unorthodoxchef

My day started out completely normal. I started updating my blogs and writing a few articles. I was even on the look out for some more Museum links for my site Ancient Digger, an Archaeology focused website. However, what I found when I was stumbling around on one of the sites was a really strange food festival including all types of insect specialties. I know people all around the globe partake in different sorts of cuisines, but never did I imagine that there were festivals celebrating the consumption of grasshoppers and meal-worms. Gross!

This sparked my interest, so I started rummaging around the net to find some really interesting and bizarre food festivals. And you thought your meal last night was innovative and special, think again!

BugFest North Carolina

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This sounds like too much fun. The Museum of Natural Sciences in North Carolina hold this festival every year around September. You can enjoy all types of entertainment including displays and presentations about arthropods. You can taste “delectable dishes featuring creepy crawlers as a major ingredient at Café Insecta.” All of these samples of insects are absolutely free. This is a wonderful,kid friendly festival. I only wish I lived closer to savor some of the strange delicacies.

Check out all the Buggy News

Waikiki Spam Jam

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Spam may just be one of the only foods I have never tried, although it seems to be quite popular with the people of Hawaii. They even have a street festival that celebrates the people of Hawaii’s love for SPAM®, a canned meat from Hormel Foods.

“This street festival is great for all ages, as the event includes Hawaii’s top restaurants, two stages with free entertainment,and a variety of Hawaiian crafters. This is also a special event that benefits the Hawaii Food Bank, the largest non-profit in Hawaii that feeds the needy. Please take a look around our website for more information on this annual cultural tradition in Hawaii.”

Check out their website full of recipes and pictures of the festival

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Click on the picture above to their library of photo’s.

The first Salley Chitlin’ Strut was planned for the Saturday after Thanksgiving, November 26, 1966. The festival featured country music acts including Greasy Medlin, Dixie Four, Snuffy Jenkins and the Strange Sisters.  Thousands upon thousands of people in South Carolina and the surrounding areas flocked to the Chitlin’ Strut where they consumed hundreds of pounds of chitlin’s, and barbecue, among many other food items.

“The Town raised enough money during the festival to purchase new decorations in time for Christmas. The Chitlin’ Strut proved such a success, the Mayor and Town Council decided to make the festival an annual event, to be held each year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.”

Check out all that the Chitlin Strut of Sally has to offer

Turkey Testicle Festival

Woodruff, Utah

Testicle Festival 2009 Olean Missouri, Producer Shawn Kober

You may this is strange, but there are Turkey testicle festivals all over the United states including one in Illinois, Misssouri and  Montana

Tidbit of History

Archaeologist’s believe that the cocoa tree is several thousand years old and originated in the South Amazon.  “The first documented trees comes from the Aztecs who were said to bring the trees from the Yucatan around 600 AD.” According to the Mayans, cocoa had magical powers, enabling people to possess certain qualities they may have never had without consuming the beans.The most important use of the cocoa bean, documented by historians, was in the culinary field where it was used in a liquid form called xocotlatl.

After centuries of trade and experimentation, the cocoa bean made it’s way all over the world where it found it’s rightful place in coffee houses and chocolate factories. The first chocolates ever made were in Germany in 1663 when a special delicacy was made from almonds, dates, and marzipan covered in chocolate. It was called “Praline”.

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Types of Chocolate Used

Dark Couverture-Dark is usually bittersweet and quite solid depending on the amounts of solids and sugars used.

Milk Couverture-Herseys does not count in the culinary world. Milk couverture is usually pale brown to almost dark.

White Couverture-Typically this comes in different colors and is mostly used as a garnish considering many Chefs do not consider this to be true chocolate.

Bakers Chocolate-This is a soft cutting chocolate which contains no cocoa butter, however it doesn’t require tempering so it’s preferred chocolate by many.

Cooking Chocolate-This is a cheap option for flavoring, and it’s especially never used by bakers or chocolatiers.

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When a Chef, artist or chocolatier decides to embark on a huge sculpting task, the initial planning is sometimes the most difficult. It’s not as easy as obtaining an enormous chunk of chocolate. Many individuals will use different processes, grades, and structural pieces to maintain and construct their chocolate sculpture. Often times, molds will be handmade, chocolate will be shipped in from all over the world, along with tools that the artist may not already have.

All in all it’s a daunting process, but the outcome is extraordinary.

by jiji357i

Compliments of  Hyd-Masti

Compliments of Elimona.com

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by emilywjones

by emilywjones

by jamescronin

Ingredients

1 Gala Apple-sliced thin

1 Mango-small chunks

1 Asian Pear-sliced thin

2 stalks of celery-1/4 inch slice

10 radishes thinly sliced

Dressing

1/4 cup Sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 Tsp Horse radish

2 Tsp Finely chopped dill weed

Kosher or sea salt (dash to taste)

Pepper(black or white)

• Stir together all the components of the dressing and set aside. No need for steps here.
• Remember to cube your mango correctly meaning: Slice through lengthwise, make criss cross slits on each side. Seperate yor halves and bend them backward. Cut out the cubed.
• Combine all of your fruits and veggies in one bowl. Incorporate completely.
• Pour dressing over the mixture and toss lightly.
• Ready to serve.

She one of my closest friends on the net, and she’s also one of my favorite cooks on the Notecook. Jo is a Mom above everything else. “Some call me a political enthusiast…..I just say informed voter. My writing will often reflect my desire to advocate for disability rights, humor, experience in the medical world, parenting, politics, food, and any research I come across.”

Take  a look at some of Jo’s favorite dishes, designed to please the picky people and the pocket.

Turkey Nacho’s

Turkey Nachos are a nice healthy spin on traditional nachos. This recipe serves six. It has 421 calories per serving, without adding any of the ingredients under the tip section. Recipe Here

Slow Cooker Spinach Lasagna

This is one of those no fuss recipes. It is great for long summer days because you don’t have to heat up the oven. Just layer ingredients in the slow cooker and let it do all the work for you. The spinach lasagna recipe will make (8) 500 calorie servings. Recipe Here

Yopo Mash

I was very hesitant about the yopo mash recipe when I first tried it a few years ago. To my great surprise, it was delicious. Now, it has become a family staple. This is enough to make eight full serving side dishes. Recipe Here