The first night here in Czech, the family and I went to a fish restaurant in Hluboka. I didn't find it necessary to mention I'm not exactly a fish eater per se, because I would like become one, and why complain about free food?! The menu was in Czech, German, and English, as many things are here. After disregarding the idea of a safe choice of chicken or the like, I ordered the one fish that seemed relatively low-priced and that I recognized. Trout. When the food arrived, mine sauntered in with it's whole outfit still on: skin, head, bones, and eyes.
For many people, I am sure this is no problem seeing as they have frequent fishing trips with their buddies, but I have particular issues involving meat. I never really would eat any meat off a bone, I don't like pork because of the texture, plus growing up my friend had a pet pig named Elroy who resided in their garage, sausage makes me want to gag, this includes bratwurst and hotdogs. I will eat beef it is lean. I mean, when I was 8 years old, I was a vegertarian, so this is a long-term phobia.
Since, I have never had to undress, so to speak, my dinner, I really didn't know where to start. I kind of tilted my head from side -to-side with fork and knife in hand, and let out a short laugh of ignorance. I wonder how to start? Josef noticed me staring keenly at the fish like it was an alien, proding it with my fork, then he explained to slit it asunder (perhaps not those words) and open it and eat the meat, and to be careful of bones. After a few blundering, unsuccessful minutes (did I mention the knife was a butter knife... in my defense), he literally got out of his chair, and came over and cut my fish for me. It was slightly mortifying being I am a woman of 22 years and was having a nearly perfect stranger cut up my food. I mean come on what was he going to do after, throw my over his shoulder and burp me! Pathetic. However, the fish was surprisingly tasty. I had my doubts considering it was fish and all.
Fish with head has not been my only unusual (to my diet) food encounter, but I have eaten things I normally never would. Many questionable meats have passed my lips these last few weeks. Several thick slices of ham, unidentified fish, chicken bits I rather not eat, and one of the most surprising a large kielbasa at a soccer match. I remember looking at the large fat hunks like you see in a pepperoni except 4 times the size, and wondering what exactly had happened to me. How could I be eating this?
One motive for my extended menu is that I don't want to be rude or as some might say "impertinent". Plus, food is a large part of culture, and that is something I want to experience wholly. Secondly, there might be a secret muse to all this, and he will remain my private inspiration, but he challenges me in the most annoying of ways. He himself is a dare devil when it comes to food. He would probably eat bat dung wrapped in bacon if someone said it was an Indonesian delicacy (and for all I know it might be?). It's odd how he inspires me in a way I doubt he even knows. Part of the reason I am in the foreign country is him. He challenged my pride, confronted my complacency, and was a catalyst in me considering this whole aupair job. I suppose the most ironic thing is he has no clue about any of it.
No comments:
Post a Comment