so i was reading this article about foods that people will die to get their hands on (literally). surprisingly, many of them look nasty (almost as nasty as nato looks, but that's a post for later).
here are a few that i thought were, um, intriguiging.
1) Iwatake- when one happens to be exploring the artic (like you do) sometimes food becomes a little scarce. in order to survive some explorers have been known to scrape papery-crisp lichen off rocks and boil it into edible food. one explorer even said that if she took the leather from her shoe and boiled it it would taste better than this crap. this is where the interesting part comes in...
turns out that this very same food (if it can be called that) is a delecacy in japan (hot damn, the japanese know how to make some nasty crap-- see comment about nato). the best part is how they obtain it... for this i am going to quote directly from the article-
"iwatake (iwa meaning rock, and take meaning mushroom) is so highly sought-after that harvesters are willing to rappel down cliff faces for the precious growths. (It takes about a century for the lichen to get to a worthwhile size.) Needless to say, this is specialty work. As if the rappelling isn’t tricky enough, iwatake is best harvested in wet weather, because the moisture reduces the chance that the lichen will crumble as it’s pried off with a sharp knife. In its preferred preparation, the black and slimy raw material is transformed into a delicate tempura. And while iwatake in any form doesn’t taste like much, it’s esteemed for its associations with longevity. As for the harvesters? Their longevity’s more questionable. “Never give lodging to an iwatake hunter,” goes an old Japanese adage, “for he doesn’t always survive to pay rent.”"
scaling a wet mountain for litchen to eat? mmm, i think i've found my calling!!!
here are a few that i thought were, um, intriguiging.
1) Iwatake- when one happens to be exploring the artic (like you do) sometimes food becomes a little scarce. in order to survive some explorers have been known to scrape papery-crisp lichen off rocks and boil it into edible food. one explorer even said that if she took the leather from her shoe and boiled it it would taste better than this crap. this is where the interesting part comes in...
turns out that this very same food (if it can be called that) is a delecacy in japan (hot damn, the japanese know how to make some nasty crap-- see comment about nato). the best part is how they obtain it... for this i am going to quote directly from the article-
"iwatake (iwa meaning rock, and take meaning mushroom) is so highly sought-after that harvesters are willing to rappel down cliff faces for the precious growths. (It takes about a century for the lichen to get to a worthwhile size.) Needless to say, this is specialty work. As if the rappelling isn’t tricky enough, iwatake is best harvested in wet weather, because the moisture reduces the chance that the lichen will crumble as it’s pried off with a sharp knife. In its preferred preparation, the black and slimy raw material is transformed into a delicate tempura. And while iwatake in any form doesn’t taste like much, it’s esteemed for its associations with longevity. As for the harvesters? Their longevity’s more questionable. “Never give lodging to an iwatake hunter,” goes an old Japanese adage, “for he doesn’t always survive to pay rent.”"
scaling a wet mountain for litchen to eat? mmm, i think i've found my calling!!!
2) Bird's Nest Soup
this one is so crazy i'm going to quote again as i can't even bring myself to paraphrase this kind of insanity...
"Cantilevered high off cave walls and cliffs along the seas of Southeast Asia are the nests of the white-nest swiftlet—a bird that’s managed to turn an embarrassing drool problem into a useful D.I.Y. project. The nests, sturdy constructions no bigger than the palm of your hand, are made from the birds’ spit. Yup, these swiftlets have specialized saliva glands powerful enough to turn their tongues into avian glue guns.You’d think being stuck in caves high above the ground, and the fact that they’re birds’ nests, would protect them against humans—but no. Ever since sailors first brought the nests home for the Chinese emperor and his family in the first century CE, bird’s nest soup has been a favorite among the country’s elite. Never mind that it’s virtually tasteless; the dish is revered for health reasons. Of course, acquiring the main ingredient is less healthy. Nest harvesters must stand on rickety bamboo scaffolding hundreds of feet off the ground in pitch darkness. They must also endure unbelievable heat and humidity as they try to avoid all the insects, birds, and bats that live in the caves. In addition, the extraordinary value of the nests means the zones are patrolled by machine-gun toting guards. Harvesting rights are multiyear, multimillion-dollar deals arranged with national governments, and poaching is ruthlessly prohibited. Unarmed fishermen have been shot dead after accidentally beaching in swiftlet territory, and local tour group operators pay exorbitant fees to avoid rifle-assisted leaks springing in their kayaks. It all underscores the fact that being a nest harvester is less of a career choice and more of a life sentence—especially considering that the skill is almost exclusively passed on from father to son."
so, next time you're craving some food and you think to yourself, "yeah, but that thai place is like 30 minutes away!" just think of these guys and it won't seem like such a big deal to go get your desired dish!
2 comments:
I would give this stuff a try. And what's with all the nato bashing?
cus nato's nasty. hence the bashing. remember when we tried it at shogun? that shit tasted like bile. ewwww.
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