Strange things I have swallowed

I've had so much fun torturing Americans with Vegemite, it seems only fair I relate something which happened to me.

It was on Crete, many years ago, in the city of Iraklion, which is the island's largest town. I was backpacking around, and as backpackers do, a group of us staying at the youth hostel got together and went off for dinner at a nearby taverna.

Most of us ordered the rabbit, a local traditional dish. The plates of yummy food duly arrived and we all tucked in.

About halfway through the meal one of the other backpackers said, "This is lovely cat."

No one believed him but he kept insisting. We were sure he was having us on until he confessed he was a vet, held up a bone from his plate, and said, “This is a cat bone, it's a different shape to the one in rabbits.”

17 comments:

Amalia Dillin said...

Man! I think I would have preferred it if the guy just hadn't said a word, and I went on believing it was all just Rabbit.

Gary Corby said...

But then I wouldn't have this interesting story to tell.

Or maybe it has happened at other times and as you suggest the person who noticed remained silent. In which case, I wonder what else I've eaten? Or you've eaten!

Stephanie Thornton said...

My husband was told while visiting China that he had to try gularu (I'm sure my spelling is WAY off). He ate it almost every day for several weeks, loving it.

It wasn't until he was telling a friend of ours about our trip that he discovered what gularu was. Our friend spoke fluent Mandarin and informed him that it was hot and spicy dog.

Oops!

Amalia Dillin said...

Telling me after I've digested is totally okay! telling me while I'm eating it, not so much. So, I could still have the story-- the timing just wouldn't be as awesome for the retelling.

Barrie said...

Oooh. Yuck. Although....I love vegemite!

Gary Corby said...

One more American who loves Vegemite! Thank you Barrie!

Matthew Delman said...

Gary, I love these stories of yours.

I don't know if it exists in the rest of the U.S., but in New England we have a soda called Moxie that tastes like really, really bad licorice. Some older folks love it, but many younger ones (and transplants like me) think it tastes worse than lighter fluid.

The funny part of this comes with the knowledge that you have be drinking Moxie for at least ten years before you actually start liking it.

It's kind of like New England's Vegemite.

Gary Corby said...

Hi Matt, you're awake early!

Is that where the saying, "having the Moxie to do something," comes from?

Matthew Delman said...

I have to be at my desk at 6 am every weekday, so this is normal for me.

It might be -- the drink Moxie was created in the 1920s, based off a patent medicine developed c.1880 (of the same name) that was advertised as a "nerve food" (I love the Internet).

Here's the Google Books link.

CKHB said...

I ate some delicious stuffed peppers in Hong Kong, and I have NO IDEA what the peppers were stuffed with. Based on the animals they had in the cages outside, I could have been eating duck, snake, or something that looked like an ocelot. Or maybe just veggies, who knows? I asked, and they gave me a detailed explanation, and then we all laughed because of course I had no idea what they were saying, as they spoke no English.

Joanna said...

Oh no! You guys got ripped off!

Suzette Saxton said...

Oh, that is so funny! I know someone who discovered a pig's snout on her plate in a similar fashion!

Gary Corby said...

Hi Carrie KHB,

Didn't you grow up in Japan? If so, you're not one to talk! They fed me raw horsemeat in Japan.

Gary Corby said...

Hi Jo, yep this was obviously the taverna's innovative method for keeping down the ingredient costs. Just wander into the back lane and grab any stray moggies passing by...

Gary Corby said...

Hi Suzette,

Welcome to the blog, and congratulations on signing with Brendan at FinePrint. This means we're agency-siblings!

Matthew Delman said...

By the way, Gary, you might be interested in today's offering over at Free the Princess (if you haven't looked at it already). It's on mechanical computers, punch cards, and their relation to steampunk.

Gary Corby said...

And so I am. Fascinating stuff, Matt.