# Strange Dishes Common in Our House



## imp (Jan 25, 2016)

WARNING!   Contains graphic text. May be repugnant to some readers.

This type of food fare came across the pond with my Grandparents and their children, who carried on the tradition. Among the more unusual, bizarre to traditional American palates, were Beef Tongue, Kidneys, "Sweetbreads" (pancreas), Beef Brains.

My Dad was in ecstacy, upon learning after a hard day in the Machine Shop, dinner was "tongue". My Mother knew full-well how to keep his rather short fuse extinguished: food worked. A beef tongue is a huge muscular piece of meat, containing no "marbling" like steak, but cuts and chews as easily as cold butter. The critter's "working surface" of the organ is a thick, inedible, leathery covering which must be removed before cooking. 

How does one cook such a succulent piece of meat? I think she browned it in butter, like any steak, maybe allowed it to simmer awhile to cook "through", then cut it into bite-sized chunks to be included in a broth of soup, sometimes containing barley, but usually a thick mix of "Dill gravy", which imparted a distinct but not unfavorable flavor. How the old man's eyes shone! I found the meal to be a treat, too! Almost pure protein, smooth-eating, tasty, all ya gotta do is get past the negative thoughts about the stuff's source.   imp


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## jujube (Jan 25, 2016)

My grandfather always kept a big jar of pickled pig's feet in the refrigerator.  When I'd have to get into the refrigerator for something, I'd close my eyes and feel around, rather than have to look at that jar.  Pickled pig's feet are not attractive in the least.


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## AprilT (Jan 25, 2016)

jujube said:


> My grandfather always kept a big jar of pickled pig's feet in the refrigerator.  When I'd have to get into the refrigerator for something, I'd close my eyes and feel around, rather than have to look at that jar.  Pickled pig's feet are not attractive in the least.




:lofl: I spit my tea out.


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## jujube (Jan 25, 2016)

Grandpa also loved "Blind Robins".  They were heavily-salted (and who know what the heck else was in there) and dried small whole fish (head and all)...herrings?.... that came sealed in a cellophane package.  They looked awful and they stunk to high heaven.   

He liked pickled eggs, too.  Another reason to grope around in the refrigerator with my eyes closed.  Now, I'll have to admit that I'm partial to a well-pickled egg once or twice a decade, but appetizing-looking they're not, especially when they're picked in a green brine instead of colored with beet juice.  

Grandma used to slice, bread and fry up beef brains.  Now that is something I have yet to develop a taste for.  I have, however, eaten Rocky Mountain Oysters (bull testicles) and Lamb Fries (ditto for the lambs) but the experience wasn't repeated.

Oh, and I ate roasted grubs in Ecuador.  They were delicious.   The "lemon ants" were tasty, too.


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## SifuPhil (Jan 25, 2016)

Sorry, Imp - I can't taste anything that tastes me back. :cower:


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## Karen99 (Jan 25, 2016)

jujube said:


> Grandpa also loved "Blind Robins".  They were heavily-salted (and who know what the heck else was in there) and dried small whole fish (head and all)...herrings?.... that came sealed in a cellophane package.  They looked awful and they stunk to high heaven.
> 
> He liked pickled eggs, too.  Another reason to grope around in the refrigerator with my eyes closed.  Now, I'll have to admit that I'm partial to a well-pickled egg once or twice a decade, but appetizing-looking they're not, especially when they're picked in a green brine instead of colored with beet juice.
> 
> ...



wow, jujube..I'm not able to appreciate all those delicacies.  I think some things are an acquired taste...I remember eating potted meat mixed with mayo as a sandwich as a child.  I never ate it since..lol.


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## imp (Jan 25, 2016)

AprilT said:


> :lofl: *I spit my tea out*.



From laughing, or in revulsion?   imp


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## imp (Jan 25, 2016)

jujube said:


> Grandma used to* slice, bread and fry up beef brains.*  Now that is something I have yet to develop a taste for.  I have, however, eaten Rocky Mountain Oysters (bull testicles) and Lamb Fries (ditto for the lambs) but the experience wasn't repeated.
> 
> *Oh, and I ate roasted grubs in Ecuador.  They were delicious.   The "lemon ants" were tasty, too*.



Brains were to be one of my follow-ups. My Mother served them cooked with scrambled eggs, and a bit of onion for flavor. The brains and eggs were in about a 50-50 proportion. If not well-mixed, you could not tell the brains from the eggs, anyway. Minus the eggs for moral support, brains themselves had an appearance akin to a mushy, gray-colored mass having a rubbery mouth-feel. Not one of my favorites, I think I ate the stuff out of allegiance to my Mother, and due to the novelty of it.   imp


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## AprilT (Jan 25, 2016)

jujube said:


> Grandpa also loved "Blind Robins".  They were heavily-salted (and who know what the heck else was in there) and dried small whole fish (head and all)...herrings?.... that came sealed in a cellophane package.  They looked awful and they stunk to high heaven.
> 
> He liked pickled eggs, too.  Another reason to grope around in the refrigerator with my eyes closed.  Now, I'll have to admit that I'm partial to a well-pickled egg once or twice a decade, but appetizing-looking they're not, especially when they're picked in a green brine instead of colored with beet juice.
> 
> ...



I just wanted to say, I wasn't laughing at your grandpa, but it was your description of you fumbling your way through the fridge with your eyes closed to avoid seeing the ghastly sounding delicacies and I use the word, delicacies, very loosely, it is an acquired taste for sure, not one I was able to muster as my mom and dad being from the south also from time to time ate such stomach churning foods including chitlings.  I believe my dad even sold pickled pigs feet and or ears in his store.


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## vickyNightowl (Jan 25, 2016)

imp said:


> WARNING!   Contains graphic text. May be repugnant to some readers.
> 
> This type of food fare came across the pond with my Grandparents and their children, who carried on the tradition. Among the more unusual, bizarre to traditional American palates, were Beef Tongue, Kidneys, "Sweetbreads" (pancreas), Beef Brains.
> 
> ...



Imp! I love tongue! 

Beiing Greek,I would tell coworkers that nothing goes to waste from a lamb at Easter.
They thought I was joking,lol


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## imp (Jan 25, 2016)

Squirrel, anyone? Or?

The old man asked often for..... kidney. Asked, but never got. Finally, once, my Mother bought some, beef they were, and commenced cooking them mid-afternoon. Pretty quickly, the stench became unbearable, for me, anyway. By the time he got home from work, my Dad appeared much happier than usual; he had smelled the permeation of piss odor emitted through the open kitchen window as he drove in the driveway! 

He ate the kidneys happily, the two of us, Mother and child, passed. I don't think I ate at all for a couple of days after that. Cook some up, if yer on a diet!   imp


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## vickyNightowl (Jan 25, 2016)

Lol
I was the only one in my family,other than an uncle,who loves Patsa,llol
He used to pick me up every Sunday to go eat with him.

Not everyone can eat some traditional foods.


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## vickyNightowl (Jan 25, 2016)

SifuPhil said:


> Sorry, Imp - I can't taste anything that tastes me back. :cower:



No worries Phil,that part of the tongue is removed. 'Grins'


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## SifuPhil (Jan 26, 2016)

vickyNightowl said:


> No worries Phil,that part of the tongue is removed. 'Grins'



Oy, what part? 

It's still tongue no matter what you do to it.


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## vickyNightowl (Jan 26, 2016)

SifuPhil said:


> Oy, what part?
> 
> It's still tongue no matter what you do to it.



The tastebuds were removed.


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## SifuPhil (Jan 26, 2016)

vickyNightowl said:


> The tastebuds were removed.




Wow - so you have to have an intimate knowledge of tongue anatomy and do minor surgery on the tongue before you eat it? Talk about prep time!


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## vickyNightowl (Jan 26, 2016)

SifuPhil said:


> Wow - so you have to have an intimate knowledge of tongue anatomy and do minor surgery on the tongue before you eat it? Talk about prep time!


Lol

Yes,with the tongue ,you need to peel off the tastebuds,other parts are edible right away,like the brain and eyeballs.


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## SifuPhil (Jan 26, 2016)

vickyNightowl said:


> Lol
> 
> Yes,with the tongue ,you need to peel off the tastebuds,other parts are edible right away,like the brain and eyeballs.



Ugh. And I thought cracking open an egg was traumatic ...

I used to hang out in NYC's Chinatown quite a bit - for over 15 years, in fact - and could never get used to the things that hung in the windows of their butcher shops.


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## AprilT (Jan 26, 2016)

SifuPhil said:


> Ugh. *And I thought cracking open an egg was traumatic* ...
> 
> I used to hang out in NYC's Chinatown quite a bit - for over 15 years, in fact - and could never get used to the things that hung in the windows of their butcher shops.




Oh yes, it sure can be or it used to be for me, that long white thing aka, chalaza, trailing from the yolk used to make me nauseous.


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## SifuPhil (Jan 26, 2016)

AprilT said:


> Oh yes, it sure can be or it used to be for me, that long white thing aka, chalaza, trailing from the yolk used to make me nauseous.




Chalaza ... I've learned a new word today.

Thank you.

Now to start using it ... bwahahahahahaha!


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## AprilT (Jan 26, 2016)

SifuPhil said:


> Chalaza ... I've learned a new word today.
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> Now to start using it ... bwahahahahahaha!



 yum!


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## imp (Jan 26, 2016)

Chalaza! Couldn't resist checking this one out, sounded Spanish, to me (chorizo, Chapacubra), turns out to be GREEK! Vicky?? 
imp

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalaza


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## Butterfly (Jan 27, 2016)

imp said:


> WARNING!   Contains graphic text. May be repugnant to some readers.
> 
> This type of food fare came across the pond with my Grandparents and their children, who carried on the tradition. Among the more unusual, bizarre to traditional American palates, were Beef Tongue, Kidneys, "Sweetbreads" (pancreas), Beef Brains.
> 
> ...



I will pass on all that stuff, thanks!


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## vickyNightowl (Jan 27, 2016)

imp said:


> Chalaza! Couldn't resist checking this one out, sounded Spanish, to me (chorizo, Chapacubra), turns out to be GREEK! Vicky??
> imp
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalaza



Yes,it's a Greek word meaning 'hailstone', I did not know it is the word used for the egg thingy!


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## AprilT (Jan 27, 2016)

vickyNightowl said:


> Yes,it's a Greek word meaning 'hailstone', I did not know it is the word used for the *egg thingy*!



I'm sure that would be a suitable description that most people can relate to. Not sure what the fuss is over a word not found in some people's vocabulary.

But it this helps:

The *chalaza (/kəˈleɪzə/; from Greek χάλαζα "hailstone"; plural chalazas or chalazae) is a structure inside bird and reptile eggs and plant ovules. It attaches or suspends the yolk or nucellus within the larger structure.

*http://collegiatecook.com/2012/01/30/should-you-remove-the-chalaza-from-an-egg-before-baking/


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## jujube (Jan 27, 2016)

Anyone had Menudo?  It's a delicious and fiery Mexican soup that, unfortunately, has tripe (beef stomach lining) in it.  The soup is wonderful and the tripe really doesn't have much taste.....it's the consistency that's the problem.  It's like chewing pieces of rubber and I don't think there is any way of tenderizing it.   I usually eat all the soup and only one piece of the tripe for the heck of it.


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## vickyNightowl (Jan 27, 2016)

jujube said:


> Anyone had Menudo?  It's a delicious and fiery Mexican soup that, unfortunately, has tripe (beef stomach lining) in it.  The soup is wonderful and the tripe really doesn't have much taste.....it's the consistency that's the problem.  It's like chewing pieces of rubber and I don't think there is any way of tenderizing it.   I usually eat all the soup and only one piece of the tripe for the heck of it.



Patsa is made with tripe and intestines,yummy!


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## 1 Happy Granny (Feb 13, 2016)

OMG!!! Does that ever bring back memories. As a child  I couldn't get enough of them. They were a real treat! (wish I could get some now) pickled pig's feet I mean. And when you eat tongue...how do you know when to quit chewing?


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## tortiecat (Feb 13, 2016)

Blood sausage with fried eggs and toast - still one of my favourites!


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## Ruth n Jersey (Feb 13, 2016)

When I was a kid my mom bought head cheese. The meat of the pigs head was simmered with spices and vinegar. The meat was added in chunks to the broth that contained  the gelatin found naturally in the bones, it then congealed when it cooled. It came sliced in a package just like ham or any other cold meats you might get in the deli. I really did like it. You had to purchase a good brand though, because if you didn't, you could see the pigs hair in some of the meat of the cheaper brands.In later years I made this but used ham hocks instead of the head. By the way, there was no cheese in it. I don't know where the name came from..


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## IKE (Feb 13, 2016)

Where do I start ?

I still eat the little cans of Armour potted meat with saltines normally once a week for lunch.

I don't recall eating tongue growing up but in the little mom and pop Mexican restaurant I hit for lunch once or twice a month I always order the chopped lengua (tongue) soft tacos.

The same place above only makes menudo on Saturday and Sunday and it's also really good and filling on a cold day.

I really like crispy fried 'hangie downs' from bulls and turkeys......never had the lamb. 

I haven't had pickled pigs feet in several years (actually forgot about them) but they are also good with saltines and a slice of very sharp cheddar cheese.

I grew up eating souse (headcheese) sandwiches and that also is good with saltines.

Liverwurst (braunschweiger) is another lunch meat that most folks don't care for but I really like it.


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## vickyNightowl (Feb 13, 2016)

I personally miss tripe soup and pigs feet soup,I don't make them because nobody else eats them at home and to go eat it at a greek restauraunt,meh I don't know if everything is properly cleaned like they are supposed to be.

It takes a lot of work for tripe and intestine soup to be made.can't just trust eating it from anyone.


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