a long story short (Too Late), don't turn your noses up at something just because you have never had it. Don't be afraid to try new foods just because someone else has labeled them as "trash" or "bad." Be brave, be daring and try them all. After all, where would we be today if someone hadn't had the courage to try and eat a raw oyster?