Who Eats That Stuff?

An epilogue

2011-08-23T15:32:00.000-04:00

Now that I've had a week to relax after finishing the 365 days, I thought it might be fitting to write an epilogue of sorts. It's still hard for me to believe that I actually finished this endeavor, and since I completed, I've definitely had to make some adjustments.

One major thing that's changed is the fact that I don't have to go shopping anymore. Over the course of the last year, the responsibility of shopping always loomed over everything else in my life. Since I found most of my new foods at markets, I was luckily able to stockpile things to last me a few days. Sometimes I was able to get by for a couple weeks, especially if I found something unplanned during a restaurant meal. However, even stockpiling presented problems. If I bought anything fresh, I had to worry about it spoiling before I got to eat it, therefore wasting the purchase. Regarding the actual shopping, it was extremely difficult to find new options that weren't on Buford Highway. The average grocery store rarely offered anything new for me, and even the more exotic markets on Bu-Hi got redundant quickly. I frequently worried that I was repeating myself too often, but that's impossible to avoid when you're trying to eat a new food every day for a year.

Another shopping issue was the money. That was a major concern before I started, and I worried that taking on the project would cause me to spend much more than I anticipated. I tried to keep most of my market purchases under $5, and most of them ended up costing me much less than that. It would have been great if I'd had an unlimited budget to spend on unusual imported cheeses and fancy pates and terrines (both of which I love), but since I didn't, I tried really hard to keep each purchase affordable. The idea of investing too much money into something that might suck wasn't feasible for me, so I tried to make sure I was really interested in anything that was more expensive. I was able to score a lot of items for free (especially at the Whole Foods hot bar), and when possible, I worked a new food into a dinner I was already paying for. I did have a few splurges here and there, but for the most part, I didn't spend nearly as much as I thought I would.

The other big issue was the blogging itself. The self-imposed obligation to blog once a day for a year straight was easy on some days and extremely difficult on others. In addition, I constantly worried that something would happen that would keep me from blogging before the end of the day. What if I got in a car wreck, or got sick or injured? I realize that those things are considerably worse than missing a day of the blog, but if any of those had happened, the whole thing would have been over. I didn't want anything to happen that would ruin all my hard work. Also, trying to write somewhat creatively every day was tough. On some days, I just wasn't feeling it, especially when I ate something new that didn't inspire me. In my opinion, my best posts came from days where I ate something really good - or really bad. I found creative inspiration in the extremes, and the foods that fell in the middle were often hard to write about. Not every food can be good, and that was a lesson I quickly learned.

Now that it's all over, it strangely feels like I should still be doing it. The blog became such a huge part of my routine during the last year, and I've caught myself on several occasions during the last week thinking "wow, I need to go shopping" or "I need to go ahead and write my blog for today." I guess that's to be expected when you commit so much time to something for so long. Despite all that, it honestly feels great to not have the weight of finishing hanging over me. I can eat what I want, when I want, and I don't have to blog about any of it if I don't want to. That feels good.

The only negative aspect of completing the blog that I can think of is how the whole process changed how I feel about discovering new food. Before I started, visiting places like the Buford Highway Farmers Market was thrilling every single time. After getting a few months into the blog, the thrill diminished. I sometimes looked at shopping as just an obligation instead of a fun learning experience, and honestly, there were some days when it was anything but fun. The concept of something you love becoming an obligation was often difficult for me to grasp, and now that it's over, it's going to take some time for me to regain my excitement for finding and eating new things. I haven't tried anything new at all since I finished, but once I recharge, I believe the excitement will return.

A lot of you already know that I'm going to continue blogging. My plan is to keep the original idea going, but only blog when I feel like it. That could mean once a week, once every 2 weeks, once a month...who knows? If I eat something new, interesting, or just plain special that I want to share with my readers, I'll definitely post about it. However, I can honestly say that I will never take on another project like the one I just finished. I had fun and learned more than I ever anticipated, but the daily requirement is one I do not wish to repeat.

This is officially the last post I'll put up at this address. Thanks again to all of you that followed along, and for all future updates, please visit www.whoeatsthatstuff.com.

Day 365!

2011-08-15T19:06:00.000-04:00

Haitai Black Garlic Flavor Fish Sausage: Ok, this is officially it. Day 365. It's so hard for me to believe that I completed this insane project. I know I said I'd save the sentiment for the last day, and to be honest, it feels awesome to finally be done. I can't tell you how daunting it was to begin this blog and know that I was taking on the responsibility of doing something every day for a year. How many things do any of us do every day for a year, besides sleep, shower, or brush our teeth? Not many.

One thing I can't stress enough is how important the feedback was from my readers. If no one had cared about what I was doing, I can't say with certainty that I would have finished. All the positive comments kept me going during times when I wanted to quit, and for that, I thank all of you. Also, I definitely couldn't have finished without the support and input from Marny (the "GF" I mentioned a million times during the blog). She encouraged me to keep going when it was the last thing on earth I wanted to do, and for that I'll always be thankful.

Several people have asked me what I plan to do with all this information once I'm done. I'm toying around with a couple of ideas, but even if those don't materialize, I'll always have the satisfaction of what I accomplished. I learned more about food that I ever imagined to, and that's really what the goal was all along. In addition, I committed to doing something every single day for a year, and I succeeded. It feels great to have put it behind me so I don't have to think about it anymore. I cannot tell you how much I'm looking forward to eating like a normal person again, without scanning every market or menu for my next possible blog entry.

Enough talk - on to the last new food! I chose today's entry to be the last because of its ties to what I ate on day 1. Remember the Korean blood sausage called "soon dae" that was my first entry? Well, my last new food is yet another unusual Korean sausage, and I feel like I've now come full circle. There are few things I love more than interesting sausage-y things, especially ones made with off-the-wall ingredients, and this one definitely fits that bill. Strangely, it somehow made sense to end with something similar to what I began with.

I didn't even know fish sausage existed until I saw this Korean import during my last trip to the Buford Highway Farmers Market. Several different styles were available, but I chose the one flavored with black garlic. It had a sort of light tan color that resembled bologna more than a fish product, and it was made from surimi, which is also what's used to make imitation crab (or "krab"). Surimi isn't an actual fish - it refers to a "fish-based food product that has been pulverized to a thick paste and has the property of becoming a dense and rubbery food item when cooked." Kind of like a fish hot dog - thanks, Wikipedia.

Despite yesterday's disaster with cooking the souse, I decided to try pan-frying a couple slices of this one since I wasn't sure if it was pre-cooked. Luckily, it didn't immediately disintegrate when hitting the hot pan like the souse did. Each slice was fairly firm to start with, and I managed to brown each one on both sides after a couple minutes of cooking. Once they were ready, I took one out of the pan and took a bite. Not bad. The flavor reminded me a lot of "krab," with a sweet, slightly fishy taste that was actually pretty good. I didn't detect much garlic, but there was a mild saltiness that didn't bother me at all. Texture-wise, it was similar to a hot dog, and it took my brain a few seconds to register that I wasn't eating one. I'm not sure how this product is traditionally eaten (alone? in a dish?), but I found a recipe for breading and pan-frying it that sounded good. Maybe I'll try that.

Well, folks...that's it. I'm done. Once, again, thank you so much for all the support and comments over the last year - they both mean a lot. I know a lot of you have expressed interest in what's next, so here's what's going on. The whoeatsthatstuff.blogspot.com site will remain as is, but I'm rebooting the whole project at a new address (www.whoeatsthatstuff.com). Check there in a few days for more information on what comes next. I'm going to continue blogging about all the new foods I try, but unlike this blog, there will be far less rules, some different content, and first and foremost, no daily posting. I plan on having something up this week, so please check back with me soon. And, as usual, I'll be regularly updating on Facebook and Twitter.

I usually don't type in all caps, but here it goes...I"M FINISHED!!

Day 364

2011-08-14T07:31:00.001-04:00

Souse: Wow, so I'm down to my next-to-last day of new food! I'll save most of my emotional sentiment for tomorrow, but I really am amazed that I was able to come this far. I don't know which element of the blog was hardest: the shopping or the daily writing commitment. The eating was the easy part (well, except for yesterday and Friday). It's been a massive self-imposed task that has often left me frustrated, and I'd be lying if I said there weren't several times that I wanted to throw in the towel. Despite that, I'm really glad that I did this - it's allowed me to achieve much more than I ever thought possible.

During a recent visit to my neighborhood Kroger, I noticed something in the meat department that several people had recommended I try: souse. I wasn't entirely sure what it was, but based on what I knew, it was a head cheese-like substance made from pork parts. Anyone who reads my blog knows how much I love stuff like this, so when I saw this version made by the Lee company on sale (only $1.29!), I figured it was time to finally try it. Appearance-wise, it reminded me of the bologna-style "olive and pickle loaf" that's easily found in most delis.

Since I was already past the expiration date (and almost past my blog expiration date), I gave this one a shot early this morning before I headed out of town for the day. Not exactly how I wanted to start my day, but since I was going to be unplugged for most of the trip, I didn't want to take any chances. The package ingredients included pork snouts (yum?), water, pickle relish, corn syrup, and a lengthy list of chemicals and preservatives. If hot dogs are supposedly as bad as cigarettes, souse must be a Marlboro Red.

I couldn't figure out if it was pre-cooked or not, so I heated up a pan and threw a slice in just to be safe. Once it touched the heat, it immediately turned into a jelly-like liquid, so I guess that answered my question. I grabbed a fresh slice from the package and cut off a small bite, and I have to say that it wasn't good at all. I like head cheese, but this was more like thick-cut vinegared bologna that had inedible chunks of fat/gristle mixed throughout. I got through one bite before giving up, which was not what I was expecting with this one. Apparently, my luck with eating tasty food for the last couple days of this project is not good.

In case you were wondering what souse actually is, Wikipedia describes it as "pickled meat and trimmings usually made from pig's feet, chicken feet or cow's tongue to name a few. The cooked meat or trimmings are cut into bite sized pieces and soaked in a brine made of water, lime juice, cucumbers, hot pepper, salt and specially prepared seasonings." I know Holeman and Finch in Atlanta serves their own version, so I bet I'd be better off trying it there. I love any excuse to visit H&F, so maybe I'll do that soon.

One more day left, folks......

Day 363

2011-08-13T14:55:00.000-04:00

Natto: Just when I thought I couldn't find anything more disgusting than yesterday's entry, along came this equally repulsive new food I found during my last visit to the Buford Highway Farmers Market. I'd heard about natto before, specifically in one of Anthony Bourdain's books. It's a traditional Japanese dish made from fermented soybeans, and based on his description, it sounded pretty awful. However, I'll try anything once, so when I saw this packaged version in the BHFM, I gave it a shot. It was only a bit over a dollar, so if it was truly bad, at least I didn't have much invested.

I decided in advance to try the natto today, so I took it out of the freezer last night and put it in the fridge to thaw. Once I opened the styrofoam package this afternoon, I was surprised by what I saw. In addition to the soybeans, the package also included 2 packets of what appeared to be mustard and soy sauce for mixing. When I tried to remove them, tendrils of what looked just like spider webs extended from the soybeans to the plastic. Wow. Not a good sign.

Once I opened the packets and started mixing the contents with the soybeans, the whole concoction took on a viscous, snot-like consistency. I'd never seen anything more unappetizing in my life. When I dug in with my fork, the trails of mucus followed all the way up to where the fork stopped. Oh, and did I mention the smell? Kind of like sweet soy sauce that had been left to go bad out in the hot sun. I knew this was a fermented dish, but that wasn't helping me much here.

Despite how bad the whole thing looked and smelled, I had to try it, so I held my breath and lifted a tiny bite to my mouth. Much like yesterday's food, the overpoweringly bad smell made it hard to even focus on the flavor, but what I did taste was a salty/sweet mix of the soybeans and hot mustard, followed by that putrid rotting soy smell. I can't really say much else - I spit it in the sink and gagged, then guzzled a huge glass of water. It's hard to comprehend how anyone, anywhere could tolerate this dish.

Yesterday and today have been the 2 worst things I've ever eaten in my life. EVER. I'm so glad this blog is almost over.

Day 362

2011-08-12T20:17:00.000-04:00

Lottia Shukti Bhorta: Out of all the foods I've tried over the past 362 days, this one has to be one of the most exotic and unusual, and it also comes with a great story. While doing some shopping on Buford Highway a few weeks ago, I noticed a Bangladeshi grocery that was pretty close to the Buford Highway Farmers Market. I was desperate for new items that day, and since I'd never been to a Bangladeshi market, I figured it couldn't hurt to check it out.

Once inside, I noticed that the inventory was similar to what I've seen at other Indo-Pak groceries, but as I started browsing the frozen section, I saw something that I absolutely could not identify. The small, square package was labeled "lottia shukti bhorta," and there were no pictures at all on the box. Hmm. I looked at the ingredients, and the main ingredient was, umm, "lottia shukti." That didn't help me at all, but the other ingredients included many familiar Indian spices (garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin), so I decided to give it a go despite knowing almost nothing.

Once I got ready to pay, the counter attendant looked at me quizzically and asked "you from here?" I guess he was confused by my selection. I said yes, then he asked me if I'd ever tried it. I said no, and asked him what was in it. He said "fish," and I when I asked him if it was good, he said yes. I'm pretty sure he called his friends after I left and told them about the young American guy who just bought some lottia shukti bhorta.

Anyway, I finally decided to give this one a try tonight with my dinner as a side. Once I opened the box, the contents (which looked a lot like collard greens) were inside a small plastic container, and when I opened the lid, I immediately noticed the smell. Wow - not good. Actually, it kind of reeked of rotting garbage. I really hoped it tasted better, so I microwaved the container according to the package instructions and hoped for the best.

Once the heating process began, I noticed that my apartment was filling up with the rotting garbage smell that I noticed earlier. You know that odor that a garbage truck has on a hot summer day? It was a lot like that. Once I took it out of the microwave, the stench got worse. I didn't know how I was going to choke down a bite, but the show had to go on. I put a small portion on my fork and tried it, but I just couldn't get past that god-awful smell. What I did manage to taste was a salty, fishy, super-spicy mix that wasn't at all palatable to me, and I almost barfed in the sink while spitting it out. Yeah, it was that bad.

Out of all the things I've tried, this was by far the worst. No question. The smell alone was enough to make me choke, but I had to try it. After I threw it out (sealed in a Ziploc bag), I guzzled a full glass of water, then lit matches in the kitchen to kill the smell. Oh, and I also cleaned the microwave. I'm not joking.

In case you're still wondering what "shukti" is, it refers to a dried fish that's popular in Bangladeshi cuisine. The fish is usually mixed with spices and other ingredients. I don't recommend this stuff to anyone - maybe it's one of those things you have to grow up on to enjoy.

Day 361

2011-08-11T20:57:00.000-04:00

Mozartkugeln ("Mozart Balls"): For today's entry, I originally had plans to tackle another interesting restaurant dish that I'd never had, but due to circumstances beyond my control, I had to improvise with something else. Luckily, the GF's parents returned from another trip abroad yesterday, and they brought back some candy that I'd never seen before. They apparently found these in Austria, and they were called Mozartkugeln (translation: Mozart Balls). Go ahead and joke about me eating balls twice in one week...I'm way ahead of you.

At first, I thought this candy wouldn't really be able to provide me with anything new, but when I asked the GF what was in them (she'd had them before), she said they were chocolate on the outside, but filled with marzipan on the inside. I'd never had marzipan, but I'd always heard it was one of those love it/hate it things. I'd knew it was made with almonds, but that's about it. How could anything covered in fine Austrian chocolate be bad, right?

Each ball was covered with a thin foil coating featuring Mozart's face, and once I unwrapped it, it's shiny surface reminded me of a Lindt truffle. Once I took a bite, I could definitely taste the marzipan filling. From what the GF told me, marzipan is basically a sweetened almond paste. I thought it was good, especially when mixed with the taste of chocolate. I'm still not sure what the lighter colored ring surrounding the marzipan/chocolate center was, but it was a bit creamy and provided some additional sweetness. The outer chocolate tasted like plain milk chocolate, but overall, it was pretty good. I don't understand why marzipan would ever have a bad reputation, but to each his own, I guess.

That was definitely the last new candy I'll be covering for this blog. Only 4 more days to go!!

Day 360

2011-08-10T21:24:00.000-04:00

Toro (Fatty Tuna): Today's new food was an indulgent surprise, but not exactly what I was expecting to eat. Let me explain: I'd been wanting to try uni (sea urchin) for a long time now. I've been eating sushi for years, but never gotten around to trying some of the high-dollar delicacies, like uni or toro. Those are usually out of my price range, and it's not often that I'll devote that much of my dinner budget to something like that (unless I'm in Vegas). I'd been hearing about the deliciousness of uni for years, so my original plan for tonight was to hit the sushi bar at Miso Izakaya (one of my fave spots in town) and finally try it.

My attempt unfortunately didn't go as planned. I eagerly ordered the uni from my server, and she came back a few minutes later and told me they were out of it. Oh well. I thought my plans for finding something new were ruined, but then I saw the toro right below the uni on the menu. And of course, like the uni, only "MP" was listed in the price column. I went ahead and ordered it anyway, price be damned. I'm almost done with this blog, so I deserved to splurge a little for all my hard work.

If you don't know much about toro, here's the scoop: it's widely known as the highest quality raw tuna one can eat. As far as I know, it's usually served alone, without much adornment. Miso's version was simply served as 2 pieces of nigiri over sushi rice, with a twist of lemon as garnish. It didn't have the bright red color of lower-grade maguro tuna, but more of a light pink/beige color. I was curious to find out if toro was worth the hype (and price), so I dug in.

Once I took my first bite, I could tell that it was no ordinary piece of fish. "Buttery" was the first thing that came to mind, and it almost melted in my mouth without having to chew. It didn't have any of the bright, metallic flavor that I've experienced with lower grades of tuna, and it was possibly the richest piece of fish I've ever tried. That's definitely a good thing. I like tuna in almost any form, but this was by far the best. Incidentally, my server recommended that I not use any soy sauce or wasabi with this one, and that suggestion was correct. It didn't need anything at all.

I could definitely see myself eating this again, but only if someone else is paying. Pretty awesome.

Day 359

2011-08-09T15:55:00.000-04:00

Aneta Brand Vegetarian Pate: After last night's bacon/pork/parts binge at Holeman and Finch, it somehow made sense for me to tackle another unusual vegetarian dish today. I found this small tin of vegetarian "pate" during my last visit to the Buford Highway Farmers Market, and after noticing it several times in the Eastern European section on past visits, I finally decided to give it a go.

I love pate in any form (especially chicken liver), but I'd never gotten to try a vegetarian version. As my readers know, I'm not a fan of fake vegetarian/vegan "meat" or "cheese" products. Aside from seeming just conceptually wrong, I've never grown to appreciate their flavor. Some of them have actually made me feel physically ill, so unless I'm trying something for the blog, I stick to the real thing.

Once I read the ingredients before opening it today, I was surprised at how few elements it actually contained. The whole thing was made from simply mushrooms, vegetable oil, tomato paste, and some spices. I assumed it wasn't going to taste like much, so I slathered some on a cracker and took a bite.

To be honest, the texture/flavor reminded me of saltier instant mashed potatoes. I know that's a strange comparison, but that's the first thing I thought of. The slightly fluffy "pate" spread fairly well on the cracker, and even though it tasted OK, I still wished it was something else - like, something made from meat. It's a good thing I don't have to be a vegetarian, because I'm pretty sure I'd end up extremely unhappy.

It's official: that's the last fake meat product I'll ever try for this blog. It might even be the last one I ever eat, if I can help it.

Day 358

2011-08-08T21:38:00.000-04:00

Lamb Fries: It's not that often that I experience a truly brand new food, but tonight's entry definitely fits that category. Me and the GF went to Holeman and Finch for my birthday dinner, and anyone that's truly into food in Atlanta should know it by heart. Their menu is, in my opinion, the most creative in town, and I could probably fulfill a month's worth of blog entries just from going to H&F alone. This was my third visit there, and our meal was just as good this time as the others.

In terms of something new, I knew exactly what I wanted to try before I even got there: lamb fries. No, not "fries" in the traditional sense. If you've only thought "fries" described french fried potatoes, you're wrong - the word can also mean testicles. I'd seen the dish on the menu during my other visits, but it's definitely hard to narrow down choices there when everything sounds so good. However, I wasn't going to let them slip by me tonight.

H&F's version of "fries" was made schnitzel-style (breaded, then fried) from thinly sliced lamb testicles, served with fresh blueberries and a vanilla-whiskey syrup. I don't know anyone personally that's tried this dish anywhere, so I really had no idea what to expect when our server brought the dish. Once he brought it to the table, it didn't look as intimidating as I expected. The fries almost looked like little pancakes, and the whole dish was dressed with blueberries, syrup, and a bit of parsley and onion.

I was a little scared before I took the first bite, but that subsided quickly. The texture reminded me of liver, but firmer and springier. The flavor was also similar to liver, but much milder. Once the breading and other ingredients were factored in, it was easy to forget what I was actually eating. I doubt that "fries" have a lot of flavor on their own, so the addition of the other elements was probably needed. They were definitely tasty, so I wouldn't be opposed to trying them again.

I'm so glad I finally got to try these - what a great birthday present!

Day 357

2011-08-07T20:26:00.000-04:00

SeaKid Mixed Crispy Pusit & Dilis: Ok, so I know I said that yesterday's post was my last Asian snack, but I had forgotten about having today's new food left in my stockpile. I found these "pusit & dilis" (mixed crispy fried squid and anchovy) in the Buford Highway Farmers Market as a Filipino import during my last visit. Considering my love of salty, dried fish, I felt like I had to have these. Apparently these were teriyaki style, which made them all the more appealing.

I sort of knew what I was going to experience here before I even tried them, but I'd never had squid prepared this way. The ingredients included dried squid, dried anchovy, sugar, coconut oil, and spices. Since I'd already eaten dinner tonight, I decided to try them as dessert. Hey, sugar was the third ingredient, so I felt alright about counting it as dessert.

Once I opened the bag, I was immediately hit with a strong fishy smell. No surprise, considering what was in the bag. They luckily tasted much better than they smelled - each piece was super crunchy, almost like a potato chip, and the sweetness of the teriyaki was a good pair for the saltiness of the anchovies and squid. The anchovies were fried whole, but the squid appeared to be sliced into small pieces. Due to the greasiness, it wasn't something I could eat much of, but it was tasty just the same.

Check back tomorrow night for something truly unusual - I have a great dinner planned.

Day 356

2011-08-06T17:50:00.000-04:00

Nongshim Kikiri Drumstix: I've eaten a whole lot of Asian snacks during the course of this blog, and it looks like this could be the last one I cover before the year is up. Some have been really good, others just plain strange, but this one was a pleasant surprise. When I saw these "drumstix" at the Buford Highway Farmers Market during my last trip, I really wanted to try them. I love snack foods that visually resemble what the manufacturer wants them to taste like (think Funyuns), and these definitely fit that category.

Even though they were supposed to be "fried chicken flavored," they were also apparently given a dose of chili and lime flavoring. I bet those flavors would be a good addition to real fried chicken - can someone maybe get on that soon? Anyway, when I opened the box today, the contents looked just like the picture on the box, minus the cute little tablecloth-lined basket. That's a rarity for most foods, even the ones I find in American grocery stores.

Once I tried these, I was impressed. The wheat flour base provided a nice crunch (I'm guessing these were fried), and the inside of the "drumstick" was hollow. The flavoring really did taste like fried chicken, and the chili powder brought some heat that was subtle but good. I didn't really detect much lime, but that's OK - the rest was tasty. If the Lay's company developed an American version of these, they'd be an instant party hit. Highly recommended if you like salty, chicken-y, crunchy snacks.

If you want to try these, you'd best be OK with preservatives. The ingredient list was a mile long.

Day 355

2011-08-05T21:32:00.000-04:00

Ragi Tape Yeast: After almost a year of doing this blog, I guess it was inevitable that I accidentally end up trying something that wasn't really food at all, and that's exactly what happened tonight. During my last trip to the Buford Highway Farmers Market, I noticed this unusual item called "ragi tape yeast" in the Indonesian aisle. I wasn't sure what it was, but since it was mixed in with other snack foods (crackers, cookies, etc.), I assumed it was meant to be eaten alone. Strangely, there were no ingredients listed on the packaging, but that sort of roadblock never stops me.

I didn't get a chance to do any real researching before I bought it, and if I'd been smart, I would have done so before I decided to try it tonight. Once I opened the bag, each little disk had a chalk-like appearance that mystified me. Surely it had to taste like something, so I took a bite off one of the discs. Ugh. In addition to looking like chalk, it tasted like chalk, and I chewed a couple times before spitting it in the sink. It had absolutely no flavor at all, and it left a burning sensation in the back of my mouth that took a couple glasses of water to get rid of. This was an Indonesian snack food? I had my doubts, so I fired up the computer in hopes of figuring out what I just ate.

After some intensive searching, I discovered the truth: I had just eaten solid yeast. Apparently, this style of yeast is used to make a few different Indonesian desserts, including "ragi" and "tape." Well, that explains the name on the packaging. I feel like the BHFM could have prevented my misfortune by putting this item in a different section, but I guess that's just the risk I take when I buy things like this. It was never meant to be eaten alone, but that's exactly what I did. Oh well, you live and learn, right?

I'm pretty sure everything else I have lined up from here on out is food that's actually edible. This was pretty disgusting, but in all fairness, it wasn't even real food.

Day 354

2011-08-04T21:40:00.000-04:00

White Eggplant: One recurring theme during this blog has been me attempting several different varieties of the same food. A great example of that is eggplant, and before I started all this, I never knew how many types there were. I like eggplant in general, so it's been fun to find out how all of them differ. When I saw this white variety at the Buford Highway Farmers Market a few days ago, I knew it was something I had to try. I'd never seen it anywhere else, and I was curious to find out if the unusual white color resulted in a completely different taste.

I decided to give this one a go tonight as a side with my dinner, and I kept the prep simple. I sliced it thin, then sauteed it with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. After slicing, I noticed that it wasn't nearly as seedy as other varieties of eggplant I've eaten. All of the seeds were concentrated towards the bottom end, and they were harder to spot due to their pale color. The interior flesh was almost the same color as the outside, which surprised me.

After heating it in the pan for a few minutes on each side, it turned from white to a bit more yellow. The skin actually turned brown in a few spots, but it wasn't burnt. The flavor wasn't too different from its purple counterpart, but the interior was actually a little softer and sweeter than the varieties I'd tried before. It tasted like, well, eggplant - nothing much new to report. Good, but it didn't offer the new experience I was hoping for. I'm still not sure what causes the bright white color, so if any of my readers know, I'd love to hear from you.

I just realized that this white eggplant was probably the last fresh produce I'll write about during the blog. Everything else I have planned is either pre-packaged or a restaurant find, so I guess this post was more meaningful than I first thought.

Day 353

2011-08-03T21:19:00.000-04:00

"Wife Cake": I don't usually do much personal commentary on this blog, but I have to say that it feels a bit strange that this whole thing is almost over. It's been such a big part of my life for the past almost-year, and despite the frequent frustration of having to do so much shopping/eating/posting, it's been a great experience that's allowed me to achieve much more than I expected. And for all those that have followed along, I have to say thanks. If no one had paid attention, I'm not so sure I would have stuck with it.

Anyway, on to the food. Today's selection is another from the Master Bakery on Buford Highway, and after the awesomeness of yesterday's "pork pastry," I was curious to find out if this one was just as good. It's name was "wife cake," and due to the language barrier I mentioned yesterday, I wasn't able to discern what it was made of. However, it looked good, so I wasn't about to let a lack of information stop me.

I tend to eat pastries pretty soon after I buy them, so I went ahead and knocked this one out out this afternoon. It seemed to be made from rice flour (like many other Asian pastries), and it was filled with something I couldn't identify based on appearance alone. I assumed it was some sort of fruit filling, so I eagerly took a bite to find out.

Not too much new to report with this one. The flaky, slightly moist pastry was much like many other Asian pastries I've tried, and the filling was a mildly sweet, fruity paste that had a faint melon flavor. Tasty, but it didn't offer any new flavors for me.

So what's the story behind the "wife cake" name? According to Wikipedia, it's a traditional Chinese pastry that's also frequently called a "sweetheart cake." The name comes from a Chinese fable about a man whose wife sold herself into slavery to pay for his sick father's medicine, and he made her this cake to reward her good deed. Not very uplifting, but interesting. Oh, and the cake contained sweetened winter melon. I'm getting good at identifying strange flavors, for sure.

Day 352

2011-08-02T22:08:00.000-04:00

Pork Pastry: "Pork" and "pastry" aren't usually two words you find together, but that's exactly what I found yesterday on Buford Highway. While doing some browsing during my last official shopping trip, I noticed an Asian bakery called the "Master Bakery" that I'd never been to. I'd attempted to visit them once before, but they were unfortunately closed on the day that I tried. I love Asian bakeries, and I was curious to find out if this one offered anything different.

The bakery itself wasn't that big, and in addition to the ubiquitous pre-packaged buns and cakes wrapped in cellophane, they also had a case featuring some house-made offerings. One immediately caught my eye, with a card beneath it that read "pork pastry." I asked the lady behind the counter what was in them, and she said "pork...and pork fat." There was a bit of a language barrier going on between us, but that was really all I needed to know. I also bought something else, but I'll get to that tomorrow.

I was really curious about these, so I eagerly unwrapped them this afternoon to try. Each one was a bit bigger than a wedding cookie, and the buttery outer crust was topped with sesame seeds. I could see some sort of dark brown filling, so I took a bite to find out what was going on inside. Wow - these were awesome. The flaky, slightly chewy crust gave way to a filling that seemed to be a mix of fruit jam and pork fat. I actually found some tiny pieces of minced fat mixed in with the jam, and the whole thing had a slightly bacon-y flavor that worked well with the sweetness. I ate two of them quickly and saved the third one for the GF, since I knew she'd be let down if she didn't get to try something this tasty. Really good stuff, and I've never seen these anywhere else.

I'm glad I'm experiencing some great new things during these last two weeks. I need to really make the last days count, right?

Day 351

2011-08-01T20:07:00.000-04:00

Chicken Head Cheese: Today marked a milestone for me: my last official shopping trip for the blog. I have a couple restaurant dinners coming up over the next couple weeks that I'm planning on gaining blog entries from, but I wanted to stockpile some stuff today to get me through the remaining days. With that in mind, I did my usual Buford Highway crawl. In addition to finding more interesting Asian pastries at another bakery, I also made my obligatory visit to the Buford Highway Farmers Market. As much as I love that place, I think it's going to be a long time before I go back.

As I was browsing the Eastern European section, I made one last pass through the deli counter, hoping to find anything I'd missed before. Piroshkis? Check. Smoked fish? Already done that several times. However, I did find something in the deli that I didn't recognize. It looked like head cheese, but was much lighter in color than the types I'd tried before. I asked the counter attendant what it was, and he informed me that it was "chicken head cheese." That explained the lighter color, since I'd only tried the beef and pork varieties.

I was all ready to buy some without tasting first, but he graciously gave me a sample to try. Like all other head cheese, it consisted of various parts suspended in a jelly-like aspic, then seasoned. The aspic in this one was much more thick and gelatinous than I was used to, almost like firmer Jell-O. Flavor-wise, it was one of the better head cheeses I've had. The aspic tasted like a flavorful blend of chicken broth/fat, and the meat suspended inside was more like lean white-meat chicken than the fattier stuff I'd eaten in other head cheeses. Good stuff, and I'd definitely eat it again.

Buford Highway Farmers Market, I'm gonna miss you. I'll be back one day, I promise.

Day 350

2011-07-31T20:26:00.001-04:00

Potato Kugel: Remember a few days ago when I mentioned finding something else interesting at the Toco Hills "Kosher Kroger?" Well, that's today's new food. While I was browsing the Kosher section a few days ago in hopes of finding something (which is hard to do anywhere after almost a year), I noticed this box of Manischewitz potato kugel on one of the top shelves. I'd had noodle kugel several times and loved it, so I wondered how this potato version compared. I couldn't resist, so I put one in my basket to take home.

The noodle kugel I'd eaten before was a mildly sweet dish made from egg noodles, sugar, cottage cheese, cinnamon, and varied fruits, but this potato version was definitely going to be more savory than sweet. The main ingredients were potatoes, vegetable shortening, onion, and salt, and the prep was super easy. All I had to do was take the dry mix and combine it with oil, water, and eggs, then bake for an hour. They even provided the aluminum baking pan, so screwing this up was basically impossible.

After baking as a side for tonight's dinner, the mix developed a nice brown crust on top. I plated a piece and took a bite, and was really happy with the results. The interior reminded me of fluffier potato pancakes or hash browns, but with a stronger onion flavor than either of those. It was almost like a potato souffle, and I knocked out seconds of this pretty quickly after eating the first piece. Really good.

Even though this dish was vastly different from the sweeter noodle kugel, I'd definitely buy it again.

Day 349

2011-07-30T13:37:00.000-04:00

Dry Meat Bun: Out of all the foods I've tried for this blog, this one had to have one of the most unappetizing-sounding names. Dry Meat Bun? It doesn't sound like something anyone would ever want to eat, but when I saw it at the Oriental Bakery on Buford Highway a couple days ago, I was intrigued. The bakery had a rack of the ubiquitous cellophane-wrapped Asian pastries (most of which I'd already tried), but this one was something I'd never seen before.

It looked like a small loaf of white bread, but it was topped with a brownish substance that I couldn't identify. Was that the "dry meat?" The first few ingredients were pretty standard (flour, sugar, oil), but the last two were "salad" and "dry pork sung." Hmm, ok. I had to know what this was, so I bought one to take home.

Since fresh pastries have a habit of going bad quickly, I gave this one a try this afternoon for a snack. I broke it in two to see if there was any sort of filling, but it was just plain bread on the inside. The bread itself was light and fluffy, and a bit sweet. However, the topping was something entirely different. It was indeed "dry meat," and it tasted like finely shredded dried pork that had been sweetened. It actually tasted good, and the saltiness of the topping worked well with the sweetness of the bread. Not as scary as I first expected, but I doubt I'd buy one again.

I had to know what "pork sung" was, so after some research, I discovered that it's a Chinese dried meat product that's made by stewing cuts of pork in a sweet soy sauce mixture until the meat can be fork shredded. It's then dried in an oven, followed by drying in a wok. The resulting product (also called "rousong") can be used as a topping for many dishes.

Day 348

2011-07-29T18:43:00.000-04:00

Red Bean Crisp with Egg Yolk: Anyone who's been following my blog knows I've eaten quite a few Asian pastries during the last almost-year, but this one that I found yesterday at the Oriental Bakery on Buford Highway (in the same plaza as Chef Liu and Chicago Supermarket) offered something quite unexpected. In addition to some of the pre-packaged pastries that are easy to find at almost any Asian grocery, they also featured a glass case with some house-made treats that I'd never seen before.

Rather than overload on pastry, I decided to pick out a couple. One caught my eye immediately just based on the name: red bean crisp with egg yolk. I asked the girl behind the counter if there was actually egg yolk in it, and she said yes. I couldn't discern anything about it from just looking at it, but there was apparently egg yolk in it, and that's all I needed to know.

My level of curiosity about this one was pretty high, so I eagerly gave it a try this afternoon. The pastry itself was egg-shaped, with a hard outer crust that was topped with some sort of yellow substance (egg yolk?) and sesame seeds. I cut it in half, and the interior looked entirely different from what I was expecting. Instead of traditional yellow yolk, it was filled with red bean paste and what looked to be part of a preserved duck egg (the darker part in the pic). Not exactly a combination that sounds appetizing, but I took a bite anyway.

The results weren't too bad - the outer pastry crust was flaky, and it provided a thin covering for the red bean/egg filling. Nothing really new to report with the red bean paste, but the egg had a gamy, rubbery texture much like the kind I'd had before as an ingredient in congee. I'm still not sure what the coating on top was, but as a snack, it was definitely an unusual experience. Kind of a sweet/salty combo, so if you're into that, you may like these.

Day 347

2011-07-28T20:31:00.001-04:00

Dolmas: As I've mentioned a million times before, shopping for this blog has become extremely difficult, and with less than 3 weeks left, it's almost impossible for me to find things that are new to me. Well, in Atlanta, anyway. I had to do some shopping today, but I wanted to make a conscious effort to stay away from the Buford Highway Farmers Market. As great as it is, I just didn't want to resort to it during this trip, so I explored other options that luckily turned out well.

Even though traditional big-box grocery stores don't offer me much anymore, some chains offer fare that not every location has. I decided to hit the Toco Hills "Kosher Kroger," hoping to find some interesting Kosher products. I'd been there a couple times before with good luck, which I hoped to repeat. I did find one Kosher item (more on that later this week), but I also found something else on the fresh Mediterranean olive bar near the front of the store that was new to me: dolmas.

I knew enough about Mediterranean cuisine to know that dolmas were stuffed grape leaves, and these were filled with long-grain rice. They appeared to be served with some sort of lemon sauce, so I scooped up a couple with a bit of the sauce to take home. I love being able to buy things by the pound in situations like this - a couple dolmas only cost me a little over a dollar. I've eaten Greek/Mediterranean cuisine many times, but I'd never gotten around to trying these.

Once I gave these a try tonight, I was impressed. Each piece was tightly rolled, so I cut through the outer grape leaf, which revealed the rice filling. The grape leaves were extremely tender, almost like collard greens in texture, and they were a good pair for the rice filling. They had a mild flavor that reminded me of other leafy greens I've tried, but a bit more salty. Not much to report with the rice (it was just plain rice), but there was a strong lemon flavor that I assume came from the sauce it was served in. Not sure if that's typical, but it was tasty just the same.

I've got some super-interesting stuff coming up over the next couple days...stick with me.

Day 346

2011-07-27T16:04:00.000-04:00

Champ-O-Rado: Ever wonder what chocolate oatmeal would taste like? Well, look no further than this product I found during my last visit to the Buford Highway Farmers Market. I've made an effort to search in different sections there instead of my usual standbys (Korean, Eastern European, Japanese), and I've actually found lots of interesting new things in the Philippines aisle. While not as extensive as some of the others, the aisle has supplied me with several finds, one of which is today's new food.

At first glance, the picture on the box made it look like chocolate pudding, but as I looked closer, I realized it was much different. Apparently, it's a popular Filipino dish made with glutinous rice and cocoa powder that can be served as a snack or dessert. At first, I thought this might be too similar to congee (which I'd tried before), but as I kept reading, it seemed extremely different. Into my basket it went.

Since this was the last stockpiled item I had on hand, I went ahead and made it today. Preparation was easy - I just had to add 3/4 cup of sugar to the powdered cocoa/rice mix, then boil it for about 10 minutes until it thickened. Once it was done, it resulted in a thick, soupy, dark liquid that resembled oatmeal. The directions advised drizzling some milk on top, which I did before trying.

Despite the good amount of sugar I added, it really wasn't that sweet. It actually reminded me of a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles that had been left sitting for awhile to get soggy, then heated. Not too bad, and definitely not like congee at all. This recipe made a lot of this stuff, so I guess I have some eating to do if I want to finish it. If the concept of chocolate hot cereal or oatmeal appeals to you at all, definitely check this one out.

Day 345

2011-07-26T22:23:00.001-04:00

Lobster Roll: Today's new food was definitely unplanned, but that's a good thing. It's easy to get in a rut with new things that I stockpile from various markets, and breaking free from that is always a welcome change. I attended a "tweetup" tonight at the Shed at Glenwood in East Atlanta, and the restaurant featured their well-known sliders as a special. In addition to some featuring fried chicken, chorizo, and prosciutto, they also featured a lobster roll slider. I'd never had a lobster roll anywhere, but I'd heard they were tasty, so I figured this could be a good start.

I knew that lobster rolls (made from a mix of cooked lobster meat and mayonnaise) were typically served on a grilled hot dog bun, but the Shed's version featured a small bun that looked like brioche. The filling almost resembled a seafood salad, and the mixture looked like it contained some cucumber and celery along with some small chunks of lobster. In addition, it was topped with a "crispy potato" that added some crunch. Once I dug in, it actually tasted pretty good, despite my usual dislike of heavy mayo. I didn't really find many pieces of lobster, but that was probably to be expected for a small slider like this.

I've heard that there are several good versions of this dish around town (Bocado and the Sound Table, to name two), so I might have to try this again somewhere else if possible. I feel like this one might not have been the most authentic, but it was still good nonetheless.

Day 344

2011-07-25T22:11:00.000-04:00

Banana Cracker: As my readers know by now, it's pretty hard to stump me, but when I saw this unusual snack item at the Fiesta Farmers Market last week, I had no idea what to think. The market carries a primarily Hispanic inventory, but I actually found this Vietnamese import there after doing some intensive searching. Despite being called "banana cracker," I knew it would probably different from any cracker I've tried.

I decided to give it a try as a late-night snack tonight, and after I cut the bag open and took one out, I was surprised. It reminded me of a thin flour tortilla filled with ultra-thin banana slices, and I could actually see little pieces of banana layered on the surface. The only ingredients were banana and wheat flour, so I guess I was almost right with the tortilla comparison.

Once I finally took a bite, the results were strange, to say the least. The texture was also a lot like a flour tortilla, but one that was left out on the counter all night to go a bit stale. It took a bit of work to bite off a piece, but once I did, I was left with a chewy, slightly crunchy substance that had a strong banana flavor. There was also a strange plastic-y taste that was a bit disconcerting, but it was less noticeable as I tried a few more bites. Interesting, but I can't say I'd recommend them.

Day 343

2011-07-24T21:13:00.000-04:00

Uthappam: I can't think of any other time during this blog where I've gotten to try two brand new cuisines in one week, but that's exactly what happened this week. In addition to trying Ethiopian for the first time on day 339, I finally tried Indian cuisine today. I know I've eaten plenty of Indian items over the course of the blog, but I'd never eaten in an actual restaurant until tonight. Crazy, but true.

I'd heard good things about Saravanaa Bhavan in Decatur, and when Scoutmob issued a discount recently, I figured it was finally time for me to try. They specialize in South Indian cuisine, and their menu was all vegetarian. I have no problem with vegetarian fare as long as it tastes great, and I'd really liked all the packaged Indian food I'd had so far, so I was excited to find out how it compared.

In addition to lots of things I recognized (curries, samosas, etc.), I noticed something new that sounded really tasty: uthappam. The menu described it as a sort of pancake, served plain or with various fillings. I opted for the one filled with onions and green chiles, despite my low tolerance for spice. I guess I was in the wrong place for low spice tolerance.

Once our server brought the dish (served on a cool looking stainless steel platter), I was impressed. It looked like a large pancake, and I could see several pieces of red onion and green chile pepper studded throughout the dough. The utthapam was served with several dipping sauces, none of which I could easily identify. One was sweeter, one more spicy, and another was mild and almost cottage cheese-like. I was hungry, so I dug in.

My first few bites were good - the dough (made from rice flour) was cooked well, with a nice crunch on the outside. It was bit thicker and breadier than I expected, and after a few minutes, I started to feel the heat from the chiles. The sweet dipping sauce (pictured on top of the pancake) was my favorite, but I still can't quite pinpoint its flavors. Me and the GF demolished all of it quickly, expect for one small chunk with a large concentration of chiles. If you decide to order one, make sure you have someone to share with - it was extremely filling.

After I got home from dinner, I noticed that I'd actually bought a box of utthapam mix from the Buford Highway Farmers Market during my last trip, but I hadn't even remembered that when I ordered it tonight. That was bound to happen at some point, right?

Day 342

2011-07-23T13:50:00.000-04:00

Guenepa: Today's new food is - you guessed it - another find from last weekend's trip to the Buford Highway Farmers Market. Somehow, I'm still able to find new things in the produce section, despite having already eaten my way through most of it. When I saw these, I had no idea what to think - they looked like little green berries, but they had an extremely tough skin that I assumed might yield to something tasty on the inside.

Even though I bought them a week ago, that tough outer skin hadn't spoiled at all when I finally tried them this afternoon. I wasn't able to break the skin with my fingernails, so I used my chef's knife to make a small incision. It peeled away easily to reveal a tiny orange pod covered with pulp, so I took it out of the shell, popped it in my mouth, then began to chew.

Ok, not good. There was yet another tough shell to get through, so I spit it out and gave it a look. The inside of that shell was filled with a crunchy, segmented pit that didn't taste like much. Where was the edible part? I got online and did some some searching, and apparently I was supposed to just chew the orange pulp off the inner pod. I grabbed another one and repeated the process, but this time I just tried to savor the pulp. Once I did that, it was actually kind of tasty. Even thought the amount of pulp was miniscule, it tasted like a cross between mango and lime. Not bad.

Guenepa (also known as quenepa and mamoncillo) are a popular snack in several Latin countries, including Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. I can't say I'd buy these again - they just didn't give me enough to actually eat.

Day 341

2011-07-22T15:07:00.001-04:00

Tindora: I've eaten a lot of food during this blog that looks and tastes a lot like something else. Since I don't do much research before I buy something, I can either be surprised or disappointed if that happens. Much like yesterday's nectarine mango, this "tindora" I found at the Fiesta Farmers Market instantly reminded me of a gherkin or mini-cucumber. I was interested enough to grab a couple to take home, and at only a few cents apiece, I really couldn't go wrong. Maybe they'd be really different from what I expected.

Even though I bought these last weekend, they held up surprisingly well in the fridge until today. I wasn't quite sure how to eat them, but based on their cucumber-like appearance, I assumed I could eat them raw. I cut one in half to see what was happening on the inside, and it looked like a much seedier cucumber, with little chambers filled with small seeds.

The flavor didn't leave me with too much to write about. Much like the appearance, it tasted like a seedier cucumber or gherkin, with a decent amount of crunch. Some online sources compared it to bitter melon, but I didn't detect any bitterness at all. Apparently, tindoras are considered to be a small gourd, not cucumber, and they're a popular ingredient in Indian cuisine. Maybe they're more exciting when worked into another dish, but I can't see trying them on their own again.

Day 340

2011-07-21T14:15:00.000-04:00

Nectarine Mango: I've eaten quite a few varieties of mango during this blog, but that's fine by me. Mango is one of my favorite fruits, and I jump at any chance to try a new one. When I saw this unusually named "nectarine mango" at the Buford Highway Farmers Market a few days ago, I knew I had to try. It was unlike any I'd seen, with a shape/size that was more like a peach than anything else.

It was still a bit firm and under-ripe when I bought it, so I let it sit on my kitchen counter to ripen. The green color it originally had eventually turned to a greenish-yellow, and since I didn't want it to spoil, I went ahead and tried it today after lunch. Since I'm not skilled at slicing mangoes, I cut off wedges from each side and peeled them the best I could. I didn't want a trip to the ER to be on today's schedule.

After finally taking a bite, the flavor/texture reminded me of a juicy, ripe peach much more than mango. I don't know if my brain was tricked by the peach-like shape and size, but I had a hard time detecting many mango qualities. It was almost like a peach with mango skin. At any rate, it was really tasty, and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes fresh peaches (or mangoes, I guess).

Not much else to say about this one. After 340 days in a row of new food, it's hard to expand on every single thing I eat unless it's really good (or really bad).

Day 339

2011-07-20T22:25:00.000-04:00

Ethopian Vegetarian Platter: It's not too often that I experience a cuisine for the first time, but that's exactly what happened tonight. I'd been meaning to try Ethiopian food for awhile, but for some reason, I'd never made it a priority. However, the blog is close to winding down, and I wanted to make sure I tried it before the 365 days were up. With that in mind, me and the GF hit Desta on Briarcliff Road tonight. Several people had recommended it, so off we went.

The menu was actually much more extensive than I expected, with items ranging from breakfast specialties to full-on dinners. It was the first time in awhile that a menu's language had stumped me - it featured lots of words I'd never read, not to mention the food itself. Instead of trying to narrow down my choices to a couple dishes, I opted for the combination vegetarian platter, which featured a small portion of everything on the vegetarian section of the menu. I usually don't order vegetarian anywhere, but I'd heard that it was a great choice with Ethiopian cuisine.

Once the server brought my order, I was pretty amazed at what I saw. The colors on the plate were incredible, and the presentation almost made me not want to eat it. Almost. The meal was served with injera, the spongy flatbread that's apparently a staple during most Ethiopian meals. Keep in mind that I'd never had any of these dishes before, so I'm going to attempt to cover a few instead of all. This type of combo post is a first for the blog!

Since there were 9 different dishes on the plate (not counting the salad), I wasn't even sure where to begin. I tore off a small piece of injera (no utensils here, folks) and scooped up a small portion of the first thing that caught my eye, which was the shiro fit fit. According to the menu, this was a "mix of ground chickpeas in a rich Desta's sauce mixed with bites of injera." I was basically scooping up bread with bread, but the shiro fit fit was tasty, with an vinegar-like flavor that paired well with the ground chickpeas. Ok, off to a good start.

On to the next one, which unfortunately, I couldn't identify. Considering that this plate had 9 new dishes for me to try, I really needed a guide to follow since I had no idea what I was eating. However, the dark brown stuff (bottom row center of the pic) was probably my favorite. It almost reminded me of mole, but was much thicker and spicier. I'm not sure what it was made from, but it was awesome.

I should really talk about the injera bread itself, which until tonight, I'd never had. It had a sponge-like texture that fell somewhere between a crepe and half-cooked pancake, with a slightly sour flavor that paired well with the spicy food. Since it's used primarily for actually picking up the food, we went through a lot of it at the table. Not exactly a low-carb meal.

Except for the dishes containing beets (upper right corner of pic), potatoes (lower left corner), and collard greens (second from top left), I'm really not sure what the rest of this plate contained. I don't think I've ever tried this many new dishes at once, and it made me think back to what got me started with this blog in the first place: my love of trying new foods. It's been easy for me to forget that after almost a year of doing this, but this meal made me thankful that I started.

Day 338

2011-07-19T15:34:00.000-04:00

Rambutan: Today's new food is another produce find from last weekend's trip to the Buford Highway Farmers Market. How many times have I typed that sentence during this blog? I don't even want to know, but that's ok - the BHFM has kept this blog running on days when no place else has been usable. Even though I'm sick of shopping there, it's value has been unmeasurable. I hate that I've grown tired of places/things I used to love, but I guess that was to be expected.

Anyway, while I was browsing the produce, I spotted these unusual looking things called rambutan. They were cherry-sized, dark red in color, with prickly hairlike pieces covering the surface. I'd read that they were similar to lychee, but I was curious to find out how similar, so I found a couple loose ones and threw them in my basket.

I didn't get around to trying these until today, and based on their thick outer skin, I figured they'd still be fresh. I made a small incision in the skin, then peeled it away, revealing a spherical fruit on the inside that looked like a peeled white grape. I figured these would have a pit, so I carefully chewed the fruit from around the outside. The flavor reminded me a lot of lychee, but a bit more grape-like. It was sweet and sour at the same time, but the only drawback was the amount of crunchy seed covering still left on the edible fruit. I tried to get rid of all of it with the second one, but it was almost impossible.

If you like lychees or longans, make sure to check out rambutan. If you don't want to do all the work with the fresh ones, a lot of markets sell them canned in syrup.

Day 337

2011-07-18T18:18:00.000-04:00

Pirozhochki with Cheese: Anyone who has read this blog knows how much I love the Eastern European section at the Buford Highway Farmers Market, especially the fresh pastry and dessert counter. In addition to some awesome sweets, they also sell a small selection of savory pastries filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables. No offense to vegetables, but the meat/cheese varieties are definitely my favorite.

I've pretty much had all of the counter's savory pastries at this point, but I noticed one during my last visit called "pirozhochki" that I'd never seen before. Much like the pierogis, pirozhkis, and samsas I've had before, this one looked like a little pastry turnover, and was filled with farmer cheese. I love the saltiness of farmer cheese, so I knew I had to take one of these home to try it.

Once I got it reheated for a snack today, I hoped it had held up well since buying. The flaky exterior was light and buttery, with a scattering of sesame seeds. Once I cut into it, I noticed that the cheese filling looked a lot like cream cheese, but a bit more textured. Luckily, it tasted as good as it looked. The pastry tasted great, even after hanging out in the fridge for a couple days, and the farmer cheese brought the creaminess and saltiness that I expected. It was just as good as any of the meat filled Eastern Euro pastries I'd had before, and at only $0.75, it was a great little snack.

After doing some research, I'm not exactly sure how these are different from piroshkis. They seem to be extremely similar, but this pirozhochki definitely tasted different - it was much more buttery, and probably better suited for breakfast. It looked like a cross between a piroshki and a samsa, but either way, it was really good.

Day 336

2011-07-17T17:12:00.000-04:00

Pan Dulce: After doing some errands in the Buford Highway area yesterday, I managed to make a couple food stops along the way since my stockpile at home was completely depleted. I'd been to the Fiesta Farmers Market (located next to the Plaza Fiesta) once before and had decent luck, so I went in again in hopes of finding something. In addition to a couple of new fruits, I also found a few interesting products in the store's bakery. I love discovering new sweets, and the bakery had a whole array of traditional Mexican pastries for sale. They all looked good, but some of them were just standard cookies and cakes.

As usual, I opted for something I couldn't identify. I spotted a rather large roll-type pastry with some sort of pink frosting on top. The bakery referred to all their pastries as "pan dulce" (sweet bread), so I'm not sure if this particular one even had its own name. I knew it would probably be good for breakfast, so I bought one to take home.

Since fresh pastries don't tend to stay that way very long, I went ahead and gave it a try this afternoon. It was definitely tasty, but I don't have too much to report. Like the name promised, it tasted like sweet white bread. It wasn't quite as moist as I hoped it would be, but for a light breakfast option, it was pretty good. The pink frosting on top wasn't as sweet as I expected, and I'm still not entirely sure what it was made from. It wasn't as rich as cake frosting, and it crumbled easily.

I definitely want to go back and try some of the market's other pastries now. I saw several others that looked good, and at only $0.89 apiece, how could I go wrong?

Day 335

2011-07-16T21:43:00.000-04:00

Albondingas (Wild Boar Meatballs): Me and the GF headed down to the Iberian Pig (www.theiberianpigatl.com) in downtown Decatur for dinner tonight, and while I was looking forward to the meal, I wasn't sure if I'd find anything new for the blog. I hadn't been before, but the GF had, and she loved their selection of Spanish-style tapas. In addition to some other great dishes, I was also lucky enough to find something I'd never experienced: wild boar. I don't have much experience with wild game, but I'm always eager to try any type I can find.

The Iberian Pig's version was called albondingas - wild boar sausage meatballs stuffed with piquillo peppers, Macedonian dates, and roasted tomatoes. The dish was finished with a pimenton creme and oyster mushrooms, and based on the ingredients, it sounded like it was going to be tasty. I suspected them to be much different from standard pork or ground beef meatballs, and I was right.

Once our server brought the dish, I was looking forward to digging in. I wanted to try some of the meatball without the pimenton creme, so I cut off a piece and tasted. It wasn't like ground beef, and was much less oily and moist than either beef or pork, but it was definitely more similar in flavor to pork than beef. The piquillo peppers added some heat, and I really liked the pimenton creme - think melted pimento cheese, but not at all greasy or goopy. Based on this dish, I'd definitely be up for trying wild boar again. Good stuff.

I know the whole tapas trend is played out, but everything I had at the Iberian Pig was delicious. It's good to discover another great restaurant so close to home.

Day 334

2011-07-15T18:05:00.000-04:00

Soup Vi Ca (Shark's Fin Soup): Ok, I'll be honest. I really wasn't looking forward to trying today's new food. I discovered it during my last trip to the Great Wall Supermarket in Duluth, and I bought it solely based on its shock factor alone. I usually prefer to try dishes like this in a restaurant that's good at such things, but for now, this canned version had to suffice. It wasn't so much that I didn't want to try the dish itself, but the picture on the can, featuring a odd looking bisected shark fin, wasn't exactly winning me over.

Since this was the last food I had stockpiled, I had no choice but to try it today. The ingredients listed shark fin, oyster mushroom, artificial chicken flavor, oyster sauce, and some spices. Once I opened the can, I poured the contents into a plastic bowl for microwaving, and to say it looked unappetizing was an understatement. I've had the misfortune lately of eating a lot of new foods that look like vomit, and this was no exception. However, I try to not judge anything based on its appearance, so I heated it up and gave it a shot.

Once I got it hot, the vomit vibe was lessened a bit, but I noticed a lot of strange stuff going on aside from that. The shark fin looked like small pieces of white fish, but the truly disturbing thing was the hair-like tendrils floating in the broth that came off the fin. They looked like little eyelashes. In addition, there were a couple large chunks of oyster mushroom (the black pieces in the pic) that were probably the least disturbing things in the mix.

Oh, right - the taste. The broth was sort of like a fishier-tasting chicken stock, and the pieces of shark fin were actually pretty tender. They tasted a lot like any mild white fish, but the odd hair-like connective pieces (bottom pic) had a gelatinous texture that I just couldn't appreciate. I'll pass on the rest of those, thanks. The oyster mushrooms were the best thing about it, and they actually retained a firmness that I wasn't expecting from a canned soup.

This wasn't as scary as I was expecting, but not exactly tasty, either. I'd be willing to give it a shot in a restaurant, but I doubt I'll finish the rest of this.

Day 333

2011-07-14T16:44:00.000-04:00

Tonkatsu Ramen: After a few weeks in a row of eating new things that I wasn't that excited about trying, I finally got to try something today that I'd been curious about for awhile: ramen. No, not the dried garbage that's notorious for keeping college students alive. I'm talking about the real thing, made from scratch in the authentic Japanese style. I didn't know any restaurants in Atlanta had it, but I recently heard about a place called Yakitori Jinbei out in Smyrna that supposedly served the best version.

Since I only have a few weeks left with this blog, I wanted to make sure I tried it before the end, so me and my fellow food blogger friend Dan made plans to meet for lunch today. If you haven't visited his website (www.atlfoodsnob.com), please do so. Once we got there, there was no need for me to look at the menu - I knew what I wanted. There were other selections (sushi, udon, etc.), but it was all about the ramen today.

Once our server brought the still-steaming bowl, I was immediately curious. This didn't look anything like any ramen I'd ever tried. In addition to the broth and noodles, the dish also included 2 slices of pork tenderloin on top, as well as some cabbage for garnish. The broth almost looked like it contained cream, but Dan informed me that it didn't - the creaminess comes solely from the lengthy cooking process of making the pork stock. It was studded with little globs of pork fat, and based on the appearance, I knew it would taste great.

I decided to try the broth first - wow. One of the best things I've tried in a long time, and I could have drank it out of a glass if necessary. The buttery, pork-y flavor was the perfect match for the ramen noodles, which had a firmness and crunch that the dried versions could never dream of achieving. The slices of pork on top were also amazing, and they were tender enough to cut with chopsticks. If you've only had the cheap, dried ramen, forget it. If you like pork or noodles at all, you need to try this dish. I knocked out the whole bowl quickly and could have easily eaten more.

I'll definitely return to Yakitori Jinbei for this dish alone, but I also want to try their yakitori, which is only served at dinner.

Day 332

2011-07-13T17:11:00.000-04:00

MoonDish "Laing" with Tuna Flakes: Today is my second attempt with these MoonDish brand canned foods, imported from the Philippines. My experience with their gintaang ampalaya (bitter melon in coconut cream) wasn't that spectacular, so when I saw this can of laing (taro leaves in coconut cream) at the Great Wall market last week, I wasn't sure if I wanted to try it. However, it was only $0.50, and I was desperate for new foods that day, so I took one home. It looked interesting enough.

Since I was down to my last 2 items from my stockpile, it was either this or canned shark fin soup for today, so obviously, this won. According to the ingredients on the can, it consisted of coconut cream, taro leaves and stalks, tuna flakes (not sure what they mean by that), ginger, garlic, red chili pepper, and salt. The can also promised it to be "hot & spicy."

Once I got the can open, I heated the contents in the microwave for about 30 seconds. The results looked a lot like creamed spinach or baby food, but I suspected it wouldn't taste like either. Surprise - it actually did taste a lot of creamed spinach, but a spicier version with coconut cream instead of regular cream. The taro leaves were almost a pureed consistency, and while I didn't detect the "tuna flakes," it was still pretty tasty. Not bad. I've thrown away a lot of half-eaten blog food lately, but I may actually finish this one.

In case you were wondering, laing is a common Filipino dish, and can also contain shrimp paste, fish, or pork in addition to the base ingredients of taro leaves and coconut cream.

Day 331

2011-07-12T21:22:00.000-04:00

Panchy Aloe Vera Dessert: When I saw this unusual dessert at the Assi Market in Duluth last week, I had no idea what to make of it. It looked more like a bag of colored liquid than dessert, and I didn't know that aloe vera was used for anything other than healing sunburns. However, you can apparently eat it, so I grabbed one and put it in my shopping basket.

Since I didn't have any other dessert options lined up tonight, I decided to give the aloe a try. According to the package, it was mango flavored, and the only listed ingredients were aloe vera, water, sugar, artificial mango flavor, and citric acid. The packaging suggested serving it chilled, so I put it in the fridge earlier today for maximum enjoyment. Well, hopefully maximum, anyway.

Once I opened the package, I was kind of confused. I didn't see any instructions regarding how to eat it, so I poured some in a bowl and grabbed a spoon. The liquid inside the package was clear, and the "dessert" consisted of square, translucent, almost invisible chunks of what I assumed was aloe. It looked like Jell -O, but I suspected it would taste a bit different than that.

Once I tried it, I was definitely surprised. The aloe cubes had a slightly firm, fruit-like texture, and they tasted a lot like lychee or longan, not mango. Funny that I can easily reference lychee and longan now, right? Anyway, I noticed that the watery liquid also had the same flavor, but due to its sweetness, I didn't have more than a couple spoonfuls. It was an extremely light, refreshing dessert, but I can't say I'd want to eat it often.

After doing some research, I found out that the little cubes were actual pieces of aloe taken from the plant. The leaves are skinned, then cut and rinsed before eating. They're usually flavored with some sort of fruit syrup before serving.

Day 330

2011-07-11T16:23:00.000-04:00

Basil Seed Drink with Honey: As my readers know, I don't usually count beverages or condiments for this blog, but when I discovered today's new food at the Assi Market in Duluth last week, I knew I might have to make an exception. When I spotted this unusual looking bottle on the shelf, my curiosity level was high. It's not often that you see beverages with stuff floating in them, and based on the description, it sounded tasty. And hey, basil seeds are solid food, right? I had to have it, so I put one in my basket to take home.

After spotting it in my fridge today, I went ahead and popped the top so I could try it. The liquid inside was sort of a translucent yellow, with what I assumed to be basil seeds floating throughout. I shook it up, then poured a few ounces into a glass with ice. Bottoms up.

Despite having "honey" in the name, it wasn't nearly as sweet as I expected. It had a light honey flavor, with a bit of a fruity aftertaste, and the basil seeds provided a squeaky crunch that reminded me of the tapioca pearls in bubble tea. Remember that fruit-flavored "Orbitz" drink from the late 90's that had the gelatin balls floating in it? That's the closest thing I can think of to compare it to. Despite the strange texture of the basil seeds, I really liked this one, and I bet it'd be good in a summer cocktail.

Artisanal mixologists, here's your next hot ingredient.

Day 329

2011-07-10T17:58:00.000-04:00

Mo'Pleez Rajasthan Indian Snack Mix: Even though I still haven't gotten around to going to a real Indian restaurant, I've really enjoyed trying the various Indian snacks I've found at different markets around town. In addition to some ever-present ingredients (lentils, curry, etc.), you can usually count on a good dose of spice, and that's exactly what this snack mix brought. My forehead is still sweating.

I found this bag of "Rajasthan" snack mix (made by the strangely named "Mo'Pleez" brand) at the Assi Market in Duluth last week. It reminded me of the "bhel puri" mix I ate a few months ago, but this one was just a dry mix, with no wet ingredients. It claimed to be a "mouth watering mix of fried Indian snacks," containing gram lentils, chickpea flour, rice flakes, green peas, peanuts, and a healthy dose of Indian spices. It seemed like it could be a more exotic Chex Mix, so I bought a bag to take home.

Once I gave it a try today, I was impressed. It really was like an Indian-style Chex Mix, with green peas, rice flour discs, and lentils taking place of the cereal and pretzels. The whole concoction was crunchy and super-spicy, and considering my low tolerance for heat, I was sweating in no time. Good, but hot. I'm apparently going to be in trouble if I ever make it to an authentic Indian restaurant.

Day 328

2011-07-09T16:44:00.000-04:00

Dried Olive: Today's new food is actually the second unusual olive product I've found at the Great Wall Supermarket in Duluth. I wasn't too thrilled with the "preserved olives" I bought a few weeks ago, and from what I've read since then, I don't even think they were actually olives. Based on their appearance, I was pretty sure these were real olives, and they looked more like little stones than food.

Even though they were dried, I didn't want them to go to waste, so I decided to give them a try this afternoon. I took a bite - well, I attempted to take a bite, and my teeth couldn't even break through the outside on the first attempt. Wow. I knew these were dried, but I didn't know they were almost inedible. Once I finally got a bite dislodged, I was left with a super-chewy, salty version of what used to possibly be a green olive. In addition, there was a sizable pit that didn't leave much actual olive. Not good, and if these were intended as a snack, I could definitely think of better choices. I got through one bite before giving up - it didn't taste good enough to risk unhinging my jaw.

With only a little over a month left in this project, I'm gonna have to start working harder to find some new things I really enjoy. It's hard to fill 365 days with one new thing a day, and I knew going into this that they all wouldn't be good, but I really want to end on a positive (and tasty) note.

Day 327

2011-07-08T17:08:00.000-04:00

Viet-Style Liquorice Plum: As I mentioned before, I found a lot of pretty cool new items at the Great Wall Supermarket in Duluth earlier this week. I had great success with their dried/preserved bulk food section, and that's exactly where today's new food post comes from.

I've figured out that I'm not exactly a fan of dried or preserved fruits, except for spreadable "preserves," which are a whole entirely different thing. However, I'll try almost anything once, so when I saw these tiny "liquorice plums," I figured it couldn't hurt to take some home. They almost looked like oversized raisins, with what appeared to be a sugary coating on the outside. They were also coated with something else that looked like dried grass - weird.

I finally got around to trying these today, and to be honest, I wasn't that impressed. The exterior of the dried plum was super-sugary, and after a couple of chews, that gave way to a sour interior that was hard to enjoy. I debated spitting it out, but I continued on and tried to enjoy. After a few seconds, the sourness subsided a bit, but I still didn't eat another one. And despite the name, I didn't taste any liquorice notes.

I think I'll stick to eating fresh fruit from now on. I'm apparently not equipped to enjoy the funky dried stuff.

Day 326

2011-07-07T21:34:00.000-04:00

Rabbit Confit: After a less-than-stellar day, I wasn't in the mood to cook, so me and the GF decided to hit Top Flr in Midtown for dinner. I've had several great meals (and blog posts) there, and even though I wasn't anticipating any potential posts from tonight's dinner, I wound up finding one anyway. In addition to some tasty cocktails and a couple of small plates, I also had the pleasure of tasting something brand new to me: rabbit confit.

If you aren't familiar with confit, Wikipedia defines it as a "generic term for various kinds of food that have been immersed in a substance for both flavor and preservation." Meats are usually cooked in fat then preserved in fat, but the fat can sometimes be from a different animal. Top Flr's version featured rabbit, which was served shredded in a hand-cut parpardelle pasta dish.

From first glance, it looked exactly like pieces of white meat chicken. I expected it to be much darker, but it wasn't at all. Once I tried it, I actually couldn't find much difference in flavor from chicken, which really surprised me. It was a little bit richer in flavor, but if presented in a blind taste test, I'd be hard-pressed to tell a difference. Don't get me wrong - it was extremely moist and tender, but it didn't offer the new experience that I was expecting.

We also had a hummus dish as well as the apple-orange tofu, which recently made Creative Loafing Atlanta's "100 Best Dishes" list. Good stuff.

Day 325

2011-07-06T21:06:00.000-04:00

Soft Cookie with White Bean Paste: After doing some blog shopping at the Great Wall Market in Duluth this past Monday, I couldn't resist checking out the Mozart Bakery next door. I'd been to the one on Buford Highway once before, and I loved their Asian-style pastries and bubble tea. I was curious to see if this one offered the same inventory, and while it wasn't quite as extensive as the one on Bu-Hi, I didn't leave without finding something.

I've definitely eaten my fair share of Asian pastries during the blog, but I've never tried anything featuring white bean paste. Red bean paste seems to be the more popular choice with these desserts, so when I saw this cookie/pastry filled with sweetened white bean, I was interested. It looked to have been baked then sprinkled with sesame seeds, but I was curious to find out what the filling was all about.

Once I got the wrapper off, I discovered that it wasn't much different from the varieties filled with red bean. The pastry itself (made from flour, milk, sugar, salt, butter, eggs) was light and flaky, and the white bean filling was slightly grainy and a bit less sweet than the red bean type. If the idea of a sweetened, pureed bean filling doesn't sound like your cup of tea, you should try it before you make up your mind - it's actually good. The mild sweetness can be a welcome change from the sugar overload of most desserts.

I liked this one, but it didn't offer much of anything new for me. Oh well - no big deal.

Day 324

2011-07-05T21:11:00.001-04:00

Sweet Winter Melon: After previously finding so much great new food at the Great Wall Supermarket in Duluth, I figured it couldn't hurt to swing by there again yesterday while I was in the area. I also visited the nearby Assi Supermarket (more on that tomorrow), but I was able to find a few more interesting new at the Great Wall before moving on. I'm not gonna lie -shopping for this blog has become more and more difficult. While most of the ethnic markets used to thrill me every time, that's not so much the case anymore. Some days the shopping feels like a chore, and yesterday was definitely one of those days.

Despite all that, I still managed to find a few things, one of which is today's new food. The Great Wall has a really nice bulk dried food section, which has allowed me to buy small tastes of several new items. When I saw this "sweet winter melon," I couldn't decide if it was fruit or candy, so I grabbed a couple pieces to take home. Its bright green color didn't look natural, but then again, I'd never seen a winter melon.

I decided to give it a try tonight for what I assumed would be dessert. It looked like it was candied or coated in sugar, and when I bit into it, all I tasted was sweetness at first. However, once I chewed a couple of times, I definitely tasted the melon. It reminded me of what a candied piece of sweet honeydew would taste like, but considering I'm not a big honeydew fan, it didn't do much for me. The inside was moist and chewy, and I'm guessing this one is exactly what I thought it was - candied winter melon.

Unless you love melon or candied fruits, I'd pass on this one. I didn't think the melon worked well with the sweetness, but I'd still be up for trying it plain.

Day 323

2011-07-04T21:38:00.000-04:00

Soup Dumplings: After an afternoon shopping trip up in the 'burbs today, me and the GF were hungry, so we detoured up 75 and decided to hit Tasty China for dinner. We'd been there once before and had a great meal, so we knew we couldn't go wrong. In addition to ordering a couple of favorites, we also found an item on the menu that I'd never tried: soup dumplings. I'd heard about them a million times but never had the chance to taste them, so I eagerly ordered. If they were as good as the rest of TC's food, I was in for a treat.

From what I'd heard, soup dumplings were much like other Chinese dumplings, but filled with a liquid "soup" as well as other fillings. These contained ground pork along with the soup, which sounded perfect to me. Once the server brought the dish, I noticed that they appeared to have been steamed, with a little twist and opening at the top. There was also a side dish of gyoza-style dipping sauce, but I wanted to taste one unadorned first.

My first bite reminded me instantly of a normal dumpling, and the outer skin was like many others I've tried. The real difference was in the filling. As I bit through the dough, I found that the interior was filled with a hot broth that spilled onto my plate - I'm glad we were at a table! It was really tasty, and when combined with the ground pork filling and dumpling skin, it resulted in a great flavor combination. I'm not sure if TC's are the best version of these in Atlanta (I've heard about others), but I enjoyed them a lot.

If you like filled dumplings at all, check these out if you see them at Tasty China (or anywhere else). Oh, and try TC's dry-fried eggplant - so good.

Day 322

2011-07-03T22:09:00.000-04:00

Dried Tofu "Snack Bean": I'm finally down to my last item from my shopping trip to the Great Wall Supermarket in Duluth, and it's definitely a strange one. I wasn't sure what to think of it when I saw it on the shelf, and honestly, it looked like vacuum-sealed vomit. Not exactly appetizing, but looks can be deceiving. From what I could tell, it was tofu that had been dried, then marinated in soy sauce. I like both those ingredients independently, so I figured it couldn't hurt to try.

I opened the bag as a late-night snack tonight, and I expected the bizarre looking contents to somewhat change once the seal was broken. However, they didn't, and the dog food-like appearance didn't exactly make me want to go further. Anyway, I broke off a small piece and tried, and the results were actually much more palatable than I anticipated. Just like the name said, it tasted like dried, chewy tofu, marinated in a sweet soy sauce. I can't imagine this one being used in any sort of dish, so it's probably best consumed as a "snack bean," as advised by the packaging.

I'm glad it didn't taste like either of the things it looked like, but I doubt I'd seek this out again.

Day 321

2011-07-02T18:09:00.000-04:00

Ginataang Ampalaya (Bitter Melon in Coconut Cream): After eating way too much good restaurant food over the past few days while my friend has been visiting, I knew I wasn't going to be in the mood to eat today, much less do a blog entry. However, the show must go on, so I looked through my stash of packaged foods for something new and palatable.

I opted for something I found at the Great Wall Supermarket in Duluth a couple weekends ago, and I'd been curious about it ever since I discovered it. I'd seen bitter melon in a few different stores before, but didn't buy since I had no idea how to prepare it. I knew it was popular in many Asian and Indian dishes, and this canned version from the Philippines sounded tasty. The dish was apparently called "ginataang ampalaya," and combined bitter melon with coconut cream and some spices (onion, salt, chili powder, garlic). It also contained something called "salted shrimp fry," which was a new one for me.

I opened the can and heated a small portion, and I was surprised with the results. It almost reminded me of a much saltier clam chowder at first, with a somewhat fishy taste that I assume was supplied by the "shrimp fry." I expected the coconut cream to provide a sweet, curry-like flavor, but it was much more subtle. As far as the bitter melon goes, it didn't taste like much. It was minced into much smaller pieces than the label portrayed, and aside from a faintly bitter, fruity taste, it didn't add much to the dish. Not bad, but I wouldn't seek it out again.

In case you were wondering, salted shrimp fry is actually a shrimp paste that's popular in the Philippines. It's apparently used as a seasoning agent and can be bought fairly easily in Asian groceries.

Day 320

2011-07-01T17:41:00.000-04:00

Vietnamese Yogurt with Lime: Today's new food was somewhat unexpected, and contrary to what the picture looks like, was not a beverage! I had lunch today at Lee's Bakery on Buford Highway with my friend who's visiting from VA. He hadn't had Vietnamese cuisine in awhile, and I wanted to introduce him to Lee's banh mi, which is my fave in town. In addition to those and some pho, I also hoped to find something new there. Luckily I did, at the bottom of the dessert menu. I'd never heard of Vietnamese yogurt, but I had a feeling it wouldn't be like Yoplait.

I expected the dish to be served in a cup or bowl like any other yogurt, but when the server brought a pint glass filled with a creamy white liquid and ice, I was surprised. Was it supposed to be a beverage? Not exactly - there was also a spoon in the glass, accompanied by a sizable straw. The mixture seemed to be a little thinner than traditional yogurt, and it had a taste that was sweet and tart at the same time. I'm not sure what type of lime flavoring was used, but I think I tasted some actual pieces of fruit, which is good. Overall, I liked it, but it was rather rich and hard to finish after knocking out an entire banh mi.

It's funny to think about how difficult it is for me now to find something new at places like Lee's. Not sure if that's good or bad, but one thing's for sure - I've eaten a lot over the last 320 days.

Day 319

2011-06-30T18:11:00.001-04:00

Roasted Eel with Fermented Black Beans: As my readers probably know by now, I love any type of canned seafood I can get my hands on, especially smoked fish. When I saw this can of roasted eel during my last visit to the Hoa Binh Market on Buford Highway, I was immediately interested. One of my fave dishes at any sushi bar is the ubiquitous "BBQ" eel, and based on the packaging, this looked pretty similar.

Rather than being prepared BBQ style, these were actually roasted, with fermented black beans added. I haven't had great luck with any of the fermented/preserved foods I've tried lately, so I hoped these proved to be better. I didn't have plans to eat these today, but a friend from Virginia is visiting, and I actually let him pick something from my stash for me to try. If they were bad, it was gonna be his fault!

Once I got the pull-tab off the bottom of the can, I wasn't too surprised at what I found. The contents weren't as pretty as what you find at a sushi bar, and I'd probably be offended if this stuff was served as nigiri. However, it tasted much better than it looked. Like most eel I've had, it was fairly sweet, but much less moist than sushi-style BBQ. The black beans didn't really add much - there weren't that many anyway. There wasn't much oil in the can, and what was left in the bottom made the eel taste much better when used as a dipping sauce. Not bad.

Overall, these were a little drier and fishier than what I'm used to, but not a bad replacement if you're craving eel. You can probably find them (or something like them) at any Asian grocery.

Day 318

2011-06-29T14:08:00.000-04:00

Ma Law Sesame Biscuit: My inaugural shopping trip to the Great Wall Supermarket on Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth proved to be pretty successful. I still have several items stockpiled from there, and while the preserved olives I previously tried weren't so good, today's new food was much better.

I've noticed that so many sweet Asian snacks are made from the same ingredients - rice, flour, sugar, and sesame. However, they all seem to taste extremely different when a couple other ingredients are added. I assumed these Taiwanese "Ma Law Biscuit" things would just be a crunchy, sweet cookie, but I was totally wrong.

I was craving a dessert after lunch today, so I opened the bag and gave them a try. My first bite completely surprised me. Instead of a cookie or "biscuit," I discovered an interior filled with something that reminded me of flaky, sticky cotton candy. How did they achieve that texture? It dissolved in my mouth quickly, and I was left with a sesame-flavored syrupy coating that provided just the right amount of sweetness. Most Asian and Indian desserts have noticeably less sweetness than American desserts, and these were definitely in that category.

It's rare that I eat seconds of anything I try for this blog, but I ate 2 of these sizable"biscuits" today before stopping. Good stuff.

Day 317

2011-06-28T18:17:00.000-04:00

Fried Seaweed Cookies: After my last few not-so-tasty offerings from the Hoa Binh Market on Buford Highway, I was apprehensive about trying these Taiwanese "fried cookies" I found there during my last trip. In all fairness to the market, it wasn't their fault that I didn't enjoy the foods I've tried so far, but I really hoped the cookies were better.

Like most Asian products, there wasn't much English on the packaging, so when I decided to open these today, I perused the ingredients first. Wheat flour, sugar, butter, egg, seaweed, salt...it all sounded fairly innocuous. The seaweed appeared to have been dried, then flaked and sprinkled on top of each cookie after baking. Anything had to be better than the preserved orange peel from a few days ago, so I opened the bag and gave them a try.

Actually, they ended up tasting pretty good. Not much different from a thinner, crunchier vanilla wafer, to be honest. The small amount of seaweed (pretty much the same as dried nori) was almost undetectable, and it didn't really add any flavor to the cookie. Despite not being very unusual, they were tasty, and I ate several of them before giving up. I could see them working well as a light dessert or snack. Not bad.

Day 316

2011-06-27T20:28:00.000-04:00

Que Huong Curry Beef Jerky: Today's new food is another selection from my last trip to the Hoa Binh Market on Buford Highway, and while I've eaten plenty of jerky during this blog (venison, alligator, vegan shiitake mushroom), I've never had any quite like this.

When I spotted it in the market, I wasn't sure what to think. It looked more like dried out rope or leather than jerky, and I can't say that it seemed very appetizing. However, I love any type of jerky in general, and I also love anything curry flavored. Plus, the little cartoon cow on the front was kind of amusing, so I had to try it. I'm generally disturbed by any packaging that features a cartoon version of the animal I'll be eating, but I made an exception for this.

I finally opened the package of this unusual jerky tonight, figuring that it'd be like any other, just curry flavored. Wrong. Instead of the chewy texture of most beef jerky I've tried, it was extremely dry and crunchy. I had to use a bit of effort to bite it in two, but once I broke off a small piece and chewed, it became much softer and rehydrated. The curry flavoring was sweet and spicy, and actually worked well with the flavor of the beef. Pretty good.

If you're tired of snapping into your Slim Jims, give this jerky a try if you see it at your local Asian market. The company also makes a fruit flavored jerky, which I'll definitely try if I can find it.

Day 315

2011-06-26T22:01:00.000-04:00

Fresh Flavour Preserved Vegetable: After yesterday's miserable experience with the preserved orange peel, I hoped that today's new food would be a lot better. I'm apparently in a habit of trying preserved foods lately, but the results haven't been so good. I found this little bag of Chinese preserved "vegetable" at the Great Wall Supermarket in Duluth last weekend, and yes, the packaging just says "vegetable." There was no indication of what kind of vegetables were in there, so of course, I had to find out.

I really wasn't in the mood to try anything new today, but as my readers know, skipping a day just isn't an option - especially when there are less than 2 months left in this insane project. Anyway, I cracked these open tonight as a post-dinner snack. In addition to the "vegetable," the ingredients also included salt, vegetable oil, sugar, MSG, and chili powder. Oh, and these mystery vegetables were made by the "Fish Well" company. Hmm.

Once I got them out of the package, I still couldn't tell what they were. Tasting them unfortunately didn't help much, either. Like the other preserved foods I've eaten lately, they were extremely salty, with a somewhat spicy aftertaste supplied by the chili powder. Texture-wise, they reminded me of bamboo shoots...or maybe some kind of onion? I really have no idea. It wasn't too appetizing on its own, and the packaging advised that it "can be eaten directly upon opening or can be eaten with rice, fried dishes or make a soup."

I really hope my next couple days of new foods are better. I think I'm staying away from preserved stuff for awhile.

Day 314

2011-06-25T15:47:00.000-04:00

Preserved Orange Peel: It's been a long time since I've spit anything out after taking my first bite, but that's exactly what happened with today's new food. I found this bag of "preserved orange peel" at the Hoa Binh Market on Buford Highway last weekend. The market had an awesome selection of Asian snacks, and when I saw these in a section with other preserved fruits and vegetables, they looked really interesting. I like oranges, but who eats the rind? Apparently some people do, so I considered them safe enough to try. Man, was I ever wrong.

I finally got around to opening these this afternoon, and I was extremely curious. According to the ingredient list, the contents consisted of orange peel, salt, sugar, citric acid, licorice (?), sodium benzoate, and sodium metabisulfite. Wow, that's a lot of sodium for something that was originally fruity. Each piece of peel looked like it was candied, then coated in sugar.

I expected these to be sugary and tart, but no. My first bite flooded my mouth with a bitterness that eclipsed any citrus rind I've ever tasted, with a super-salty aftertaste that almost made me choke. There was very little sweetness, just the overpowering bitterness of the rind. I guess the preservation process only makes the bitterness worse. I also detected something that reminded me of soy sauce - maybe that was the licorice? After a couple chews, I spit the remainder in the sink, then rinsed my mouth out with coffee. Ugh.

These were by far one of the most unpleasant things I've tried. Ever. Unless you're in love with insanely bitter citrus rind permeated by salt, stay away from these at all costs.

Day 313

2011-06-24T20:11:00.000-04:00

Stuffed Pumpkin Flowers: In addition to all the great stuff I've already found at the Buford Highway Farmers Market, I've also been on a quest for something else there that I wasn't even sure if I'd find: squash blossoms. Me and the GF have been hunting them after finding an awesome-sounding recipe in her Mesa Grill cookbook, which involve stuffing them with ricotta cheese, then deep-frying. Apparently, they're only available seasonally, so when she got an email this morning from the BHFM saying they were in stock, we hustled down there to get some.

When we arrived at the market, what we found was something a bit different, but definitely usable: pumpkin flowers. They looked just like squash blossoms, and after some quick iPhone research, we discovered that they could be swapped for squash blossoms in most recipes. There was only one package left, so we hastily grabbed it.

The recipe basically required stuffing the inside of the flowers with a mix of ricotta and cotija cheese, basil, and roasted corn. Once we got them stuffed, we coated them in a rice flour batter, then deep-fried. I know the deep-frying trend is out of control right now, but whatever - these looked good.

Once we removed them from the oil, we trimmed the stems, then drizzled them with a sweet-hot yellow pepper vinaigrette that we had prepared beforehand. My first bite was really good, but the texture of the flower was hard to describe. It was sort of spongy, without much flavor on its own, and it struck me as more of a vessel to hold the delicious filling than anything else. I didn't try them alone, so maybe that was a mistake.

After doing some research, it seems that pumpkin flowers are the same as zucchini blossoms and squash blossoms. If you've never tried edible flowers, definitely try this recipe if you can find it.

Day 312

2011-06-23T20:23:00.000-04:00

Seasoned Dried Cuttlefish: After my not-so-appetizing experience with prepared cuttlefish a couple months ago, I wasn't sure if I'd ever be up for eating them again. However, when I saw these seasoned, dried cuttlefish at the Buford Highway Farmers Market last weekend, I decided to give them another try. The pre-packaged version I tried before tasted like stinky fish jerky, but these (seasoned with oil, syrup, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame seeds) actually sounded good.

Since I didn't want them to spoil, I eagerly dove into them tonight. The first thing I noticed after opening the package was the smell. Apparently, cuttlefish never smell good. These had an extremely fishy odor that hit me from a couple feet away, so I hoped that they tasted much better than they smelled.

Luckily, that was exactly what happened. Don't get me wrong - there was definitely a strong fish flavor, but no worse than canned sardines. Believe it or not, the sweetness of the soy sauce and sugar worked well with the strong flavor of the cuttlefish. If you've never seen a cuttlefish, they look a lot like squid, but these had obviously been dried and shredded before seasoning. The texture reminded me of a cross between jerky and firm noodles, and overall, I liked it. I'm not really sure if it's supposed to be eaten as a side or snack, but it was tasty.

If you like ultra-fishy flavors and jerky-like texture, check this one out. Once you get past the smell, it's really not bad.

Day 311

2011-06-22T21:55:00.000-04:00

Grilled Quail: So me and the GF decided to do an impromptu dinner at the Sound Table on Edgewood, and while I wasn't sure if I'd find anything blog-worthy there during tonight's visit, I knew we'd have a great meal. If you haven't tried the Sound Table yet, you really should. In addition to a great menu, they also have my favorite cocktail list in town.

As I scanned the menu for something new to me, I noticed something interesting: grilled quail. I know it may sound crazy, but I've never had quail before. All I knew about quail was that it was a tiny game bird, but past that, I really didn't know anything. The ST's version was served grilled as a "salad," with an Anson Mills grit cake and arugula topped with a caramelized honey balsamic glaze. Luckily, the GF was up for trying this dish with me, so we ordered.

Once the server brought the dish, the presentation surprised me. The "salad" actually consisted of the quail served on top of the grit cake, with the arugula and dressing on the side. While it all looked good, I was most curious about the quail, which was split into 2 legs and 2 wings (I think).

Based on its appearance, I expected it to taste like chicken, but that wasn't quite right. There was definitely a chicken-like texture, but the slightly gamy flavor fell somewhere in between chicken and duck. The meat was mostly dark, and it had a smoky quality that chicken definitely lacks. Each piece was moist and tasty, with just the right amount of char from the grill, and I could have eaten much more of it. The rest of the dish was also good, but the quail was the real standout. Good stuff.

Day 310

2011-06-21T18:25:00.000-04:00

Seasoned Potato Stem: I must have done a really good job with last weekend's shopping trips, because I definitely snagged some new foods that have totally mystified me. I love the Buford Highway Farmers Market's fresh prepared Asian section in the back - in addition to most of the selections being tasty, it's also supplied me with some truly new experiences. During my last visit, I spotted a product labeled "seasoned potato stem" in the cold section. Potato stems? I had no idea what those were, so of course, I had to buy them.

I'd had these sitting in the fridge for a couple days, so I finally broke them open today to find out what they were. The "stems" were seasoned with salt, dashida (a Korean soup seasoning), sesame oil, garlic, and soy sauce, and the dish also included some green onion and sesame seeds. I love those particular seasoning ingredients in Asian cuisine, so I knew I'd probably like these if the "stems" tasted good.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this dish, but it was actually pretty good. The stems reminded me of crunchy, stringy cabbage - almost like kimchi, but not leafy. However, that's where the kimchi comparisons ended. The sesame/soy element was fairly strong, and I assume they had been previously stir-fried before being packaged cold. Some additional flavor was added by the onion/garlic, but overall, I liked this. I'm sure it's a popular with Asian cuisine, and apparently it's Korean in origin (also called goguma).

If you're still wondering what potato stems are, well...I'm not entirely sure. I couldn't find any conclusive info, but I gather that they're one of the wiry, stringy parts ("tubers") of the potato that we usually don't eat in American cuisine.

Day 309

2011-06-20T17:57:00.000-04:00

Wax Apple: Today's new food comes from my last shopping trip to the Buford Highway Farmers Market (surprise). I really don't know how I would have done this blog without the BHFM, especially their awesome selection of interesting produce. Now that the seasons have changed, I've been finding some great new things there instead of the same inventory I've been used to for awhile.

I spotted these "wax apples" near the front of the store as soon as I walked in, and even though I've tried several different styles of apples for the blog, I'd never seen these. Each one was a little bigger than my thumb, with a red, waxy skin that was appropriate for its name. I really like apples in general, so I threw a couple of these in my basket - they would only cost me a few cents, anyway.

My curiosity finally got the best of me this afternoon, so I grabbed one and gave it a try. My first bite wasn't what I expected at all. Instead of the sweetness that I expected, all I tasted was the bitterness of the skin and a watery, mostly tasteless interior. The texture was actually more like a pear than apple. It really didn't taste like much at all, and I'm guessing these are better when worked into a dish and mixed with sugar or some other sweetener.

Interestingly, Wikipedia states that the only resemblance to an apple with these is the outside color, with all else being totally different - it's not an apple at all. Way to go with the naming, people!

Day 308

2011-06-19T19:45:00.000-04:00

Preserved Olive: Even though I eat a lot of new food for this blog, it's not every day that I'm truly stumped and surprised by something, but that's exactly what happened with today's entry. I found some interesting stuff at the Great Wall Supermarket in Duluth yesterday, and in addition to finding lots of packaged Asian foods, the market also sold some things in bulk. It was hard to narrow down my choices, but I couldn't resist these "preserved" olives. They didn't look like any olives I'd ever seen, so I selected a couple of them to take home.

I decided to give these a try this afternoon, and the results were unusual, to say the least. Each one looked more like a tiny lemon than an olive, with a bright yellow skin that was dry, not moist. I bit off a small piece, and the texture was fruit-like, but more reminiscent of citrus peel/rind than anything else. The flavor was sweet and sour, not like an olive at all, but it also had a salty, vinegar-y aftertaste that I really couldn't stomach. I truly expected this one to be more savory than sweet, but I was wrong.

Preserved olives are apparently a popular Asian snack, but I don't think I'll be eating these again. I couldn't find any conclusive info about how these are preserved, so if anyone knows more about them, please feel free to educate me. Some internet sources I read say they aren't really olives, but plums. Now I'm really confused.

Day 307

2011-06-18T20:41:00.000-04:00

Banh Da Lon Khoai Mon (Sweet Green Taro Root Cake): After a few days of procrastinating, I finally got around to a full-fledged shopping trip today. I hit several new markets on Buford Highway and bought some awesome new foods, but today's entry comes courtesy of the GF's visit to Lee's Bakery. She had lunch there with a friend, and was thoughtful enough to bring me something back to blog about. I've had a couple of their packaged desserts before (made off-site by the Viet My Bakery), but I'd never seen this one, made with green taro root.

I didn't want this one to go to waste, so I gave it a try tonight after dinner as dessert. The ingredient list was fairly long, but consisted mostly of water, tapioca starch, taro root, sugar, bai toey leaves (a common Asian herb), and some coloring. It also included a side of the creamy coconut dipping sauce that was featured in the steamed banana cake dessert I previously found at Lee's.

Once I got the wrapper off, it reminded me of Jell-O in appearance, but much more gelatinous-looking. My first bite reminded me a lot of the banana "cake" I ate before, but this one had a much less distinct flavor. Even though there was no rice flour listed, it reminded me a lot of the gelatinous rice cakes and desserts I've had. I mainly tasted sugar, but the coconut dipping sauce added a lot of flavor. It was kind of like eating warm, sugary, non-fruit flavored Jell-O dipped in coconut cream. Not bad, but not really anything new for me.

How strange is it that I'm used to this flavor/texture by now? I bet a lot of people can't say that.

Day 306

2011-06-17T22:09:00.000-04:00

Aprium: Remember how I promised to complete a real shopping trip today? Yeah, that didn't go so well. After an attempt to locate an obviously closed Vietnamese grocery on Cheshire Bridge Road, I ended up at a health food store nearby. That effort was also fruitless, literally and figuratively. Let's just say that I'm glad I don't choose a gluten-free/vegetarian/vegan diet - the selection was unappetizing, and the prices outrageous.

I ended up at the Publix on the corner of Lavista and Cheshire Bridge in hopes of finding something to at least get me through the day. As usual, I hit the produce section first, since it usually offers the greatest chance of finding something seasonal that I haven't tried before. I noticed these "apriums" after a few seconds of browsing, which I'd never heard of. They looked a lot like peaches (or apricots) with a soft, velvety skin, but I knew they'd probably offer something different. Score.

Once I got home, I gave it a try as an afternoon snack. I cut off a slice, and the texture reminded me of a under-ripe peach, but the flavor was much more tart than a peach. I have a low tolerance for tart/sour, but luckily it offered just enough sweetness for me to enjoy. It wasn't that juicy, but aside from a small pit in the middle, it offered a lot of edible fruit for the money. Good stuff.

So, what is an aprium, exactly? According to Wikipedia, it's a "complex cross of plum and apricot, requiring several generations of crosses to create a new fruit." They're only available in the U.S. in June, so I apparently snagged one of these just under the wire.

Day 305

2011-06-16T17:15:00.000-04:00

"Black Velvet" Pluot: Today's new food is my second find from my visit to Whole Foods on Ponce yesterday. Like I've said before, my options at WF have pretty much run dry, but I was lucky enough to find a couple of items to get me through yesterday and today. Real shopping will have to happen tomorrow, whether I like it or not.

The produce section didn't offer much of anything new for me, but in addition to yesterday's "eightball" squash, I found this "black velvet" pluot. I tried a pluot for the first time way back on day 41, but I'd never seen this version before. It featured a dark, velvety-looking skin, which was much different than the shiny, smooth skin of the other pluot I'd tried. I love trying new fruits and vegetables, so what did I have to lose?

Once I tried it as a afternoon snack today, I was happy with the results. I cut off a slice to check out the interior, and it was actually a bit darker than I expected, resulting in a bit of liquid leaking onto my knife that reminded me of blood orange juice. The flavor was sweet, reminiscent of a plum, with a tangy bite from the skin that I really enjoyed. There wasn't much fruit on this specimen after factoring in the pit, and after tasting, I wished I'd bought a couple more.

If you like plums (or any dark-skinned fruit), give these a try. I know Whole Foods on Ponce has them, but I'm not sure where else.

Day 304

2011-06-15T21:14:00.000-04:00

"Eightball" Squash: In an effort to put off serious shopping until another day, I stopped by the Whole Foods on Ponce today, hoping to find something to tide me over. I've pretty much given up on WF as far as finding new foods goes, and I've eaten every selection I could possibly find on their hot bar. Those free samples have kept the blog afloat on more than one occasion, so I can't say too much bad about them.

As I browsed the produce section, I wasn't finding anything at first, but I noticed something new on one of the top shelves near the back: "eightball" squash. I'd never heard of it, but it was definitely interesting enough to count. The outside looked like regular green squash, but instead of being long and skinny, it was short, round, and about the size of a baseball (or eightball, I guess).

I was curious to find out how it compared to the other green squash I've tried, so I decided to cook it as a side with my dinner tonight. Once I sliced off the ends, I cut it in half horizontally and sliced it like an apple. The interior was like any other green squash, with some seeds circling the middle. I sauteed it for a few minutes with olive oil/salt/pepper, and in the pan, I couldn't tell any difference in appearance. Flavor-wise, it was the same as any other green squash I've had, and it retained a nice crunch after cooking.

I wish I had more to say about this one, but it's just green squash, only rounder.

Day 303

2011-06-14T15:08:00.000-04:00

Trader Joe's Baingan Bharta Eggplant Curry: If you're tired of reading about my attempts at different types of Indian cuisine, fear not - today is the last one for awhile. I found this package of frozen "Baingan Bharta" eggplant curry during my last Trader Joe's visit, and since I've had good results from their frozen Indian selections, I took one of these home for good measure.

According to the box, "bharta" refers to any type of char-grilled/smoked and smashed vegetables, with eggplant being the most popular choice. TJ's version included eggplant, onion, tomato, and a generous helping of the usual Indian spices. Since I didn't have anything set aside for lunch today, I decided to give it a try with a side of TJ's garlic naan. Much to the probable dismay of all you gourmands out there, I eat a lot of TJ's food when I need a quick, simple, healthy meal. Not usually adventurous, but their foods from various cuisines definitely help.

After a few minutes in the microwave, the dish was ready. Despite the small size, the container actually contained 3 servings, so I was glad the naan kept me from eating all of it. I actually liked this one a lot - it was much lighter than the channa masala from TJ's, and not as spicy as some of the other curry dishes I've tried. The smoky mashed eggplant worked well with the tomato, onion, and spices, and I finished about half of it with the naan bread before stopping.

I'm always surprised at how good Indian vegetarian cuisine can be. Not that I'd ever consider going vegetarian, but at least there are tasty options out there if you do decide to go that route.

Day 302

2011-06-13T15:12:00.001-04:00

Kadhaai Brand Egg Curry: I sincerely hope my readers like hearing about Indian cuisine, since I've been trying a lot of it lately. Today's new food is another find from my last Buford Highway Farmers Market visit. I'm truly thankful that market exists, since I've found an overwhelming percentage of food for my blog there. It's a great place for one-stop around-the-world shopping, and if you've never been, what are you waiting for?

I've had great luck with a lot of the Indian food mixes that the BHFM sells. In addition to being inexpensive, they've also allowed me to try a lot of foods for the first time. I'm no stranger to curry, but when I saw this packet of egg curry mix, I couldn't resist taking it home. I love eggs in almost any dish, and I was curious to taste how they worked in a curry dish.

Once I got ready to try this dish for lunch today, I couldn't believe how easy the prep was. All I had to do was boil the eggs, separately blend the curry mix with water, then simmer it all for about 10 minutes. The curry/water mix looked a bit thin to me at first, but it thickened up once it was finished cooking. The curry sauce was fairly spicy, and my forehead broke out in a sweat almost immediately after I took a bite. I know there are several different spice levels with curry, but this one was definitely strong enough to notice. The sauce contained a lot of the standard curry ingredients (tomato powder, chili powder, coriander, etc.), and it actually worked well with the hard-boiled eggs. Good stuff, and a super-easy new dish.

One more new Indian dish to come this week, then on to some shopping. Only 63 more days to go...stick with me!

Day 301

2011-06-12T20:04:00.000-04:00

Gits Brand Moong Dal Vada Mix: During my last couple trips to the Buford Highway Farmers Market, I've been surprised at how many items there are in the Indian/Pakistani section that I haven't tried. I'm not exactly the most knowledgeable with that area of cuisine, and I still haven't had the chance to actually dine in an authentic Indian restaurant, but the BHFM has some great prepared foods and mixes to tide me over until then.

I've tried a few items during this blog made by the Gits brand, but those have all been sweet and not savory. When I saw this package of moong (lentil) fritter mix, also known as "dal vada," I was really curious about trying it. How could I go wrong with any type of fried dough, right? Considering how easy the prep was (just mix w/water, then pan-fry in oil), I couldn't say no.

I decided to make these as a side with dinner tonight, so I mixed up the batter and fried each piece in oil for a few minutes on each side. The results looked like hush puppies, and I didn't expect an Indian dish to bring memories of American cuisine. The box recommended chutney or tomato ketchup as condiments, but I tried one by itself first. The flavor was a lot like a hush puppy as well - brown and crunchy on the outside, warm and bready on the inside. They were definitely more spicy, thanks to the green chile powder and cumin. I also noticed a hint of lemon, which I really liked. Me and the GF knocked out quite a few, and since we didn't have any chutney, we opted for ketchup and spicy mustard for dipping. Really good.

If you like hush puppies (or any type of fritter or fried dough), definitely give these a try if you see them. I know the BHFM has them, but I'm sure they're available at any market that sells Indian fare.

Day 300

2011-06-11T17:35:00.000-04:00

Iris "Creamy" Slivochyi Candy: As my readers know, I'm a sucker for any food from Eastern Europe. While I'm partial to the smoked meats/fish and pickles, I've also tried some great new desserts from those countries, most of which I've found at the Buford Highway Farmers Market. There's a great "sale" section at the back of the Eastern Euro section, and I've managed to score some great finds from there during my last few trips, especially candy.

I spotted this Iris "creamy" candy during my last visit, and based on its appearance, I assumed it was some sort of caramel. The ingredient list contained some simple stuff (sugar, condensed milk), and some stuff that didn't make much sense (treacle, oil creamy (?) and "aromatic identical natural"). Gotta love those Russian-to-English translations.

Since I was in need of a sweets fix this afternoon, I decided to finally give these a try. After opening the package and breaking off a section, I figured out quickly that they weren't caramels. There was no gooey texture like I expected, and the sections broke off quite easily. The taste/texture reminded me of the center of a Baby Ruth - sort of a creamy, caramel-esque flavor that was pretty tasty. I knocked out a few pieces before giving up, since they were fairly sugary.

I'm not sure if the BHFM still has these, but if you like the idea of eating an all-nougat candy bar, give them a try if you see them.

Day 299

2011-06-10T16:51:00.000-04:00

Toasted Wheat Cake with Purple Yam & Crispy Young Rice: Today's new food is one of the several packaged items I found during my last trip to the Buford Highway Farmers Market. As you can probably tell by now, I bought a lot of stuff on that visit. I'm glad I don't have much further to go with this blog (only 66 days!), because it's getting really difficult to find new foods, even at the BHFM.

I've had these interesting "wheat cakes" stashed for the past week or so, and I've been eyeballing them ever since I bought them. Based on the packaging and description, I had no clue what they were going to taste like. Crispy young rice? Yeah, I didn't know what that meant, either. It's rare that I find something that offers no clues, so I decided to finally crack these open today to find out what they were.

Despite the packaging's lack of descriptive language, I searched the label for some much-needed info. These were a product of the Philippines, and I don't think I've bought anything from that region until now. Anyway, each piece was wrapped in various colors of cellophane - did that signify different flavors? The ingredient list was short: wheat flour, skim milk powder, cane sugar, ube powder (apparently also known as purple yam powder), pounded young rice, and butter. I figured they would be sweet, but past that, I had no idea.

Once I got one unwrapped, I was extremely surprised at the results. My first solid bite resulted in a fine powder in my mouth, almost like sweetened malted milk. After a few chews, it turned into a paste-like substance that was actually really tasty. If I had to compare it to anything, it reminded me of solidified malted milk. The "crispy rice" added a mild crunch, but I couldn't detect any purple yam flavor. As it turns out, all the pieces tasted the same - the different wrappers were only cosmetic.

Incidentally, the BHFM had these in several different flavors, which I'll be trying on my next shopping trip. I'm not sure how popular they are in the Philippines, but they're definitely now popular with me.

Day 298

2011-06-09T17:57:00.000-04:00

Mexican Zucchini: I couldn't believe that my last sampling of produce bought over a week ago from the Buford Highway Farmers Market was still good today, so before it went to waste, I decided to eat it with my lunch. I'd never seen this Mexican variety of zucchini before, but it looked a lot like the kind seen in most standard grocery stores. I hoped it would offer something new in the flavor department, but there was only one way to find out.

I usually keep the cooking of zucchini pretty simple - I slice it thin, then sautee in a pan with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. I didn't want anything to interfere with the flavor too much, and after a few minutes, it was ready.

Flavor-wise, it pretty much tasted the same as any zucchini I've had before, nothing new. The skin retained a decent crunch after cooking, and the interior was a bit mushy like it's supposed to be. The olive oil/salt/pepper definitely added some needed flavor, since this particular vegetable doesn't taste like much on its own. If you like zucchini (or squash), give this Mexican variety a try if you see it - you won't be disappointed.

The next few days will cover some unusual packaged goods I found at the BHFM - stay tuned!

Day 297

2011-06-08T20:14:00.000-04:00

Trader Joe's Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad): Over the last 297 days, I've tried my best to find new foods from as many different places as possible. I've encountered plenty of people that think I'm eating in a new restaurant every day (which would be difficult and expensive), and others that think I'm cooking something new every day (which would be just difficult). Both of those sound glamorous, but I've found plenty of new items in traditional grocery stores. Not everything comes from an exotic market, and today's food is a great example of that.

During my last Trader Joe's shopping trip, I found this package of Som Tam (green papaya salad) in the frozen section. TJ's does a great job of creating prepared foods from around the world, and while all of them may not be truly authentic, they've given me the chance to try several new dishes for the first time. I'm a big fan of their Indian foods, so when I saw this traditional Thai salad, I knew I had to try it. I experienced fresh orange papaya for the first time a couple months ago, but I'd never had this dish, which contained finely shredded green papaya, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, and a sweet/spicy dressing.

My diet hasn't been the absolute best lately, so I decided to give this healthy dish a try for lunch today. Preparation was easy - I just had to open the plastic packets, pour the dressing over the papaya/veggies, then defrost in the microwave for a few minutes. The results were actually really good. The papaya and veggies retained a nice crunch despite being previously frozen, and the slightly sour/sweet dressing (mostly palm sugar/lime juice, I think) paired well with the rest. I made the mistake of biting into one of the red chiles from the dressing, which lit my mouth on fire - probably best to avoid those if you're sensitive to heat.

I liked TJ's version of this dish, but now I really want to try it in a Thai restaurant. Considering the insanely hot temps outside, it'd be a great addition to any summer diet.

Day 296

2011-06-07T21:29:00.000-04:00

Buttermilk-Fried Chicken Necks: It's not too often that I get to eat the neck of anything, so when me and the GF decided to finally check out One Eared Stag in Inman Park tonight, I couldn't resist trying out the buttermilk-fried chicken necks they had featured on the small plates section of the menu. I previously attempted smoked turkey necks from Your Dekalb Farmers Market, but according to an informative reader, they aren't meant to be eaten, but used as a flavoring agent. Based on that info, I was curious to find out how One Eared Stag's chicken necks (which I assumed were indeed edible) compared to those.

These weren't just plain old fried chicken necks. OES's version were coated with buttermilk breading, deep fried, then covered with spicy kimchi. Not exactly like the buffalo wings that I normally see on every menu in town, and I couldn't wait to taste how the kimchi worked with the breading. I hoped the chicken necks offered more meat than the turkey necks - they couldn't have offered any less.

Our server brought the dish, and me and the GF were both astounded by the pile of food on the plate. For a starter, it looked ginormous. Each neck was about 6 inches long, and was coated with a light breading. A generous portion of kimchi was placed on top of the pile, and some of the spicy kimchi liquid coated several of the necks. It looked and smelled awesome, so I hoped it tasted just as good.

The results were surprising. I eagerly devoured the breading and kimchi from the necks, but was kind of disappointed in the actual neck. Each one only contained a couple of tiny shreds of dark meat, and while tasty, they were basically just a vehicle for the breading/kimchi. The meat tasted about the same as dark meat from a chicken wing or drumstick. I'm glad I tried them, but they didn't offer much of anything new for me.

After my negative experience with the turkey necks, I really hoped that chicken necks would offer more meat, but they were a lot of work for not much reward. In the future, I'll stick to wings or legs.

Day 295

2011-06-06T17:08:00.000-04:00

Baby Mango: Today's new food is another produce purchase from my trip to the Buford Highway Farmers Market last week. Even though I bought all the items last week, they luckily haven't spoiled yet, which has been great. I've tried several different styles of mango during the course of this blog, but I'd never seen these "baby" specimens until last week.

My goal after returning from Asheville this past weekend was to knock out last week's produce first, so I chose the mango to try this afternoon. It was closer in size to a plum than a standard-sized mango, and the skin was primarily yellow, with a bit of green shading.

Once I carefully cut off a slice and peeled the skin (I've had way too many knife-related accidents with mangoes), I noticed that the interior was a bright yellow. Flavor-wise, it didn't offer much new for me. It tasted just like the normal variety of large mango found in any market, but the flavor was a bit more sour than sweet. After factoring in the pit and skin, it didn't yield much edible fruit, so if you want to enjoy more than a few small bites, buy the larger version instead.

Day 294

2011-06-05T19:30:00.000-04:00

Green Plum: After a weekend of seeing the sights in Asheville, NC, I was glad to finally get back home this afternoon. I wasn't really in the mood to try new food tonight, but I was luckily stocked up with quite a few new items from my last shopping trip to the Buford Highway Farmers Market. I was worried that some of the produce I bought would have already gone bad, but to my surprise, it was all still good. Guess that's one of the many upsides of cranking the air conditioner during the hot weather.

I found these interesting green plums during that last BHFM visit, and since I didn't want them to go bad, I decided to give them a try tonight. Each little plum was about the size of a large cherry, and the skin was a bright green color.

After my first bite of this, I honestly didn't want to go further. Instead of the sweetness of larger, darker plums, I found these to be extremely bitter, and not at all sweet. Remember the sour green apples you used to eat off the ground as a kid? These reminded me of those, but definitely a bit juicier. The center contained a small pit (like other plums I've eaten), but I couldn't bring myself to eat more - they just weren't my thing. Maybe they're tastier when worked into a dish and sweetened, but alone, they didn't do anything for me. Oh well.

Day 293

2011-06-04T22:42:00.000-04:00

Goat Cheese & Bing Cherry Ice Cream: Today's new food post will be short and sweet, so I hope my readers don't mind. After a long day of browsing, eating, and drinking in downtown Asheville, I wound up at Ultimate Ice Cream on Tunnel Road near my hotel. I'd first heard about this place during the Foodtopia event in Atlanta, and after I sampled their unusual flavors that night, I was curious to find out what else they had.

Luckily, we were able to squeeze in right before they closed, and I eagerly scanned the flavor list in hopes of finding something new. In addition to some standard fare, they also had one unusual entry: goat cheese and bing cherry. I'd never had goat cheese (or bing cherry, for that matter) in any ice cream, so I ordered a scoop.

If you think goat cheese wouldn't work as an ice cream ingredient, you're wrong. The salty/savory element of the cheese paired well with the vanilla base, and the tartness of the cherries was a great addition as well. The goat cheese wasn't chunky, but actually blended into the base. Really good stuff.

After an exhausting day of sightseeing, it was nice to find a simple dessert that offered something new for me. Asheville has been interesting, but I'll be glad to get home to Atlanta tomorrow.

Day 292

2011-06-03T23:29:00.001-04:00

Gazpacho: Despite having to travel a fair amount when playing music, I rarely get the chance to travel for pleasure, so I was excited when me and the GF finally made plans to visit Asheville, NC this weekend. She actually won the trip a few weeks ago at the Foodtopia event in Atlanta, which was put on by the Asheville Chamber of Commerce (www.foodtopiansociety.com). Based on the creative, interesting food I tasted at the event, I knew I'd find something new this weekend to blog about, but I didn't expect my first night here to lead me to a classic dish I'd never tried.

Our dinner tonight was at the Corner Kitchen near the Biltmore House, which featured plenty of Southern classics as well as some spins on others. I wasn't seeing much on the menu that I'd never tried, but one thing in the starter section caught my eye: gazpacho. I know it may seem crazy that I've never had it, but cold soup never seemed too interesting to me. I decided to change that tonight.

Once our server brought it, my first thought was that it looked like salsa. From what I could tell, it included tomato, green pepper, onion, cilantro, and cucumber. I wasn't exactly sure about the preparation, but the GF told me that it was traditionally made with raw ingredients, which led to the salsa-like appearance. The Corner Kitchen's version was finished with a dollop of cilantro sour cream.

After taking my first bite, my first impression was that it tasted really clean and fresh. It had much more flavor that salsa (not that I ever eat a bowl of salsa by itself), and the texture was more pureed than chunky. Aside from the fresh tomato base, I definitely tasted the cucumbers and cilantro, and there was a peppery bite towards the end that I wasn't expecting. The GF said it tasted "like a garden, but in a good way," which is a pretty accurate description. I'm glad I finally tried it, but it was something that I wouldn't want a large portion of. For a light starter, it wasn't bad at all.

More to come from Asheville tomorrow...

Day 291

2011-06-02T17:39:00.000-04:00

"Ugli" Fruit: Every now and then, I end up buying something that I've passed by several times but never gotten around to trying. This exact occurrence happened during my last trip to the Buford Highway Farmers Market. I'd seen these "Ugli Fruit" things during various trips there, but due to their size/price per pound, I'd never bought one. They looked like a grapefruit gone wrong, with an extremely lumpy, greenish-yellow skin. I had no clue what the inside tasted like, so when I saw these again at the BHFM, I couldn't ignore them any longer. I picked out the smallest one and took it home.

Since I didn't want it to go bad before my trip out of town tomorrow, I decided to try it this afternoon. The whole thing was a little bigger than a grapefruit, and based on it's placement in the citrus section of the market, I chose to slice it down the middle like any other citrus fruit. Much to my surprise, the thick skin gave way to an interior that looked just like a grapefruit, with the segments arranged in a circular fashion. Based on its "ugli" appearance, I expected the inside to look, well, uglier. Oh well.

How did it taste? Actually, the flavor was just like a standard orange, but much juicier. My first attempt to scoop out the insides with a spoon resulted in a direct spray of juice onto my shirt. Once I got the segments out, I ate it like any other citrus fruit. Pretty good, but the rind on these definitely outweighed the edible parts. If you want an orange, just buy oranges and save yourself a bit of money. I'm glad I finally tried, but I doubt I'd buy them again.

Day 290

2011-06-01T16:23:00.000-04:00

"Doughnut" Peach: Mmm...doughnuts. Well, not exactly. Today continues my new produce selections from the Buford Highway Farmers Market, and while this one may not be strange, it was still something I'd never tried before. As someone who grew up in the south, I love peaches. It's really hard to beat a fresh, ripe peach, and those of you who grew up here know exactly what I'm talking about.

I don't have experience with any other types of peach, so when I saw these little "doughnut" peaches at the BHFM, I couldn't resist. They were much smaller than the standard Georgia variety, and they almost looked like normal peaches that had been flattened. Hopefully they tasted as good as what I'm used to, so I took one home to try.

After trying it this afternoon, I don't have much to report. The only real difference I could find was that it was slightly less sweet than a full-size peach. The interior was also much lighter colored than what I'm used to. It had the same velvety skin and texture, but once I ate around the pit, it didn't yield much fruit at all. I like it, but if you want the full-on fresh summer peach experience, it's probably best to buy the full-size variety.

I know Georgia is known as the "peach state," but as a South Carolina resident for most of my life, I grew up hearing that SC actually grows more peaches than GA. Not sure if that's still true - does anyone know?

Day 289

2011-05-31T19:48:00.000-04:00

Thai Banana: In addition to some great packaged foods from various cuisines, I also managed to find some great new produce to take home from the Buford Highway Farmers Market. I hadn't been finding much there over the past few visits, but with the seasons changing, they luckily had some new inventory for me to check out. As I've mentioned before, I love using produce for this blog, since it's a great way for me to find small amounts of food for a super-inexpensive price.

I've tried several types of banana during the course of this blog, but when I saw this Thai variety yesterday, I knew I had to take one home. They were considerably smaller than the standard yellow ones found in most grocery stores, and the skin wasn't nearly as brightly colored.

I figured it would be a good food to pair with breakfast, so I gave it a try this morning. When I peeled the skin, it looked like any other banana on the inside. However, I definitely noticed some differences once I took a bite. The flavor was a bit brighter and tangier than I expected, almost like an under-ripe yellow banana, and the texture was noticeably mushier. Not like a over-ripe one - it still had some firmness. Really tasty, and I quickly devoured the whole thing in 2 or 3 bites. If you like bananas at all (or don't always want the bigger size), give these a shot if you see them.

Day 288

2011-05-30T17:27:00.000-04:00

Vanilla Pastille "Lyanezh": I was in dire need of new foods today, so I headed down to the Buford Highway Farmers Market for a bit of shopping. I wanted to go there to search for squash blossoms (me and the GF were going to attempt a recipe), but I quickly struck out on those. I obviously couldn't leave without doing some more shopping, so I made the rounds and went through all my favorite sections.

I've had plenty of good luck in the Eastern European aisles, and they always have a sale section going with some great buys. Luckily, there was a small sample of something there called "lyanezh," and from what I could tell, it looked like some sort of candy. As with most Eastern European foods, there wasn't a lot of English written on the packaging, but the label on the back described it as "vanilla pastille with pieces of candy." It was made from sugar, syrup, water, apple puree, egg powder, agar, and various fruit flavors.

I love it when I can sample something for free and not have to buy, so I gave this one a shot. It reminded me of firmer, grittier cake icing, with chunks of jellybean-like gummi candy mixed throughout. It had an overall fruity taste, and based on the ingredients, I wasn't surprised by it's syrupy sweetness. Not something I'd want to eat a lot of, but I've never tasted anything before that I'd compare it to directly.

I managed to also find a lot of other great foods that I had to actually pay for. Too bad you can't sample everything in the store.

Day 287

2011-05-29T20:57:00.000-04:00

Swad Brand Patra: Today's new food is the last of my haul from Patel Brothers in Decatur, and to be honest, I wasn't exactly looking forward to it tonight. I neglected doing my daily post until tonight (after dinner away from home), and opening up a can of new food when I wasn't at all hungry didn't sound exciting at all. However, the blog must go on, so I came home and gave this "patra" a try. The can described the contents as "curried vegetable rolls." and as with most Indian foods, the results are never exactly what I expect.

The main ingredient for this one was something called "colocasia leaves." That was something I'd never heard of, so I did a bit of research. Apparently, colocasia is an herbaceous plant that's also sometimes called "elephant's ear" due to its large leaves. The root is used to make poi (the Hawaiian dish), but this dish only used the leaves. It also included gram flour (another Indian staple), palm sugar, chili, salt, ginger, coconut, and several other spices.

As instructed by the can, I emptied the contents, then cut off a thin slice to lightly pan-fry in a bit of oil. I gave it a couple minutes of heat on each side, then plated. Based on the appearance, I wasn't really sure what this would be like, but it was actually really tasty. The gram flour portion almost had the texture of firm polenta, and the pre-cooked colocasia leaves provided a nice contrast to the starch. As with many Indian dishes, this one definitely had some heat and sweetness, but I can't wait to eat the rest of this as a side with my next dinner - it was great. If only I'd been hungrier tonight!

Day 286

2011-05-28T20:41:00.000-04:00

Swad Brand Khaman Dhokla: I desperately needed a appetizer to hold me over until dinner was ready tonight, so I got this "Khaman Dhokla" frozen dish out of the freezer. I had purchased this one during my trip to Patel Brothers a few days ago, and judging by the amount of these in stock at the time, it was a popular dish. I've enjoyed discovering Indian/Pakistani dishes, even in pre-prepared versions. They usually offer a lot of flavor, despite the absence of meat. This one almost looked like a dessert, but the packaging promised it to be an "all-time favorite savory of Gujarat, made with chickpea flour."

The contents were packaged in a plastic microwavable tray, but since I didn't want to cook the whole thing at once, I popped the frozen square out of the tray and cut off a small piece to microwave. The ingredients consisted of water, chickpea flour, palm oil, and quite a few herbs/spices (cilantro, coconut, green chili, mustard seed, curry leaves, chili powder, turmeric). Based on the appearance, I really had no idea what this one was going to taste like.

After about a minute, it was ready. Much to my surprise, it looked just like yellow cake after it was heated. The texture was strangely just like sponge cake, with a hint of sweetness that was almost dessert-like. It melted in my mouth after a few chews, but I was left with a spicy, peppery aftertaste that I wasn't expecting. I should expect heat with Indian cuisine by now, but the texture of this one made me think I might encounter something else. Even though it was a surprise on several levels, I definitely enjoyed it. I'm glad I did, since I ended up taking home 2 of them (they were buy one, get one free).

I might end up using the rest of this as a side for dinner this week, but for now, I'll probably eat the rest on its own. Good stuff.

Day 285

2011-05-27T18:40:00.000-04:00

"Hippo" Baked Snack: As my readers probably know by now, I can't resist trying imported snack foods. Aside from usually being affordable, they tend to offer an easy glimpse into how other countries view snacking options. With that in mind, I managed to find quite a few great new snacks at Patel Brothers earlier this week. I've already tried some interesting stuff from there, and I was equally curious about these "Hippo" snacks I found. The "Chinese Manchurian" flavor was what really got me - what was that about?

I decided to try these as a pre-dinner snack tonight. I wasn't sure what the "Chinese Manchurian" seasoning was, but the ingredients had a list of chemicals and preservatives a mile long. Oh well, at least they were baked. So much for healthy eating this week.

I opened the bag and took a look. Each piece looked like a cross between a puffed-up crouton and potato chip. After trying, the flavor reminded me more of spicier sour cream and onion potato chips than anything Chinese (or Manchurian). Despite being a product of India, I didn't detect any of the typical Indian spices. Nothing too ground-breaking, but I managed to eat about half the bag in one sitting. I was obviously hungry.

The bag also included a statement from the "hippo": "Hippo love Chinese Manchurian. Hippo think Bruce Lee foolish. But Hippo smart to make Hippo Brand Chinese Manchurian munchies. They little tangy and have Chinese spices. Look, Hippo have both munch and punch." Umm...ok.

Day 284

2011-05-26T17:22:00.000-04:00

Swad Brand Bhel Puri: Even after eating almost 300 days in a row of new food, I still get a thrill when something surprises me, and that was definitely the case with today's entry. I'd never seen anything quite like this bhel puri snack cup thing (another purchase from Patel Brothers in Decatur), and I was eager to give it a try today. From what I could tell, it involved mixing dry and wet ingredients in the cup to create an on-the-go snack option, but this was much different from the canned tuna/mayo/crackers option most of us are used to.

Once I opened the lid, I found 2 sealed plastic bags. One contained the "bhel mix" dry ingredients (puffed rice, gram flour, bengal gram lentil, and some spices), while the other contained the "3 in 1 chutney" (water, sugar, dates, and a ton of Indian spices). There was also a plastic spoon/napkin included, but I opted for a real spoon.

As instructed on the package, I poured the dry contents into the cup, then mixed that with the chutney. I have to admit that the concoction didn't smell good at first - kind of a sulfur-y, hard boiled egg odor that wasn't at all appetizing. It didn't look appealing either, but that's often the case with a lot of things I've tried. I never let things like that stop me, so I dove in.

Fortunately, it tasted much better than it smelled/looked. The puffed rice crackled just like Rice Krispies, and the sweet, spicy chutney actually tasted pretty good mixed with the crunchy elements. In addition to the puffed rice and dried lentils, I also spotted some circular discs that looked like Town House crackers. I should add that this stuff had some significant heat, and I had to grab some water to cool down after only a couple bites. Overall, I liked it, and I can see why this would be a popular portable snack.

More of my finds from Patel Brothers to come over the next few days - hope you guys like Indian!

Day 283

2011-05-25T17:00:00.000-04:00

"Kurkure" Snack: Today's new food is another find from yesterday's visit to Patel Brothers Market in Decatur. I managed to find several great items there that I'd never seen anywhere else, and the only thing that kept me from buying more was the high price of some of the imported goods. I've noticed that while some imported foods are affordable (Japan, China, Eastern Europe), others can be fairly exorbitant (Britain, India, Jamaica). Luckily, I managed to keep my costs low at Patel Brothers, and these interesting "Kurkure" snacks were a great example of that.

I've found that every culture has their own version of the ubiquitous corn-based snack chip. Some are fairly unusual compared to their American counterparts, so when I saw these Kurkure chips (strangely, made by PepsiCo of India), described as "green chutney rajasthani style," I knew I had to try them. There were several other flavors available, but these sounded the most interesting to me.

When I opened the bag today, I was immediately reminded again of Cheetos - not the puffed ones, but the skinny regular variety. That's where the comparisons ended, though. According to the ingredients, they were flavored with chili, garlic, and onion powders, as well as coriander, ginger, and tamarind. The texture was crunchy and Cheeto-y, but I was immediately hit with a decent dose of heat that made me sweat a little. There was also a lemony tang that I couldn't identify. Overall, I really enjoyed these. If you'd like your corn chip snack to have a serious kick, check these out.

The back of the bag also suggested recipes that could be made using these, which all reminded me of something a stoned college student might create. In the mood for an elaborate "ice cream cone" featuring boiled potatoes, coriander, chili powder, chaat masala, and these chips? Kurkure has you covered.

Day 282

2011-05-24T21:14:00.000-04:00

Mango Hot Pickle: As this blog winds down into the last quarter, it's been really difficult for me to find new places to shop, even in a town as culturally diverse as Atlanta. I've found myself hitting the same markets over and over again, and even though they always yield something, some of them just aren't as exciting as they used to be. I knew that could be one downside of doing this, but unfortunately, there isn't much I can do about it.

While brainstorming for a new place to shop today, I remembered a place that my uncle who lives near Decatur told me about. I wasn't sure of the name or exact location, but he described it as an Indo-Pak grocery store right off Highway 78 near Lawrenceville Highway. I figured it couldn't hurt to go look, so I jumped in the car and found it pretty easily: it was Patel Brothers Market.

I managed to find a lot of great new foods (more of those to come over the next few days), but I noticed something interesting right near the entrance: a self-serve pickle bar. These definitely weren't your standard kosher dills or bread and butters, and if you've never had Indian-style pickled foods, they're much different that their American counterparts. The bar featured several different styles, but I opted for a bit of the hot mango pickle.

Since each item didn't have ingredients listed, I chose to dive straight into these tonight with no research. I could smell the heat from these as soon as I took the lid off, and the pieces of mango (with skin on) were cut into thin strips. Speaking of the smell, it also had the same sweet undertone of the eggplant relish I tried a few months back. My first bite tasted much different than I expected - the mango pieces were more bitter than sweet, and I detected a few of the traditional Indian spices (turmeric, fenugreek seeds, chili powder, etc.). The heat factor wasn't too bad, but the combination of sweet/hot/bitter wasn't at all what I was expecting. Not bad, but I suspect this may taste better as a condiment.

Despite these not being what I'm used to when referencing pickles, I enjoyed these. Stay tuned over the next few days for more new foods from Patel Brothers...

Day 281

2011-05-23T17:17:00.000-04:00

Deutsche Kuche Peanut Puffs: One thing I've tried to do during the course of this blog is listen to suggestions from friends and readers, and I'm always happy when someone else leads me to an interesting new food. As great as suggestions are, it's even better when someone actually supplies me with food, and that's exactly what happened this past weekend. One of my readers recently contacted me and said that she had a couple of items set aside for me to try. I couldn't say no to that, so I made arrangements to pick them up and was pleasantly surprised with the results.

In addition to some vegan jerky (which I've unfortunately already tried and written about), there was also a bag of something called "peanut puffs." They were described as a "crunchy corn snack with freshly ground peanuts," and the picture on the bag made each piece kind of resemble an actual peanut. Based on that information, I expected these to be filled with some sort of peanut substance, but I was wrong.

After opening the bag today, I noticed that these looked a lot like Cheetos, but more brown instead of orange. I have to admit that they were really good - imagine a peanut flavored Cheeto, and you have a pretty good idea of what these are about. They weren't sweet at all, but they were still super addictive. I managed to knock out several handfuls before putting them away. Oh, and they also tasted pretty awesome dipped in Nutella.

Thanks so much to Terry for introducing these to me, and if I ever see them again (apparently Aldi distributes them), I'm definitely buying more.

Day 280

2011-05-22T21:35:00.000-04:00

Cheese "Saganaki": Today's new food comes courtesy of Kyma, the Greek restaurant that's part of the Buckhead Life Group. I've always had pretty good food from their locations, and a couple days ago, me and the GF discovered that Kyma does a special $7 appetizer menu on Sundays. We'd eaten there about a year ago and enjoyed it, so we decided to head back tonight. I hadn't had any new foods planned for today, so I hoped they had something that would count.

Once we were seated, I perused the menu and found something I'd definitely never tried: cheese "saganaki." The GF said that it was basically pan-fried Greek cheese, and Kyma's version was made with kefalograviera (a hard sheep's milk cheese) as well as barbayanni ouzo (a Greek liqueur). Apparently, the dish is sometimes ignited tableside to burn off the ouzo, but this one was served sans flames. I figured it was going to be tasty - how could fried cheese ever be bad?

Once the dish was served, I cut off a small wedge and tried. The whole piece was fairly thin, and despite being piping hot, it was wasn't as gooey as I expected it to be. The liquid in the bottom seemed to be a mix of ouzo, lemon juice, and olive oil, so I placed my wedge of cheese on a piece of pita, then soaked up some of the liquid. It was really good - the cheese retained a good bit of firmness and crunch after the pan-frying, and the lemony, oily mix in the bottom of the dish added a lot of flavor. We finished it quickly, and luckily it wasn't too heavy to keep us from enjoying the rest of our meal.

If you love fried cheese with a Greek spin, make sure to try this dish.

Day 279

2011-05-21T13:48:00.000-04:00

General Tso's Mock Chicken: While doing some errands yesterday, I decided to swing by the Whole Foods on Ponce again since I was in the neighborhood. I really haven't been feeling like shopping lately, and even though WF has been fairly useless for me lately, I figured it couldn't hurt to try. I've given up on their regular inventory, but I can sometimes find a surprise in the hot bar or produce sections.

My first stop was the hot bar, and I instantly spied something that filled me with skepticism. Before I go any further, let me say that General Tso's chicken is one of my all time favorite dishes. Some foodies may laugh and dismiss it as a guilty pleasure, but there's no guilt on my end about loving it. I order it every time I get Chinese takeout, and it would undoubtedly be on my "death row" meal short list.

Anyway, that brings me to my discovery at WF. The hot bar was serving something called "General Tso's Mock Chicken." Hmm, ok. How did this obviously vegetarian version compare to the classic I love? The "chicken," which was made from a mix of soy protein and something called "soy fiber," consisted of square cubes that resembled tofu. I also spotted some peppers and onions swimming in the sauce, which looked nothing like any General Tso's dish I've had. Even though I knew it couldn't be as good, I got a sample cup and took some home.

I knew this stuff would probably taste worse the longer it sat, so I heated the sample up with my lunch this afternoon. I tried the "chicken" first, and it had the texture/flavor of extremely firm tofu. Unfortunately, it wasn't fried, and in my opinion, they shouldn't be calling it General Tso's unless it's fried. The sauce resembled sweet and sour instead of General Tso's, and the sauteed peppers/onions seemed out of place and unnecessary. If you hadn't told me that this was a riff on General Tso's, I would have never known. Definitely one of the more disappointing new foods I've tried.

From now on, I'll stick to the real thing. General Tso, I'm sorry I betrayed you.

Day 278

2011-05-20T21:57:00.000-04:00

Scotch Egg: Even though I was out of new food today, I just wasn't in the mood to do any shopping. The pressure to shop for new food is one element of this blog that I definitely will not miss once it's over. Anyway, with that in mind, me and the GF decided to hit H. Harper Station on Memorial Drive for dinner. We'd been before and really enjoyed it, and based on their online sample menu, I knew they'd probably have something that would be new to me.

Once we got there, I was glad to see that tonight's menu featured something that was mentioned on the sample: the scotch egg. I'd heard of this delicacy before, but I wasn't even sure if it actually involved egg as an ingredient. When the GF informed me that it was basically a hard-boiled egg surrounded by a ground sausage shell, I was in. Oh, did I mention it was also deep-fried?

H. Harper Station's version featured house-ground sausage covering the egg, with grilled asparagus and remoulade on the side. The "egg" was a bit bigger than a tennis ball, and it resembled a large croquette or arancini. Once we cut it in half, the real magic happened. The center of the egg was still runny, which my readers probably know is one of my favorite things in the world. Almost anything can be made better with a runny egg, so I was super excited about trying this one.

Honestly, this was one of the best dishes I've tried in awhile. The fried ground sausage exterior had a salty crunch that was irresistible, and combined with the soft egg interior, it was an awesome flavor/texture combination. The slightly spicy remoulade was the perfect condiment for the sausage and egg, and I eagerly devoured my portion quickly. Really good stuff.

I'm glad I finally got the chance to try a scotch egg - now I have a new favorite dish. The rest of our meal was great as well, so if you haven't been to H. Harper Station, check it out.

Day 277

2011-05-19T18:01:00.000-04:00

Black Mission Fig: Today's new food was a surprise find from my visit to the Whole Foods in Buckhead last night. I had a gig to play a few blocks away, so despite not finding much at the Ponce location yesterday afternoon, I decided to check out the Buckhead location in hopes that they might have something different. While much of the stock was the same (even though the store is much larger), I did manage to find something new in the bulk dried fruits/nuts/grains section: black mission figs. I've had figs as an ingredient, but usually as a paste or puree, never whole. I like them in general, so I was curious to find out what these tasted like.

These figs had obviously been dried, and they looked similar to dates or large raisins. After biting into one this afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised. The flavor was fairly sweet, much like a raisin, and the interior was slightly mushy, but filled with tiny little seeds that provided a nice crunch. If you like raisins, these black mission figs could be a great new snack option, but definitely more decadent at $5.99/lb. Luckily, WF let me take a few of these as a free sample.

In case you were wondering where these originated, Wikipedia states that they were introduced to the US when Franciscan missionaries planted them in what is now San Diego back in 1768. It's now the main commercial variety planted throughout California. Wow, these things have some history...

Day 276

2011-05-18T16:33:00.000-04:00

Whole Grain Barley: Now that things are sort of winding down with the blog (only 3 months to go!), I'm finding that it's getting even more difficult to find new foods. Places like the Buford Highway Farmers Market used to leave me in amazement; now, they just aren't that exciting anymore. I really hoped that when I started, searching for and eating new foods wouldn't become a chore. However, when you're doing something every single day, it's inevitably going to be a chore sometimes.

That brings me to today's new food. I stopped by the Whole Foods on Ponce this afternoon to see if I could scrounge up something new, but didn't have very good luck. As nice as some of their selections are, I've found that they basically just sell expensive versions of foods normal grocery stores sell. I've had the best luck with their hot bar (and its free samples), but the rest of the store doesn't really offer me much of anything. At this point, I've eaten all the new hot bar foods, but today I saw something that I'd never tried on its own: whole grain barley. It didn't look that appetizing, but I was desperate. I grabbed a sample cup, then made a hasty retreat.

I'd never eaten whole grain barley in it's pure form, and WF's version appeared to be pre-cooked then served warm on the hot bar. It reminded me of some of the other grains I'd tried (quinoa, wheatberry, etc), and each nugget had a brownish color. After getting the sample home, I reheated it for a few seconds, then gave it a try. It really had no flavor at all, and I can't understand why WF would push this as a "side" since it tasted like, well, nothing. The texture was slightly chewy and nutty, and while I'm sure this is a healthy ingredient, I can't see eating it alone. Maybe it's better mixed into something else, but I wouldn't choose it as a hot bar option when there's mac and cheese right next to it.

I'll stick to consuming my barley mixed with hops, yeast and water for now.

Day 275

2011-05-17T20:56:00.001-04:00

Mixed Congee with Black Glutinous Rice and Job's Tears: Today brings me to my final find from last week's trip to the Fiesta Farmers Market on Buford Highway. I managed to locate some interesting new foods there, but honestly, none of them really blew me away. That wasn't the market's (or the food's) fault - I just happened to pick some things that I didn't really know what to do with.

I know my faithful readers will probably remember my experience with congee from the first couple weeks of the blog. However, this one I found at the market looked to be extremely different from the version I tasted in Las Vegas. When I saw this canned congee made with black glutinous rice, I knew I had to try it. It also contained something called "Job's Tears," which left me completely mystified. I had no clue what those were, but it's my job to discover these things.

I cracked open the pull-top can tonight before dinner, and the dark, gelatinous-looking contents reminded me of runny instant oatmeal. Not so good. The congee (served hot) that I tried in Vegas looked more like rice pudding, so I was curious to find out how this one compared. There were no instructions on the can regarding heating, so I gave it a go at room temperature.

How was it? Well, the results weren't what I expected. The flavor and texture reminded me of slightly sweet, runny oatmeal, just like the appearance. While the congee I tried in Vegas was more savory, this one seemed more suited to breakfast than lunch or dinner. Other than the black glutinous rice, it also contained oats, cereals, peanuts, and lentils. Oh, and the "Job's Tears?" According to Wikipedia, they're a grain from a tropical plant from the grass family that's reminiscent of cereal or barley.

Not sure I'd try this one again, but I'm definitely glad I got the chance to compare two styles of congee. I'm not even sure if I was supposed to eat this one hot or cold, so if anyone knows, please tell me.

Day 274

2011-05-16T20:37:00.000-04:00

D'Gari "Sherry" Gelatin Dessert: When I saw this package of dessert mix at the Fiesta Farmers Market a few days ago, I wasn't sure what to think. I knew this would probably be like any other gelatin or Jell-O I've tried, but one thing was definitely different: the "sherry" flavor description. The box that the individual packages of powder came in prominently featured a glass of wine on the front - was this really wine-flavored gelatin? There was only one way to find out.

I decided to try this one for dessert tonight, and preparation for this supposedly booze-flavored gelatin was easy. I mixed the powder with boiling water, then simmered for a couple minutes until dissolved. After a couple hours of refrigeration, it was ready to eat.

The final product looked like, well, Jell-O, and the color was deep red. I spooned a sampling out of the bowl and took a bite, and I was really hoping for something new and different. No such luck - the flavor was kind of a strawberry/cherry/grape blend that didn't taste like sherry at all. I let the GF try it, and she thought it tasted more like grape than anything else. I don't really know what I was expecting with this, but standard fruit flavor wasn't it. Oh well, now I need to buy some Reddi-Wip to finish the rest of with.

As I finished writing this entry, I realized that I tried two jelly/gelatin products in a row. However, I can definitely say that today's jelly was much better than yesterday's grass version.

Day 273

2011-05-15T20:35:00.000-04:00

Grass Jelly: Today's new food find is another selection from my trip to the Fiesta Farmers Market on Buford Highway. While their inventory wasn't nearly as extensive as the Buford Highway Farmers Market's, I did manage to find a few interesting things that I'd never seen before. While browsing their Asian canned foods, I saw this can of "grass jelly." I can't say that it looked very appetizing, but it seemed to be a popular product, and the market also sold several other items (mostly drinks) that featured it as an ingredient. I have a hard time saying no to things I can't identify at all, so I grabbed one of the cans to take home.

When I decided to give it a try tonight, I really had no idea where to start. Was this supposed to be served as a side? A dessert? Rather than research it first, I opted to open the can and try it by itself. Once I got the lid off, I was confronted with a dark (almost black), gelatinous substance that was hard to imagine eating. I turned the can upside down and dumped the contents into a bowl, and the can-shaped mold reminded me of the ubiquitous cranberry sauce that a lot of families use at Thanksgiving. I can't say I was excited about trying this, but I grabbed a spoon and dove in.

My first bite was, well, underwhelming but interesting. It really didn't taste like anything at all, to be honest. The texture was just like Jell-O, but the only flavor was a faint grassy, plastic-like aftertaste that kept me from wanting any more. I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to eat this stuff by itself, and after doing some research, I discovered that no one really does. Oops.

According to Wikipedia, grass jelly is used as an ingredient in many Asian desserts. It's made from boiling the stalks and leaves of mesona chinensis (a relative of the mint plant) with starch, then cooling the liquid into a gelatin. A common practice is to mix the jelly with syrup or sugar to produce a sweet drink, so maybe I'll try that with the rest of what I have. I don't recommend trying this one on its own.

Day 272

2011-05-14T16:33:00.001-04:00

Kimbo Rice Ball with Peanuts: One of the hardest things about keeping this blog going is finding new places to shop. Due to time and financial constraints, I tend to hit a lot of the same places repeatedly, so that's why I was glad to recently discover a new market: the Fiesta Farmers Market, located in the Plaza Fiesta on Buford Highway. Some of you may remember its previous incarnation as the Atlanta Farmers Market, but it's been re-opened with plenty of interesting stuff on the shelves.

While I was browsing the frozen section yesterday, I noticed these unusual Kimbo "rice balls" filled with various ingredients. They definitely looked interesting enough for me to try, so I opted for the "peanut" version, whatever that meant. The preparation sounded simple enough: boil for 3 minutes, then eat. Done.

I gave these a try today as an afternoon snack, and the results were pretty surprising. Ingredient-wise, there really wasn't much to these, just glutinous rice flour, water, sugar, palm oil, peanuts, and sesame. I dropped a couple of them in boiling water for a few minutes, then plated and cut one open. The gelatinous, mushy exterior gave way to a runny center that looked like melted chunky peanut butter. The "rice ball" casing didn't have much flavor, but the filling tasted just like peanut butter. Pretty good! I don't know if these are meant to be eaten as a dessert, but I'm thinking of adding some sort of dessert-type sauce to them next time around. Maybe chocolate syrup or something fruity?

Day 271

2011-05-13T17:46:00.000-04:00

Banh Tam (Steamed Yuca Cake): Thankfully, Blogger is back up and running again today, so hopefully there won't be any more delays in my postings. Anyway, since I was in need of some new foods today, I ventured down to Buford Highway in search of some new markets. I did find one new place to shop (more on that tomorrow), but I managed to hit at Lee's Bakery beforehand. I've been to Lee's several times now, and I couldn't resist their killer banh mi sandwich for lunch today. However, my new food for the day concerns a different kind of banh.

In addition to some great Vietnamese eats made in-house, Lee's also has a pre-packaged counter that features several goods from different vendors. I've had good luck with their selections from the Viet My Bakery, and I happened to find something else from them today that interested me. It was called banh tam, and from a distance, it looked like little colorful straws. The label described it as steamed yuca (cassava) cake, and based on the ingredients (water, tapioca starch, yuca, sugar, coconut powder, etc.), I knew it was going to be a bit sweet.

After I got home today, I gave them a try. The texture was like a much softer, gelatinous gummi worm, but not at all sour. There was a slight hint of sesame and coconut, and the whole package was lightly sprinkled with sesame seeds. Not bad as a light snack or dessert, and I ate a few of them before giving up. Incidentally, I let the GF try these, and she didn't care for them at all - she wasn't a fan of the texture. She assumed they'd taste like something else, which I can understand. That's often the case with Vietnamese desserts, but I actually liked these.

Day 270

2011-05-13T13:22:00.001-04:00

Gits Vermicelli Kheer: First of all, let me preface this post by stating that I did NOT forget to eat and post my new food yesterday. The Blogger site was down for most of the day (and past midnight); therefore, I couldn't post. I never thought that technology would trip me up with this project, but hey, there's nothing I could do. Here's what I ate and wrote about yesterday:

After finding some really good instant Indian food mixes at the Buford Highway Farmers Market during my last visit, I was excited to try the last one I had left. Apparently dessert options are quite popular with Indian cuisine, and as I've mentioned before, they're usually much less sweet than what we're used to in the States. This "kheer," made by the Gits company, looked like it was going to be interesting. It seemed to be some sort of dessert soup, and the preparation simply consisted of pouring the powdered mix into a couple cups of milk, then simmering for 15 minutes. Easy enough.

I knew I had dinner plans tonight away from home, so I decided to go ahead and make this kheer mix for later enjoyment. In addition to the cardamom and saffron that are ever-present in Indian sweets, the mix also contained sugar, vermicelli, raisins, milk solids, starch, almonds, and pistachios. The package advised eating it hot or cold, but since I already made one cold Indian dessert this week, I opted for the hot version. Once mixed in with milk, all it took was a few minutes of simmering to be ready.

I spooned a bit of the kheer into my bowl, then gave it a try. Honestly, I liked this much better than the halwa dessert I tried earlier this week. The creamy texture was much lighter than any pudding or oatmeal, and the mix of cardamom, saffron and sugar offered a nice contrast to the raisins and almonds. The tiny bits of vermicelli added some weight to the dish, and despite its sweetness, I could have easily eaten more. Maybe I'll try eating it cold tomorrow to see how that compares.

Day 269

2011-05-11T16:54:00.000-04:00

"Roll" Coconut Pandan Flavour Cake: Based on the name alone, today's new food selection didn't excite me too much. How good could something be that was just called "Roll?" This one was given to me by my dad, who got it from a co-worker from China. I'm always excited when other people give me food to try, but this one didn't look like it was going to offer much. The label described it as a "coconut pandan flavour cake," and the picture reminded me of a rolled-up Twinkie.

I figured this one wouldn't hurt as an afternoon snack for today, so I gave it a shot. After unwrapping, the "roll" looked exactly like the picture on the bag. From what I could tell, it was just yellow sponge cake rolled up around some sort of creamy (maybe coconut-flavored?) center. My first bite confirmed those predictions, but I noticed one difference: the creamy center tasted like strawberry, not coconut. There was actually no coconut taste whatsoever, which goes to prove that you can't always trust labels. It was tasty, but no different than any Little Debbie cake I've had.

Perhaps the most memorable part of this experience was the label's claim that the product was "bird flu/avian influenza FREE." Good to know!

Day 268

2011-05-10T16:43:00.002-04:00

Palak Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese w/Spinach): Today's new food is another find from the Buford Highway Farmers Market's Indian aisle. I was lucky enough to find several great pre-prepared dishes there, and even though they may or may not be super-authentic, they've at least allowed me to try some new foods without investing in a full-on restaurant meal. I'm going to do that sometime soon (I promise), but for now, these will work.

This selection from Kohinoor was called palak paneer, or cottage cheese with spinach. I've really enjoyed all the Indian food I've tried so far, despite all of what I've tried being vegetarian. I'm usually not too big of a fan of vegetarian cuisine, but Indian dishes make up for the lack of meat with a lot of flavor and spice. Oh, and the ghee (clarified butter) doesn't hurt, either. The package suggested serving it with rice or naan, so I opted for a piece of the Trader Joe's tandoori naan I had stashed in the freezer.

When I opened the package, it didn't look appetizing at all. It reminded me more of the gunk I pull out of my shower drain than something I would eat, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. I've eaten crickets, lamb heart, and durian, so how bad could this be?

After heating, I served the mixture in a bowl with my naan as a dipping implement, then went to work. The flavor was reminiscent of pureed creamed spinach, but much more flavorful. A lot of the traditional Indian spices were present (garam masala, coriander, fenugreek, cumin), but it wasn't nearly as spicy as some of the other Indian dishes I've tried. The cottage cheese cubes were a dead ringer for soft tofu - in a blind taste test, I wouldn't have known the difference.

Pretty good, but not quite as tasty as some of the curries and masala dishes I've tried. Oh, and this whole package allegedly contained 3 servings, but I scarfed down most of it in one sitting. Given the calorie count, it wasn't exactly healthy eating. Oh well.

Day 267

2011-05-09T16:21:00.000-04:00

Gits Bombay Halwa Mix: Remember how I recently talked about how difficult it was becoming for me to find new foods, even in places as diverse as the Buford Highway Farmers Market? Well, luckily, I found a new place to look in the BHFM that has supplied me with a whole new resource. I tend to pull from the Asian sections there since I like the food so much, but on my last visit, I stumbled on the Indian aisle and was extremely surprised. Despite having tried a few Indian dishes here and there, I know very little about Indian cuisine.

In addition to lots of snacks, sauces, and spices, the aisle also had a section featuring some inexpensive powdered mixes made by the Gits company. A lot of these were desserts (which I always love), so I picked out a couple and took them home. I've found that Indian desserts are much less sweet than what I'm used to, so I was curious to find out how this one compared. I wasn't sure what "halwa" was, but the picture on the box reminded me of Jell-O.

According to the label, this "famous souffle" had a "satiating characteristic that makes it a favorite for weight-watchers." The only ingredients were sugar, agar-agar (a gelatin thickening agent), skim milk powder, almonds, pista, cardamom and saffron. Preparation was easy (mix w/milk, boil, then pour in dish to set), so I decided to give it a try this afternoon as a snack.

Once the mixture set, I cut a piece from the pan to try. It definitely had a Jell-O like texture, but I knew it wouldn't taste like the stuff I grew up eating in my grandmother's Jell-O salads. The taste was interesting - kind of like a creamy gelatin, but with a tasty dose of cardamom and saffron. Not bad, and I can see how this would be a great dessert for "weight watchers," as the package states. Other than milk and a bit of sugar, there isn't much else to it.

Look for more new Indian treats to come in the next few days. I'm really looking forward to trying them after discovering this one.