It's not enough to simply suggest that you try new foods and drinks from other countries. You have to put your money where your mouth is, so intrepid members of The Augusta Chronicle newsroom recently noshed on food from around the world. All the products tested were purchased at markets in and around Augusta.
The Jury
"When you grow up having to clean your plate or sit at the table until you do, you just sort of become a food lover. But so far, about the most daring thing I've ever tried was my sister's flan for Spanish class - I guess that qualifies me for amateur status."
"I've traveled a good bit and have never been afraid to try foods from other cultures; I'll put it this way, in that Indiana Jones movie when the villager gave him the gruel with flies buzzing around it - I would have eaten that."
"Having traveled some internationally, I'm a firm believer in the try-everything-twice school of thought. Why twice? Because the person who prepared it the first time might have screwed it up."
The Test
THE FOOD: Sweetened Mango with Chili from AS World Trading (pictured above)
WHAT IS IT? Slices of Mango spiced with liquorice extract and chili powder from Thailand
OUR TAKE:
Mr. Uhles: "These are delicious. I would plow through these."
Mr. Moores: "I don't really taste the sweetness of the mango; it's more like a pickle."
THE VERDICT: The testers expected to taste more mango; when they didn't, they were mostly disappointed.
THE FOOD: Bebida de Savila Aloa Vera drink distributed by Cervantes Enterprise (left)
WHAT IS IT? A slightly green-tinted drink with bits of pulp suspended throughout.
OUR TAKE:
Mr. Crawford: "The appearance kind of reminds me of biology class, you know, 'teacher; all of my mosquito larva are dead.' It's different but not bad; it would be excellent with tequila."
Mr. Moores: "It tastes good, but the pulp needs to be strained."
THE VERDICT: The taste was a unique melonesque blend, but we just couldn't get past the small pieces of pulp.
THE FOOD: Aroy-D brand Rambutan in syrup
WHAT IS IT? Native to Malaysia, this vegetable has a hairlike covering that lends itself to the name; "rambut" means hair in Malay. The inside is white or rose-tinted.
OUR TAKE:
Ms. Levitz: "It kind of reminds me of a chewy pear. I like the texture."
Mr. Uhles: "It's like a giant grape that's been out in the sun for too long so it's lost its firmness."
THE VERDICT: Everyone agreed it was pretty good.
THE FOOD: Aroy-D brand Jackfruit, in syrup (below)
WHAT IS IT? An enormous green seed covered with a wartlike knobby shell enclosing bulbs of fleshy fruit.
OUR TAKE:
Mr. Crawford: "It's kind of rubbery and it's kind of liquorish flavored."
Ms. Levitz: "It's OK. It has the texture of a pepper, which is kind of weird for a fruit."
THE VERDICT: Certainly the most unique taste and feel of all the fruit, this drew mixed opinions.
The Test
THE FOOD: Aroy-D brand Lychee in syrup
WHAT IS IT? A red or pink oval-shaped fruit with a thin, leathery skin and white flesh, larger than a grape but smaller than a plum; from Thailand.
OUR TAKE:
Mr. Crawford: "It's like a cross between a strawberry and a peach."
Mr. Moores: "This is the best one we've had so far."
THE VERDICT: Of all the fruit tried, this got the best response.
THE FOOD: Bimbo Brand Bimbunuelos
WHAT IS IT? Crispy wheels pastries from Mexico
OUR TAKE:
Mr. Uhles: "This is like carnival food. It's just batter, grease and sugar."
Mr. Moores: "It's like a waffle that's been cooked too long and it turns into a cracker."
THE VERDICT: This was even more popular than the lychee.
THE FOOD: Flying Horse brand frozen Durian
WHAT IS IT? A thorny fruit renowned for both its creamy, custardlike flesh and its foul odor; compared by the book Southeast Asian Specialties to a mixture of onions, strong cheese, rotting eggs and rotting meat all soaked in turpentine.
OUR TAKE:
Immediately after being exposed to the smell:
Mr. Moores: "It definitely smells like it's rotten."
Ms. Levitz: "This is like Fear Factor."
Mr. Crawford: "It's definitely got that landfill thing going on, like someone's burning garbage that's been sitting out in the sun."
After trying it
Mr. Moores: "It's got the consistency of a rotten banana, and although it was pretty good, the aftertaste is really disconcerting."
Mr. Uhles: "I liked the consistency and the flavor, which was sweet but a little bitter, too. If I went to someone's house and they served it, I would probably eat all of it, but I wouldn't seek it out."
Ms. Levitz: I'm going to have nightmares about this."
Mr. Crawford: It's horrible but not in such a bad way. I can eat more of it but I just don't have any desire to."
THE VERDICT: It might be heaven to the tongue, but we couldn't get past the hell it put our noses through.
THE FOOD: Formosa brand Boiled Salt Duck Egg
WHAT IS IT? Heavily salted, hard-boiled duck eggs from Taiwan.
OUR TAKE:
Mr. Moores: "It does have a peculiar texture; It would be good as a flavoring, maybe."
Ms. Levitz: "It's like eating sand. Two thumbs down."
THE VERDICT: Alone, these weren't too good; with rice they were passable.
THE FOOD: Barcel brand Cronchis, Chile & Limon flavor
WHAT IS IT? Spicy wheat wafers from Mexico.
OUR TAKE:
Ms. Levitz: "I like it; it tastes like Bugles but with a kick."
Mr. Uhles: "It's like when your mom went to the grocery store and got the cheapy store-brand chips, but they're exotically spiced."
Mr. Moores: "I'm not a big fan of pork rinds, and the texture is too much like that for me."
THE VERDICT: A hung jury, with some favoring the flavor and others shunning the airy texture.
- Patrick Verel
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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