I am not going near my husband for the next 48 hours. Last night, we were led to a Guangzhou "specialty" restaurant to feed on beetles and snake. I've been here, what, two weeks and I finally drew a line at insects. I know shrimp could be construed as "insects of the sea" but seeing water beetles floating in bins at the entrance to the restaurant sent cease and desist signals to my stomach and pretty much erased any appetite I had. As one fellow diner put it, this meal would be a law suit in the States! But before we could send our taste buds into shock, Martin, one of the guys from the China Team, passed small bottles of brown liquid around and poured shots for the guys. When asked what kind of alcohol this was, we were told that it was - brace yourselves - seahorse, dog, and buck testicle extract liqueur. Good for men, good for you know what. Abstinence, that's what! I am not going near my husband until I am certain that the traces of Chinese dog have left his system. I figure 48 hours and I'm not even certain that I can ever kiss him again. Duck tripe is fear factor 101. Dog liqueur and fried beetles are fear factor 505. We're talking about a guy who doesn't even like vegetables. My husband drank 2 bottles with the guys, pictured.
I was told by the people who ate the beetles that you have to peel the outer shell and the wings, away. You're left with a larva-looking fleshy thing attached to six legs (I didn't count) and you pop the whole thing in your mouth. It has a lobster texture but a weird after taste. No kidding. Then perhaps you need to drink the shot first and then go for broke with the beetles.
By the time they rolled out the snake, it looked so normal, that I actually tried it. It was chewy and crunchy - they didn't de-bone it - and palatable. Jack even ate it and had a second piece. They also prepared a snake skin dish that was a little bit slimy. It was sauteed with celery and garlic and I took the tiniest bite and it felt rubbery, in an escargot kind of way. I couldn't help but think that this snake skin had been rejected by Ferragamo for his Fall purse collection.
Happily enough, we are all fine this morning. No parties in our stomach or other surprises.Although nothing surprises me anymore.
Isabelle
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