Lamb eyeball, anyone? How about fresh beaver tails?

Let's say...one is tired of the usual fast food options or the conventional menu offered at neighborhood eateries (not that there's anything wrong with local restaurants - I'm a fan). Perhaps there is an inner urge that can't be fulfilled at a buffet, a need for something different. Something on the exotic and perhaps a little eclectic side? How about some Nepali goat brain? Maybe live drunken shrimp, perhaps? Or lamb eyeball (no mention if it's served open or closed - hopefully closed), or perhaps boiled fertilized duck egg, a side of beaver tail. These food options are "average" fare for a group of adventurous diners who have named themselves, Gastronauts. Presumably, the name refers to gastronomical exotic fare and not the end result after eating unconventional food choices. But I digress. Already.

The group, created by two friends in 2006, were seeking out meals that offered a culinary experience not ordinarily found at your regular restaurants. Initially, the first meeting of the club, which has its home base in New York City, attracted a mere half dozen people. I can understand why. Over time, however, the membership has grown to 1000 eaters and plans are to expand to other U.S. cities.

The club, according to one Curtiss Calleo, an art director and graphic designer, who founded the club along with magazine editor, Ben Pauker, is open to all and has bankers, artists, designers among others, as members. There is no registration fee and members/participants pay for their own meals held monthly in restaurants.No mention of the name of host restaurants, though. The invitations are sent via e-mail to 70-80 people, who usually respond quickly to the invite.

In as far as the food served, at a recent gathering in New York for example, the invitees ate balut, a Philippine snack of boiled fertilized duck egg. Just wondering here what fertilized duck egg is preferred say...over unfertilized duck egg. Just a thought. Anybody know? But I digress. Again.

Other delicacies served at previous get together include cooked lamb eye ball. Pass. As an after thought, the vision of tail-less beavers is somehow personally worrisome.

Be that as it may, there may be people reading this who are interested in sampling food and would like more information on how and where to become a member:
http://www.gastronauts.net/

Death row prisoner opts for unusual last meal

Once again, the only phrases that spring to mind upon reading this story is "gimme a break" followed by "I dunno.."

It's not uncommon for prisoners on death row to ask that their last meal be favorite foods like steak, fried chicken, cream pie...before they check out of this world. However, fish food definitely falls into the unusual category, especially when the request specifies that the prisoner be turned into fish food and fed to your run-of-the-mill gold fish.

This is exactly what convicted murder, Gene Hathorn requested if his final appeal fails. This begs the question as to why would he want to become fish food. Right?

Actually, it's all the name of art and he has given permission to allow artist, Marco Evaristti, to use his body as an 'art installation" that will be part of a larger project focusing on capitol punishment.

Fish food...capitol punishment...? Is there a connection I missed?

The artist who lives in Denmark, will deep freeze Hathorn's body following which it will be turned into fish food. Once this is achieved visitors to his exhibition will be able to feed - well - the former Hathorn to a shoal of goldfish.

It is hoped that work will begin within a year if Hathorn is refused an appeal for the third time and he hopes he can stage the show in North America, somewhere like the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

O-kaaaaay... For sure the museum will jump at the opportunity to display feeding goldfish. It's so...artsy (cough-cough...).

Read the entire story, which includes the legal ramifications of this type of request and other related information here:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10530546

Shocking news - truffles in danger!

by Eleanor Tylbor

Directly from France (where else!) where things like this are tres important comes the devastating and shocking news that - wait for it - truffles are in danger of being wiped out!

Mon Dieu! Pas possible!

But yes it's true! So if you're a truffle lover...or liker...or even someone who occasionally indulges in a few truffles, you might be out of luck. Just to clarify we're not talking about the chocolate type with a gazillion calories. It's the kind that only piggies can find in certain geographical locations.

Mais oui!

Narrowing it down further, the Perigort Black Truffle to be exact and the cause is an alien interloping Chinese truffle.

Uh-oh...! Call in the gendarmes or french borner patrol!

Scientists fear it will be wiped out by an invading Chinese truffle they have discovered growing in European soils. Hmmmm... I smell if you'll excuse the pun, a plot afoot - or a-nose. Perhaps yet another means in which to introduce cheaper truffles and spoil the truffle market.

According to people who know about these things who then informed New Phytologist journal, the incomer is a particularly aggressive and fast-growing species.The Perigord black truffle is one of the most highly regarded truffles, fetching around 600 to 800 Euros per kg this season.

"It is the most famous and appreciated among the black truffles, and is the most important truffle in French cuisine," says Claude Murat, a fungus expert based at the University of Torino, Italy.

Somehow, when somebody uses the term "fungus" even though it is referring to a gourmet item, my mind switches to less savory images. Toe nails for example but I digress.

Only Piedmont white truffles fetch higher prices. Hey - we all knew that! Right?

Read the entire story here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7405004.stm

So...like...how upset are you regarding this...this shocking news???? More to the point, would you know the difference between one truffle and another?

Perhaps it would be a good idea the next time you're dining out at a fast food restaurant and truffles are on the menu, you might want to think twice. I mean, one just never knows, does one?

FESTIVUS FOR THE REST OF US WHO REMEMBER

Oh darn! Somehow I missed celebrating Festivus by just one day. To top it all off I forgot to send out reminders to my enemies as well as friends that I could be planning but not necessarily, throw a celebration to mark the day.


According to Wikipedia, Festivus is an annual holiday that was adapted from ancient Roman practices by writer and editor, Daniel O'Keefe and was introduced to the world by O'Keefe's son, Daniel, a scriptwriter for Seinfeld on December 18, 1997 in the episode, "The Strike." The rest as they say is history and now Festivus is celebrated on December 23.


So if I had gone through with my plans to throw a Festivus gala, for sure I would have "The Festivus Pole" with the essential ingredient being a piece of dull metal. I'm thinking here I would have used the bottom half of my patio umbrella that became separated from the top part, on a windy day. I mean, it's a little dented at the bottom but it would be the perfect thing for combining it with the Feats of Strength challenge, whereby two opponents could try and bend it with one hand tied behind their backs, culminating in one being thrown to the ground. For another type of strength test, a Toothpick Challenge featuring participants attempting to see how many toothpicks can be inserted between teeth, would have been a fun diversion. There could be a few splinters on lips but it's a small price to be able to claim participation in a Festivus activity. Of course the very exciting knuckle-crunching challenge would be held to see who could make the loudest noise.

Once everyone is thoroughly exhausted, we would have sat down and partaken in the Airing of Grievances. For sure there would probably be a lot of finger-pointing and accusations and some swearing would be involved but in the end, we'd all feel better. Maybe some of us wouldn't be speaking to each other but we would air our grievances and that's what's important, here.

In the way of a Festivus menu for sure green been casserole would have been served, along with yellow aspic for some coordinating color. There would be grilled cheese sandwiches for the main dish and for dessert, Festivus fruit cake of course.

Alas...it will all have to wait until next year, that is if I remember to send out invitations. Maybe.