Is this Appetizing to You?

OK, so I know I'm a little biased due to the fact that I'm vegetarian. But even so, I just don't understand how people can find Peking duck appetizing. It's AN ENTIRE ANIMAL, cooked with its head and BEAK still attached. I don't get it. It freaks me out.

Am I the only one eked out by this?

It appears that some people also find the whole dead-animal-with-its-head still-attached thing disturbing as well, because some grocery stores in Singapore sell heads and bodies separately, which leads to this macabre sight:

There go all my happy memories of feeding the ducks at the park...

I guess I shouldn't be too surprised by the appetite for duck heads. After all, this is a country where the fish eyeball is a coveted delicacy!

Asia's Fungus Fixation

I guess I just don't get the fungus thing. I mean, I understand that mushrooms are fungus, and those taste good, but white fungus bird's nest drink? Almond cream with snow fungus? These are things I don't understand. Fungus as dessert. Fungus as beverage. It seems that here in Asia, there's just no escaping the fungi.

Refreshing white fungus

Spiky Fruit

I think rambutan look unappetizing for a few reasons. First of all, they're covered in spiky hairs that look like they might be sharp (they're not). Like this:

Image from http://www.djunadesign.com/dreamweaver_b/week4/hw4.html

And second of all, they're attached to pretty regular old tree branches. Like this:

 Third, once you get them open, they have a texture not unlike that of an eyeball. In fact, they kind of look like eyeballs. Like this:

But if you can get past the spiky eyeball appearance, they're actually quite tasty!

Can't Resist those Funky KitKats

Remember all those weird Kit Kats I've mentioned in previous posts? Well, we finally got a chance to try some. The wasabi Kit Kat was OK, although it didn't taste very wasabi-like. I liked the green tea Kit Kat better. It had a definite green tea aftertaste. Both the wasabi flavor and the green tea flavor tasted more like white chocolate than green chocolate, and both were extra exciting since the actual candy bars were green, although the green tea one was much brighter. Awesome!

Packaging = much more fancy than a regular Kit Kat

GREEN!

Who knew wasabi and chocolate was such a great pair?!

In the seen-but-not-tasted category, we have some fascinating exhibits. Cheese Kit Kat, anyone? I mean, cheese and chocolate are both decadent delicacies, but who ever thought of mixing them up into one? And I really hope the candy bars are as yellow as the ones illustrated on the box!

How about strawberry cake Kit Kats?

What will Nestle think of next?!

The Fascinating Feet of Chicken

So, I am of the opinion that chicken feet are pretty freaking gross. I mean, if you put the foot of anything (a cow hoof? some monkey toes? a cat's paw?) on my plate, I think I would turn up my nose pretty fast. And chicken feet don't even look edible - they're so bony and tendon-y and weird. But millions of Chinese people feel differently. In China, Singapore, and other places, chicken feet are an in-demand delicacy. In fact, they're such a revered dish that they're referred to as "phoenix talons" in China. In the U.S., chicken feet are not common fare, so many chicken feet are exported to China, where they can fetch a decent price. According to this Time story, chicken feet (er...I mean phoenix talons) play a significant role in U.S.-Chinese trade relations.

I'm suspicious of food that looks like it could fight back.

I think I'll stick to my vegetarian diet...

Scrumptious Acid

Hungry? How about some lactic acid mix jelly?

Mmmmm...all your acid needs, in a convenient little to-go container!

P.S. I don't even know how to tag this. What IS it? Is it actually jelly? Do you put it on bread? Is it candy? Dessert? A snack? Something to make you feel better if you're lactose intolerant? I'm so lost.