I was recently tricked into eating some Thai frog meat. Sitting around with some Thai friends, all tucking into the various nosh around the table, when one strange dish caught my eye... It looked similar to the fried pork and garlic with black pepper which I love.
'What's that one' I enquiry at a pal across the table
'Chicken', he says flatly.
Hmm. Looks funny. I'm a couple of beers down by now, so hey ho, inhibitions are out the window. I grab a big spoonful with a bit of rice and sauce and into the hatch. As I'm chewing my pal kindly pipes up - '...tastes LIKE chicken'.
Great.
Anyway, frog meat is not my cuppa. Only the Frenchies eat frogs in my world... But I'm secretly glad I was tricked into trying Thai frog meat; I would never have gone near the stuff otherwise.. Its always one of those dishes I quickly flick past in the menu on my way to safer, more familiar fare; a mental block on my part that stops me from actually trying to enjoy it.
I mean, cow, pig.... frog? Whats the difference, really?
Especially when it's been deep fried and served with tonnes of garlic...
Mmm I love me some frog meat.One of my favorite snacks are those little frogs they throw directly into the oil and you eat whole.
My second favorite is crocodile meat. Fried with some garlic it is very good.
Posted by: Talen | September 07, 2009 at 08:26 PM
Talen you're obviously a savage... You belong in the jungle ;D
Posted by: Ben Shingleton | September 08, 2009 at 01:03 AM
Ben they also say snake tastes like chicken!!
Are you sure it was frog?
Posted by: Mike | September 08, 2009 at 03:17 AM
Deep fried frog legs in breadcrumps is a delicacy! I used to eat them as a kid, in a restaurant next to a lake (where I used to live). Come to think of it, this is where I got my (current) love of eel, too.
And, Talen, I agree that crocodile meat is delicious.
Greetings! I like your blog!
Posted by: Dreamlord | September 08, 2009 at 10:53 AM
To be honest, I wouldn't know Mike, if the guy hadn't let me know it was frog I would have probably eaten the whole plate (at this point I'd had a few)
Not an 'eel' fan either, sorry, Dreamlord.... although I've heard croc steaks are OK - wouldn't mind giving them a go at some point...
Posted by: The Thai Pirate | September 08, 2009 at 02:41 PM
Ben , just this Sunday after church we were at Tesco and I had gotten KFC take away to eat in the food court with my wife, and Ciejay comes to the table after ordering and I said honey "what you eating today " her reply was FROG. Malcolm
Posted by: Malcolm | September 08, 2009 at 04:25 PM
I like eel too lol.
I have a picture in my gallery of a orgy of Thai insects and animals we had one night at the bar. Eels, frogs, scorpions, roaches, beatles and grasshoppers. It was all pretty tasty except the roaches. I have to admit though I was quite drunk at the time.
The one thing I have yet to try and doubt I ever will is tarantula.
Posted by: Talen | September 09, 2009 at 12:32 AM
Like Ben, i've only ever had frogmeat when i didnt realize what it was. It's quite popular in Thailand, and certainly more expensive than chicken. Yeah... it's a bit like chicken but, what with all the littles bones, it's crunchy. Even though it tasted all right, it's not something i would ever order meself.
Posted by: Stephen C | September 09, 2009 at 07:12 AM
Malcolm - haha! I would go for the zinger burger everytime!
Talen - Drunk??! You must have been starving... You're braver man than me, drunk or otherwise.
Steve, exactly, crunching frog bones just doesn't work for me...
Posted by: Ben Shingleton | September 09, 2009 at 10:09 AM
Only had frog's legs in France - excellent stuff.
But eel! now you're talking - stewed eels in liquor (recipe by request), smoked eel and of course jellied eels all old East End favourites for anyone who grew up in London. Let's face it, if you grew up eating it, you probably have a nostalgic whim for it - even tarantula.
Posted by: Captain P | September 10, 2009 at 09:25 AM
Great post - this is my first visit to your blog as well - I like your banter.
We all get tricked into trying things as expats.. living in Ghana I've had a few..
Once when my sister was visiting, she had a traditional soup, only to lift up this huge black hairy long thing. Turned out it was a goat's penis... the locals around us, including the waiter thought she had the best bowl in the house! :)
Cheers
Holli in Ghana
Posted by: Holli | September 14, 2009 at 08:32 PM
Holli you're in a different league there.........Jeez. Urgh.... God...
Posted by: Ben Shingleton | September 15, 2009 at 01:06 AM