Monday, November 23, 2009

overheard at the manor

Hey, Honey, did you eat any good food on your trip?

Well, I had some goat head in Abu Dhabi. They tore it open in
front of me and tossed the tongue on my plate, since I was the
guest of honor.

Oh, yuk! What did it taste like?

Chicken.

64 comments:

  1. At least he did not eat monkey's brains. They say it's a delicacy in China. They never specify whether the monkey is still alive or not.

    Fun post.


    Greetings from London.

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  2. You'd think that if it tastes just like chicken they would just keep chickens - it would be a lot easier than all those goats.

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  3. Thank you for the hospitality, but I'm no longer hungry.

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  4. At first I thought it was horse. Not sure if goat is a relief! I will NOT be clicking on that photo to enlarge.

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  5. Guest of Honor?...I think I would be quickly explaining how I was a VEGAN! Not gonna eat that, no way, no time, no place...just SHOOT ME!!!

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  6. Alan has an excellent point about chickens.

    This is almost enough to turn me into a vegan....Oh my.....

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  7. Wow.
    I'd hate to be the non honored guest.

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  8. Heh, heh! I used to see a lot of stuff like that in the old days at Lexington Market in downtown Baltimore. But it wasn't goats; being a market made up mostly of German farmers from Baltimore County north of the city, any animal parts you were likely to see would be those of pigs, with bovine products coming in a close second. Meat displays full of tripes, brains, feet, and yes, even the storied boar's head, were all par for the course. And sauages, and pickles (including pickled pig's feet and, believe it or not, pickled green tomatoes and pickled eggs). You have to find yourself a genuine German/Middle European farmers market to get the experience!

    Oh, and btw, that wasn't French on my daily hat portrait, that was Italian. Translation would be: "Lissen up! I'm gonna make you an offer you can't refuse."

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  9. the pic speaks volumes! i'd probably try it though...i had king cobra once...that was pretty good, a little chewy...they gave us tongue on a field trip in elementary school...not bad...but i wonder if it was on teh persmission slip. smiles.

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  10. French or Italian, Roy, it was all Greek to me! (usually I can recognize a language, but in all honesty, I didn't pay much attention to the text, I was giggling so hard!)

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  11. The visual is enough for me. I'd have to stop there.

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  12. Hmmmm....dont you know I'm eating my Cheerios right now? hee!

    I'm with Oh My Goddess....wonder what the non-honored guest gets on his plate! ha!

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  13. willow, I'd be a little more worried about what's next to the sheep's head in the top photo.

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  14. I have to admit that people in other countries sure eat some strange things.. I loved everything I saw and did in Japan--except for some of the foods-- some very strange foods there for sure :-)

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  15. Gads, I say gads! Through my many travels I thought I might have seen it all ~ not so sure any more.

    The happiest of Thanksgivings to you and everyone you love.

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  16. one word.. ewwwwwwwwwwwww

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  17. I prefer not to have to look my dinner in the eye.

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  18. Never, never, never, ever! No offal for me. In fact, I have decided not to travel to any countries that don't treat their animals well. Okay, I live in America. Guess it's good that I live far and away on my Peaceable Hill Farm (and I don't eat any of my animals).

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  19. Oh nice, goat with a side of turd and puree of yam?

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  20. Oh gack! I could have gone all day without seeing that, Willow!

    LMAO!

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  21. Hahahaha - Oh my god. That's terrifying! How could anyone eat that!? That's thoroughly disturbed me and shook my day! ;)

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  22. Ugh. And those staring eye balls!

    Sigmund has had to eat all sorts of challenging meals in the spirit of gracious and honored guest. I think that Mexico City may have provided some low points, actually.

    (Did it REALLY taste like chicken, or was this just a joke that WT couldn't resist?)

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  23. Gosh that photo was a bit of a shock!
    I once ate delicious "beef" in Khazakstan, only to find out on asking that it was "mare" - the moral is - don't ask.

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  24. well there is one i never heard of....are those sausages on the side...wonder what they were made of? Don't ask I think....

    Kary

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  25. And you were lovely and diplomatic about accepting the honor, I'm sure -- part of the joys of travel!

    Kudos to you!

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  26. LOL you are going to give me a heart attack!

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  27. "I'll have a goat's head please, Mister Butcher, and leave the eyes in, they'll have to see me through the week."

    I'm terribly sorry. I'm getting into practice for the pantomime seson.

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  28. Actually, that looks just like one of our norwegian specialities, "Smalahove"! It must be it with that sausage "Vossakorv" and the mashed suede and carrot.

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  29. Reminds me of when my mother was the guest if honour under a tent in the Omani desert. Before she could do anything the host had popped the sheep's eye into her mouth! She HAD to swallow it and keep it down! To refuse is an insult.

    When I lived in the Middle East I tried to avoid gatherings in tents in the deserts because I knew what could happen!!!

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  30. Okay, now I'm really focusing on going veggie...

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  31. Well, that looks appetizing! I would stick to your short ribs!

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  32. hee. I understand even human flesh tastes like chicken adn is easy to digest as well! Um, yeah...I won't be rushing out to get either of these.

    You know, Alan above brings up a very good point actually! but, hey i just thought of something--you can't get milk from a chicken!!

    Less honoured guests get the artificial goat stuff--chicken!!

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  33. Oh, I'm so glad I stopped by before bedtime. This is for sure going to give me nightmares!

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  34. NO! NO! NO!
    I just cannot stomach it!
    Absolutely no!!!!

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  35. Well, that didn't horrify me. I eat all sorts of wierd things!

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  36. No words other than Good God.

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  37. Did I detect a modicum of gay abandon in the phrase they tossed the tongue on to my plate?

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  38. i eat my peas with honey
    i've done so all me life
    it makes the peas taste funny
    but it keeps em on my knife.

    i'd rather eat peas with honey
    than nibble a goat's tastebuds

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  39. I'm with Mersi, and will be having tofu please!

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  40. hurry with the next next please...I have this image burned into my psyche! -J

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  41. Can you be a vegetarian at these "goat head" soirees? I love goat cheese, is there goat cheese head which is like headcheese, which is...or could be dangerous madcow. Is there "mad goat"? If I were that goat, I'd be mad...poor scapegoat may have scappies. There are some things we just shouldnt eat; lovely to look out, lovely to hold if you break it consider it sold! Not sure if this will replace the hotdog.

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  42. Yucky, yucky, ain't no way I could eat that, I would be upchucking all over the place and want to upchuck now after just seeing those pics. I am so not good at seeing these things. But I guess not any worse then what they showed the chinese had available to be eaten during the Olympics. Very gross stuff.

    Although in some cities out here in SoCal they had to pass laws to make it illegal to eat cats. In some cities people are afraid to let their cats outside because they then tend to disappear, never to be seen again. Dogs can also disappear, but because they are kept in the yards they do not tend to disappear as much. I hear dog brain soup is eaten a lot and that the cats also taste like chicken. So sick, but it is their culture.

    Your hubby is a very brave man and must have an stomach made of iron.

    God bless.

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  43. I'm laughing too hard from reading all the comments!

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  44. Having lived in third world country, I tried to savor the local cuisine ans well as the culture.

    Since it was an Islamic country with some French influence, there were two main dietary agendas. I tried both, each had some YUcks, and each had some Yum-yum.

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  45. Being guest of honour can sometimes be a drawnack, especially in Arab countries.

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  46. Willow,
    I have missed visiting you at the manor! So sorry, dear.

    Mmm, goat head. I saw that on Iron Chef once. The secret ingredient was goat and I (and Alton Brown) were bit miffed no one fried up the head.

    I'm an adventurous eater so I would have had to try it, unless it was looking at me. I have a problem eating anything that looks at me *shudder*. Makes me feel guilty somehow.

    Beautiful posts! I read at least ten before I commented :) I hope to get back to my regular schedule of reading but with the holidays approaching, I doubt that's going to happen any time soon!

    Happy Thanksgiving,
    Jen

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  47. Hello Wilow,

    How honoured WT was. I have to say that, even having lived in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain for six years, I've never been to a "mutton grab"! Did he remember to sit on his left hand?

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  48. It looks like there are two sausage links at the chin. I'll take those, please.. hee hee.
    The Bach

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  49. That is as disgusting as the the stuff Anthony Bourdain eats. I'm looking forward to Turkey, dressing, and the normal stuff. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  50. Oh yum. Hahaaa--well, I guess it's probably all cultural--they may look askance at things we eat, I suppose.

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  51. Derrick, I didn't realize it was called a "mutton grab". I must ask about the left hand thing. Now, I'm intrigued. Off to Google...

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  52. Left hand/right hand in Islam.

    The left hand deals with ablutions and the right hand for everything else - eating, shaking hands, picking up the Qur'an.

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  53. top pic looks like what one finds inside the west side market here in cleveland. with a diverse community to cater to one does find all sorts of animal heads and parts for sale. I am not adventurous enough to partake many... and definitely pass on heads be they goat, lamb, cow, or pig - something about those eyes looking at you!

    probably just as well wt didn't whip out the ol' camera, could have been a major cultural faux pas...or not?

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  54. Well, it's just a more honest look at meat, I suppose!

    Pretty intense!

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  55. i am with alan burnett.....
    if it tastes just like chicken they would just keep chickens !!!

    xxx love you
    happy t-giving

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  56. one word: yuck!

    isn't it funny how often when people are asked what did it taste like they answer chicken?

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  57. You absolutely crack me up. I'm gasping with laughter here.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)