Yesterday at the market

[pedalphile]

And when I say market I mean in the European sense of a place indoors or outside where independent sellers gather to sell their wares, and I saw something I’ve never seen before, a basket of giant snails, big as a fist the things, each wrapped in a leaf, and squirming listlessly. OMG, giant African snails, three for a tenner. I’ve eaten and enjoyed snails but have to say I had absolutely no desire to eat these ones, poor buggers.

[maddmaxx ★]

Sometimes it's best not to see food in it's natural state before eating.  Eating native in SE Asia is like this.  If it tastes good, eat it.  If it doesn't don't.  It is permissible to designate a portion of your plate for things you take back out of your mouth.

[Longjohn ★]

I had a missionary friend that used to say: “Where you lead me I will follow, what you feed me I will swallow. He has a daughter that grew up on the mission field. She loved fire roasted slugs. 

[late]

I've had slugs, in a French restaurant.

Meh.

[pedalphile]

Slugs? FFS, slugs? There’s a food hero here name of Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, first came to our attention on tv as A Cook on the Wild Side, where he earned the nickname Hugh Fearlessly Eats it All, I remember he did the garden snails once, they were good, done Spanish style in a paella, but with the slugs he had to admit defeat, do what he might he could not make them pleasant. If they were good I know many places where a pound or two of the slimy critters could be collected in minutes. Same with snails, though, all our species here are edible, but some aren’t strictly natives, having been like a few other things brought to Britain by the Romans, for culinary pursuits, and yet I’ve still not collected them for the table, though I shall do, and maybe sooner than later, I’ll keep you posted. In parts of England they were commonly eaten by the poor, and known as wall fish.

[JerrySTL ★]

I enjoyed visiting the Oxford Covered Market back in the day. Took my mother there when she visited us in England. She freaked out when she saw dead pheasants (not peasants) hanging from the ceiling.

[Razors Edge ★]

4 hours ago, pedalphile said:

And when I say market I mean in the European sense of a place indoors or outside where independent sellers gather to sell their wares, and I saw something I’ve never seen before, a basket of giant snails, big as a fist the things, each wrapped in a leaf, and squirming listlessly. OMG, giant African snails, three for a tenner. I’ve eaten and enjoyed snails but have to say I had absolutely no desire to eat these ones, poor buggers.

Europe does "markets" the proper way.  We could learn from their expertise.  Actually, it seems like many other places in the world do "markets" better than us

Tom

[Dirtyhip]

I love eating snails.  They are usually so expensive. 

I find this interesting.  https://www.lifestyle.com.au/gardening/how-to-start-your-own-snail-farm.aspx

[pedalphile]

2 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

I love eating snails.  They are usually so expensive. 

I find this interesting.  https://www.lifestyle.com.au/gardening/how-to-start-your-own-snail-farm.aspx

You’re welkom to any you pick in my garden or allotment for free.

[maddmaxx ★]

2 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

Europe does "markets" the proper way.  We could learn from their expertise.  Actually, it seems like many other places in the world do "markets" better than us

Tom

I really liked the "wet" markets is Malaysia.  This is where the local Chinese go to buy food and sometimes eat.  My son's father in law used to take me to breakfast while mom shopped for various meats, fruits and vegetables.  I used to get a bowl of "stuff".  Sorry, but I've forgotten the Chinese name for it but it contained a bit of everything including noodles.  I actually managed with chop sticks but they showed me how to cheat a bit with the "spoon" or by picking up the bowl as if to sip it and then using the sticks to move things into the mouth from the bowl.  You have to understand though that you are likely to encounter all the parts of an animal at any given time. Our "waitress" owned that corner of the market with steel tables and a blue tarp stretched overhead.  The kitchen was in plain sight.  It was great.  Malaysia is in the process of doing away with or moving the wet markets to more civilized sites as they are determined to move up to second world status.

[Razors Edge ★]

40 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

I really liked the "wet" markets is Malaysia.  This is where the local Chinese go to buy food and sometimes eat.  My son's father in law used to take me to breakfast while mom shopped for various meats, fruits and vegetables.  I used to get a bowl of "stuff".  Sorry, but I've forgotten the Chinese name for it but it contained a bit of everything including noodles.  I actually managed with chop sticks but they showed me how to cheat a bit with the "spoon" or by picking up the bowl as if to sip it and then using the sticks to move things into the mouth from the bowl.  You have to understand though that you are likely to encounter all the parts of an animal at any given time. Our "waitress" owned that corner of the market with steel tables and a blue tarp stretched overhead.  The kitchen was in plain sight.  It was great.  Malaysia is in the process of doing away with or moving the wet markets to more civilized sites as they are determined to move up to second world status.

I laugh at how many photos my wife takes of "markets".  She always likes the contrasting colors or the "local" look.  And, we even got the snail pic (in Morocco)!

Tom

 

[pedalphile]

Fabulous pics Thom so I salute your missus, thank her from me.

[Razors Edge ★]

5 minutes ago, pedalphile said:

Fabulous pics Thom so I salute your missus, thank her from me.

I was shocked at the snail picture, but I knew you would appreciate it!  I threw in a few meat ones for the carnivores in this joint.

One thing absent in almost all of our market photos is refrigeration   We haven't died yet, but maybe that has just been luck.

Tom

[Dirtyhip]

1 hour ago, Razors Edge said:

I laugh at how many photos my wife takes of "markets".  She always likes the contrasting colors or the "local" look.  And, we even got the snail pic (in Morocco)!

Tom

 

Did you have problems with the raw produce, or did you stick to cooked things? The snail bowl looks interesting.  I would buy them.  

[maddmaxx ★]

I did not take a camera to the wet markets in Kuala Lumpur (for the same reason I didn't take my passport, theft) but these are some representative pics of what I'm talking about.  I suspect a lot of Americans wouldn't eat there.

[Razors Edge ★]

2 hours ago, Dirtyhip said:

Did you have problems with the raw produce, or did you stick to cooked things? The snail bowl looks interesting.  I would buy them.  

Never really ate the raw produce that wasn't fruit we could wash or peel. We generally stick to fruits and cooked stuff - whether sweets/desserts or ones made by small vendors.  If I see them cook it, I am usually fine with eating it. I have seen some scary stories on stuff from Asia cooked in really bad/polluted water or grease, but I haven't had that "opportunity" yet.

Tom

[pedalphile]

2 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

I was shocked at the snail picture, but I knew you would appreciate it!  I threw in a few meat ones for the carnivores in this joint.

One thing absent in almost all of our market photos is refrigeration   We haven't died yet, but maybe that has just been luck.

Tom

Kill it quick and scoff it, hopefully.

[Randomguy]

7 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

Europe does "markets" the proper way.  We could learn from their expertise.  Actually, it seems like many other places in the world do "markets" better than us

Tom

We are kind of a shit country in many ways, and fine in other ways.  This is all kinds of strange because we are taught since birth that America is the best, when clearly it is not.  American ingenuity?   Simply common resourcefulness.  Land of opportunity?  If you are already rich or massively lucky.  The best people?  By what measure?  The smartest?  Certainly not.  The most charitable?  Nope.  Hell, we are not even the drunkest nation, not by a long shot!

We suck.

[maddmaxx ★]

11 minutes ago, Randomguy said:

We are kind of a shit country in many ways, and fine in other ways.  This is all kinds of strange because we are taught since birth that America is the best, when clearly it is not.  American ingenuity?   Simply common resourcefulness.  Land of opportunity?  If you are already rich or massively lucky.  The best people?  By what measure?  The smartest?  Certainly not.  The most charitable?  Nope.  Hell, we are not even the drunkest nation, not by a long shot!

We suck.

We are the best suckers though.

[Razors Edge ★]

1 hour ago, maddmaxx said:

We are the best suckers though. 

Canadians have us beat at that

We can't even win at sucking!

Tom

[Kzoo]

2 hours ago, Randomguy said:

we are taught since birth that America is the best, when clearly it is not.

Shut. Up.

[onbike1939]

When living in France I used to wonder what those people were doing carrying baskets while examining the ditches at the side of my road. This happened after every heavy shower and I found later that they were collecting snails to eat. Dangerous to eat them straight away as they had to be kept prisoner and fed lettuce for few days in order to clear their digestive systems of any toxic herbs they may have been eating.

Can't say I enjoyed them much.......it was really the garlic and parsley stuffing that was tasty, did enjoy the Frogs' legs though on Fete days.

[Page Turner]

On 9/13/2018 at 3:32 PM, Randomguy said:

We are kind of a shit country in many ways, and fine in other ways.  This is all kinds of strange because we are taught since birth that America is the best, when clearly it is not.  American ingenuity?   Simply common resourcefulness.  Land of opportunity?  If you are already rich or massively lucky.  The best people?  By what measure?  The smartest?  Certainly not.  The most charitable?  Nope.  Hell, we are not even the drunkest nation, not by a long shot!

We suck.

...once again, you are confusing New York City with the country as a whole. We have a perfectly good system of small outdoor produce markets here where I live, and three or four of them run year round.  Sure, it's not Italy, and there's no Sistine Chapel, but if I want good fresh produce I don't have to go to Raley's and accept whatever they put out from the wholesalers they deal with.

 

And everyone who has ever listened to the radio knows that before Garrison Keillor got #metooed, all the women were strong, the men were all beautiful, and the children well above average anywhere you went  in rural Minnesota.

 

You have sold your soul for good delicatessens and New York pizza.  I just hope it was worth it, Mr. Wesuck.

 

[Page Turner]

On 9/13/2018 at 3:32 PM, Randomguy said:

We suck.

 

On 9/13/2018 at 5:43 PM, Kzoo said:

Shut. Up.

...Free Airwick With Cheese !!!

[Randomguy]

On 9/13/2018 at 8:43 PM, Kzoo said:

Shut. Up.

You know I am right.

[Ralphie ★]

On 9/13/2018 at 6:32 PM, Randomguy said:

We are kind of a shit country in many ways, and fine in other ways.  This is all kinds of strange because we are taught since birth that America is the best, when clearly it is not.  American ingenuity?   Simply common resourcefulness.  Land of opportunity?  If you are already rich or massively lucky.  The best people?  By what measure?  The smartest?  Certainly not.  The most charitable?  Nope.  Hell, we are not even the drunkest nation, not by a long shot!

We suck.

That is very interesting that we probably have been propagandized at least as much as the Soviets were. I've always thought how interesting it would be to go through a day in someone else's shooz.

[maddmaxx ★]

Propaganda seems to have shifted to how much of a shit country we are.  Is it possible that much of that is being spread by outside agitators?  For all of our warts I just don't see this nation as the hell hole that is such a popular meme on the internet.