Canned What?

Up until recently I have dreaded shopping, especially grocery shopping. I’m the kind of person that when I go to the market to buy a can of beans, I take as little time as possible. I go into the store, go directly to the bean shelf, grab the can and head immediately to the checkout stand. It took me longer to write this paragraph than it did for me to get in and out of the store with my beans.

However, yes there always seems to be a however condition. Over the years, we have visited towns and specialty stores throughout the US and Europe. Sooo, here are a few items that I have found that may pique your interest.

Chinese Silkworms: Apparently, the canned delicacy has a flavor like shrimp or crab and is chewy. I guess all the best foods come in cans.

Looking for some soup to warm you during the winter months? How about some Chinese canned snake soup to get you through the night? The clerk said it tastes like chicken. Who knew?

Well, maybe you would rather try something more familiar like fried chicken testicles. Just pop open a can of these scrumptious globes and throw them on the grill. I wonder if they taste like chicken.

While visiting my daughter in Georgia, my wife and I ventured down to Savannah and visited an out of the way specialty market. We found some southern delicacies.

Cans of “Pork brains in gravy.”  As if pork rinds weren’t enough. Waste not want not.

Dickinson’s Lime Curd. (Mm mm good!) It probably goes great with some Whey. (Remember Little Miss Muffet?)

Hunter’s Roadkill Sausage (Wild boar, elk, venison, pheasant and pork) Sounds tasty to me.

Cajun  Pickled Quail Eggs. No comment

Dried Cuttlefish. It sounds so cute.

Pickled Watermelon Rind (So many things taste better pickled, right?)

Meyenberg Powered Goat Milk (I hope it’s not as baaaad as it sounds)

Cod Jerky (Why not? I grew up in Maine and ate lots of cod fish, but it wasn’t jerked.)

When we visited London, there was a shop that sold Canned Haggis (with Lamb). Have you ever tried Haggis? Well don’t, it tastes a little too special.

 I also spotted some Salt and Vinegar Grasshoppers. Do you suppose they were English hoppers?

When we were in Hawaii, we noticed that there were at least 12 kinds of SPAM on the store shelves. They even sold Pumpkin Spice SPAM.  Oh yeah!

There was a store in LA that sold Earthworm Jerky. (a real specialty item.) I don’t think the store is still there. I wonder why?

Over time I’ve noticed some interesting items in our local markets. One store seemed to have a section for bachelors. It sold single shrink-wrapped potatoes, two peeled Clementine’s (that’s a tangor orange) in a plastic clamshell. They also featured canned bread, canned whole-chickens, lots of potted meat, individually wrapped items like a single clove of garlic, 2 scallions, 2 carrots, a cup of rice, 2 eggs, etc….

And then there are the usual convenience items for the rest of us. I found 4 cobs of corn (individually wrapped in plastic, set onto a foam tray which is also wrapped in plastic), canned escargot, scented toilet paper (strawberry and watermelon scent). Could it get any better? Oh yes, you could also buy tapioca dinner rolls, gluten free tapioca loaf, which is also wheat free and dairy free. Don’t forget your WowButter (in place of peanut butter).

After reading this I’m sure you will want to try most of these exotic items during the next several weeks. Yeah, right. Bon Appetite.