A new food to me - duck tongues !

Chinese New Year is always a time for interesting foods, and this year I encountered one I'd never tried before - duck tongues. Hmmm. Can't say I'm enamoured. Apart from being a bit chewy and gamey, there is a rather off-putting bit of cartilage in the middle that you have to spit out. It was served stir-fried with bittergourd and salted vegetables in black bean sauce. The bittergourd was delicious - another example of changing tastes - I couldn't bear the stuff a few years back. At the end of the meal, I'd picked out all the veges, and there was this bizarre plate of 30 or so leftover tongues. Apparently it's a real delicacy in Asian countries. Here's a pic I googled (not from my meal last night) :

[Jenise]

Chinese New Year is always a time for interesting foods, and this year I encountered one I'd never tried before - duck tongues. Hmmm. Can't say I'm enamoured. Apart from being a bit chewy and gamey, there is a rather off-putting bit of cartilage in the middle that you have to spit out. It was served stir-fried with bittergourd and salted vegetables in black bean sauce. The bittergourd was delicious - another example of changing tastes - I couldn't bear the stuff a few years back. At the end of the meal, I'd picked out all the veges, and there was this bizarre plate of 30 or so leftover tongues. Apparently it's a real delicacy in Asian countries. Here's a pic I googled (not from my meal last night) :

While I applaud the Chinese knack for using everything and hate my own squeamishness, squeamish I am and the cartilage part--if I got that far--would totally freak me out.

But I love pickled pigs feet. Go figure.

While I applaud the Chinese knack for using everything and hate my own squeamishness, squeamish I am and the cartilage part--if I got that far--would totally freak me out.

But I love pickled pigs feet. Go figure.

I wish you could have been there, Jenise. I kept saying to my mother, are you sure this is duck's tongue ? I swear it looked like a plate of little knobs. And spitting out the cartilage was gross, not sure why, but just thinking about it now makes my face scrunch up.

But I love chickens feet. As you say, go figure.

But I love chickens feet. As you say, go figure.

And I love pigs feet. My Portuguese grandfather used to have huge crocks of them in his basement. I'd sneak down there and take some before they had finished curing. Loved them! Duck's tongue..... No way!

Gee. Think of all those poor quackless ducks!

John

I tried to get some in SanFran, but the spot I ate at was out.

I'll take your impression to mean that I didn't miss much.

Those tongues look like some mighty fine fish bait.

I wish you could have been there, Jenise. I kept saying to my mother, are you sure this is duck's tongue ? I swear it looked like a plate of little knobs. And spitting out the cartilage was gross, not sure why, but just thinking about it now makes my face scrunch up.

But I love chickens feet. As you say, go figure.

"C", I have had chicken feet exactly one time, and I pride myself on a willingness to try new foods. I did it and once was enough. There is just nothing on a chicken foot to eat. Once can suck the thing, and get a liquorice flavor, but there is nothing to chew or swallow. Or did I miss something?

Happy New Year of the Rat *C*!

Black bean sauce is one of my favorites, but what is bittergourd? Some type of Squash?

Never had duck tongues. Breasts, legs, and livers, yes, but it never occurred to me to eat the tongues. Good for you and your adventurous spirit.

Bob, I think chicken's feet are an acquired taste, you have to grow up with them to enjoy them. I know Pete won't go near them with a barge pole.

And Dave, I don't have an adventurous spirit, I'm just afraid of my mother.

Bittergourd or bitter melon are a Chinese vegetable - yet another acquired taste, because they are as bitter as. It's supposed to be good for you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_melon

Bob, I think chicken's feet are an acquired taste, you have to grow up with them to enjoy them. I know Pete won't go near them with a barge pole.

And Dave, I don't have an adventurous spirit, I'm just afraid of my mother.

Bittergourd or bitter melon are a Chinese vegetable - yet another acquired taste, because they are as bitter as. It's supposed to be good for you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_melon

"C" I didn't think that chicken feet tasted bad, I just thought that there was nothing to them. A steady diet of chicken feet is probably what I need to drop about about 2 stone off this waist etc of mine. I remember when I was in Spain with the USAF back in the late 60's and early 70's. Many (so called) bars had a specialty snack which were small sparrow sized birds that were deep fried. The beaks and feet were removed and the bird was cooked otherwise intact. One ate it bones and all. I probably ate a hundred of them in all, and became somewhat a fan. Buit since then I haven't missed not having them.

What I am saying I suppose is that I am an adventurous diner, but chicken feet are probably not on the list for anytime soon. Glad that you love them though, I mean someone has to!

As I recall from my childhood, chicken feet have a sweet gelatinous meat that surrounds the bones. They went into the soup, I think.

As I recall from my childhood, chicken feet have a sweet gelatinous meat that surrounds the bones. They went into the soup, I think.

Howard, as I told "C" the only time I had chicken feet was in a Dim Sum restaurant and while I don't know how they were prepared, the only flavor I could detect was licorice. I can see how the feet might be used to make a broth for soups etc but for me they just don't make it as a stand alone dish. Of course that is just MO.

I think it's the star anise you're picking up as licorice, Bob. You have a very astute palate !

I think it's the star anise you're picking up as licorice, Bob. You have a very astute palate !

Not sure about that astute palate thing "C", And I am not licorice averse, maybe I just wasn't anticipating it. The young Chinese lady who introduced me to chicken feet loved them and was disappointed when I didn't.

I think it's the star anise you're picking up as licorice, Bob. You have a very astute palate !

Are the feet seasoned with Chinese Five Spice? I have never had them.

We were served chicken feet at a New Year's dinner last Saturday night. The flavor was quite nice - there was a distinct anise character. I wasn't sure what to do with them, though. Do you crunch the whole thing up or try to get what little skin and other non-bone material exists off of the things? I ended up spitting lots of little bone bits out, which doesn't seem like the right thing to do. No one else at our table was eating them, so I didn't have any help in figuring this out.

Mike, the right thing to do is to spit all the little bits of bone out, so you were spot on. Dave, I'm not sure what they're seasoned with, I've never made them, but they're a yum cha (dim sum) special over here.

It seems that this is Donald Duck's fourth long lost nephew. To Huey, Dewey, and Louie one can now add Phooey!

Never tried tounge, but the heart is really nice. Either cooked for a short time in a pan, served slightly pink or braised until tender with herbs, garlic and red wine.

Is this the silly season for food?

Horseshoe crabs, and now duck tongues.

I think that the words "Hey Honey, want a little tongue?" should probably be saved for after the first date. They look just like chicken feet - too much work, too little pay-off and distasteful in any event.

Is this the silly season for food?

Horseshoe crabs, and now duck tongues.

I think that the words "Hey Honey, want a little tongue?" should probably be saved for after the first date. They look just like chicken feet - too much work, too little pay-off and distasteful in any event.

Chicken feet, much like snails depend on the sauce for flavor. I do believe that star anise is required for the standard flavor. I like star anise, and I like liquorice, but don't want to work so hard for a tiny and doubtful reward.

but don't want to work so hard for a tiny and doubtful reward.

Yeah, kind of reminds you of dating in junior high......

Yeah, kind of reminds you of dating in junior high......

Bill, I can't remember junior high with any clarity anymore. Age, not the funny stuff.