28 Comments
Jul 23Liked by Norman T. Leonard

How do I have no photos of this culinary adventure? At least of Becky's face. Her bright smile was definitely tested by this menu. That I do remember.

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Ha! See?! I always kick myself in the tuchus when I don't run these stories by second hand accounts. A little development on the tension between my wife's nature and the reality of what was happening to her appetite would have elevated this gastronomical thriller.

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Jul 23Liked by Norman T. Leonard

Steve, who appears just below my comments stole my line. Actually, I am just getting ready for dinner and I can smell it now....but for some reason I have completely lost my taste for food. Not sure I can even swallow the first bite....I'm already looking forward to ice cream....anything besides....gulp.....hot soft food.....

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Ice cream is the great unifier.

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Jul 23Liked by Norman T. Leonard

Glad you reminded me. Buy Tillamook Ice Cream. Mint Chocolate Chip is wonderful. It's made with extra CREAM. From Oregon. Cows are drug free. YUM! ( I got it at Krogers in Cincinnati.)

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Ah, childhood memories included a school trip to Tillamook. Still my favorite!

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Drats, I'm hooked on chocolate! Trying to cut down on sugar....but this has become an evening snack. Trying to stick to one Large scoop and turn away from cookies or candy.

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Mint chocolate chip is my very favorite flavor :D

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That was my first box....then on second trip was chocolate....I'm working my way thru my taste buds.

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Jul 22·edited Jul 22Liked by Norman T. Leonard

Thanks so much for the laugh. In today's world I need some chuckles.

I'm with you. Fish slime does not sound appealing.

Hopefully I can return the favor and give you a chuckle.

You remind me of my oldest who is also an adventurous eater. For his 15th birthday he decided he wanted to go to the sushi buffet restaurant. Since my husband wouldn't even eat cooked fish, no way was he eating raw. And my younger son's diet at the time was Kraft macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and banana sandwiches and pasta with butter. So that meant it was me (I like sushi) and A. We happily gorged ourselves on sushi and then A decided he would try some of the non-sushi fare. He took a bite of jelly fish salad and then in a very measured, super serious tone said, "this tastes like neither jelly nor fish. I do not like it."

A few years later, he and friends picked out dishes for the others to eat at a Chinese restaurant. Aaron had pork bung, 'the single most disgusting thing he'd ever eaten'. (If you don't know what pork bung is, it's the end of the pig. The very end.)

Then he had some sort of larva stew (I think it was Filipino, but I'm not sure). They were so impressed that a white guy was eating it, they offered him free seconds but he declined.

Finally, we were driving one day and on NPR, Michelle Zauner was discussing her memoir 'Crying at H-Mart'. When she was a child she spent time in Korea (That's her ethnic background) and described eating Sannakji. The tentacles are cut off live baby octopus and you eat them while they are still wiggling. My reaction was the totally reasonable 'EWW! Gross!". A, on the other hand, got a gleam in his eyes and said he would totally try that. And he would.

Oddly enough, one of the few foods he hates is pickles. Since he's Jewish I cannot fathom this at all.

Anyway, I hope all your future eating adventures are a lot more to your liking!

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This was great. "This tastes like neither jelly nor fish." made me laugh out loud. One of my favorite movies -- a South Korean mystery thriller that is heavy on dark comedy and cosmic irony -- is called Oldboy. There's a scene with an octopus that is, well, unforgettable. Probably not the kind of movie you want to watch with your mom, but it's a barn burner. :)

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Jul 22Liked by Norman T. Leonard

I have never seen Oldboy but I know the plot! I don't know about A but I know my younger son Z has seen it and loved it. Of course, his favorite movie is Vampire's Kiss so I am not completely sure he can be trusted. (have you seen Vampire's Kiss? If not check out Vampire's Kiss Alphabet on you tube. Z acted out the entire scene for me, complete with hand motions and jumping around. Future career as a Nick Cage stand in? Who knows.)

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author

Thanks! I'll definitely add it to the queue. :)

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Jul 22Liked by Norman T. Leonard

I can't believe I'm reading this at dinnertime.

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author

All the apologies.

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founding
Jul 22Liked by Norman T. Leonard

Really liked your post. These fish items sound a lot like things that were in Charlee’s and Sam’s aquariums, which hadn’t been cleaned in months!

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If I was smart, I would have opened a restaurant.

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Jul 22Liked by Norman T. Leonard

I think I am an adventurous eater, too. Believe I’ll pass on the mermaid shit, though. For $500, I can get Taco Bell’s mysterious Mexican food 100 times. Risking the wrath of my sensitive colon in that way, is enough of an adventure for me.

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Jul 22·edited Jul 22Author

I aspire to this level of wisdom. $500 worth of Taco Bell would make for its own great story. Related: search Elyse Meyers’ story about tacos on a first date. It’s worth your time. :)

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Thanks for the tip, Norm. I’ll check it out.

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Oct 18Liked by Norman T. Leonard

Nope

Just nope

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I resemble this remark. :)

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Okay, I've not read the whole thing--I'll do it soon--but when I saw omakase, the first thing I thought of was grandma cheese. Given the initial paragraph, I thought okay but that's weird. Hahahahahaha

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Bahahahahaha. Grandma Cheese is a great band name.

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Thats Funny! You are an adventurous eater. At Chuck E Cheese too. hahaha! As ever Minerva.

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AnonymousJul 23

I have forward this to my daughter and son in law. I did not like your latest few humorous attempts but I guess I should subscribe, because I read all of them anyways.

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author

Well, whether they work for you or not, I'm glad you're here. :)

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Alrighty then. It's 1:35 AM here in South Texas, I've got TCM on--Julie Andrews programing and they're featuring "10" which seems strangely matched to your essay--and I'm just cracking up. And I have to be at work tomorrow at 8:00 (fun, travel, and adventure!). Nevertheless, the gods have conspired to make this a serendipitous event. I won't eat peanut butter. Texture. I'll eat brain tacos (mmm--like oysters) and everything else presented to me. Your meal sounds like a challenge. I'm not sure about the lukewarm aspect. But I'm laughing (not at you) at the collision of worlds. Appreciate you so much!

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