By Nashauna Drummond, Staff Reporter
A Sushi platter.
WOULD YOU drink the blood of a poisonous cobra while the rest of it is prepared to suit your taste? In Vietnam and South China this would be a typical restaurant setting where the snakes would actually be killed at your table. Gastronomic overload? Does it get your stomach in a twist?
Taboo describes something that is forbidden and prohibited within the confines of a given culture. When it comes to the palate there is an abundance of dishes that Jamaicans might see as taboo.
Food takes up most of our lives and is interwoven in various cultures. Some food are good for us in terms of its nutritional value (it sustains the body), others we just eat because we like to. In some cultures certain meals are used in rites of passage. To a large extent religious beliefs dictate what we eat, for example Adventists do not eat pork and Hindus do not eat cows as they are sacred. From ritual practices to taboos, food and religion are closely intertwined around the world.
Some food that we may see as taboo are delicacies in other countries. Delicacies enjoyed by 'the rich and famous' include, escargot (snails), caviar (fish eggs) and sushi (raw fish) just to name a few. These are dishes that sound exotic and delicious.
FOODS OF THE WORLD
ASIA: In this vast continent, the gastronomic variety is as numerous as the species of snakes which they enjoy from around the world. These include the cobras of Asia, the boas of South America, and ubiquitous pythons.
Japan: the land of sushi (raw fish), is becoming very popular in western society and not so 'taboo' as it is sometimes served on the cocktail circuit. But from the land of sushi you can also enjoy, fried bees, crickets, raw horse, jellyfish and sea urchins. They also eat fugu (puffer fish) which is poisonous and if not prepared properly, can paralyse and kill when consumed.
China: There are many misconceptions of authentic Chinese cuisine. In Jamaica and the rest of the western world, Chinese restaurants are a dime a dozen. However, what you would not find on the local menus are live monkey brains. Walk into a very expensive restaurant in China and this tops the list. The top of the monkey's head is cut off so its brain can be scooped out and eaten. How about rat stew? Tiger testicles, owl soup? Any takers?
AFRICA: A continent that still maintains its traditional culinary practices. In the Congo River region, boas are sometimes smoked so their meat can be saved for later. Smoked boa with pili-pili sauce is one way to prepare the dish. It is made by crushing, mixing, and then pan-frying hot chili peppers, tomatoes, and onion in a pan of hot palm oil. Next add water, salt and the boa, which is chopped, soaked and rinsed, then simmer for half an hour or more until the sauce is thickened. Is your stomach doing flip-flops yet?
CRUNCHY SNACKS
Ants: They are industrious little creatures which sometimes give such nasty bites that will leave one scratching for hours, causing a swelling of the skin. OK, are you with me? Let's bite them right back. Catch these pesky invaders at a picnic or as they invade your home and keep them in a jar with a teaspoon of sugar to keep them happy. Unhappy ants may go sour before you are ready to use them. Dip each ant into melted chocolate and place to drain on waxed paper. If any of them are still able to crawl off the paper, let them go be a good sport!! Imagine going to the movies and ordering honey-covered ants? Crunchy!
Other snacks include snake skin. The skin is very valuable as it is sometimes used in the making of shoes and belts. As a crunchy snack, the skin is cut into small pieces and then deep fried. Or how about chocolate-covered grasshopper or bat wings?
BUG FEST
In some countries, little creatures that creep, crawl or wriggle find themselves in the middle of some tasty meal or either stand alone as a snack. In Thailand and Cambodia, a feast can be made of stir-fried June beetles and deep-fried water bugs garnished with sculpted tomatoes. Why not try a Mexican tortilla with a difference? Well, the roasted grasshopper tortillas come highly recommended. When next you travel to Venezuela, become adventurous with your meal and try a fire-roasted tarantula (spider).
VARIOUS CULTURES
Food varies from culture to culture. Many of us believe we are what we eat and for some societies, this is deeply embedded in their cultural practices. In some countries it is believed that if you eat selected parts of certain animals you will inherit that particular quality of the animal such as its speed and strength. Other animal parts are used as aphrodisiacs, like frog saliva, tiger claws and powdered rhinoceros horns (which has led to the near extinction of the black rhinoceros).
So, as much you would enjoy a juicy steak with creamed potatoes and thick gravy, someone outside of your culture might find this repulsive and opt for a baked diamond-back rattlesnake.
Interested in an exotic dish? The following recipe is from the Entomology Department of the Iowa State University.
Banana worm bread
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
2 bananas, mashed 2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 eggs
1/4 cup dry-roasted army worms
DIRECTONS: Mix together all ingredients. Bake in greased loaf pan at 350 degrees for about one hour. Bon appetite!
