Feeling slightly defeated after my high souffle style hopes of speaking with a food writer have been simply deflated by the fork of reality, I suck it up and decide to explore the exotic world of food the best way I know how: by eating.
My fellow foodie roommate Lauren joins me and we navigate our way to a local smokehouse. The building is compact and there lies little room for lines between each small shop stacked side by side. The tourist shops beckon you to come in and spend your dollars on knick-knacks, but today we walk past them, today we eat.
The line is too big for the small deli and you must break through it in order to add yourself to the long wait. But we don't mind; the room whirs with orders and a cash register opening and closing and it's exciting for two first timers. There must be a good reason that people are patient enough to wait, the food must be that good.
I never order the most popular thing on the menu when I go somewhere new, unless it claims to be distinctly different.You can get a turkey sandwich anywhere so why waste your money to try what you already know? In my natural rebellion against food complacency and to satisfy my goal of exploring classic, authentic foods, I go all the way, I order Liver and Onions
I know, I know. Do not shake your head at me, I already know. If you've ever had liver and onions you fall into one of two categories: you love it, or you cringe at the thought of it. I happen to fall into the latter category and yet, gave this relic a chance. Giddy with hopes that this would be the serving that would convert me to a lover of the liver, I couldn't wait to try it.
I inhale the uncooked, meatloaf style slab that comes to me in a basket presented neatly with crackers and all the fixings that apparently go well with this dish, raw white onions included. I smell nothing to be alarmed of, and in her graciousness, Lauren volunteers to photo-document..my first bite experience
The cracker is smeared slightly with mayonnaise, under the liver, and a few slices of onion. I bite cautiously and savor the flavors that greet my palette, welcoming me to their individual expressions; the cracker, salty and dry makes way for the soft spread as it hits just before the crunchy cool onions try to use their sweetness to help me recover from the schmear's punch. Oh my gosh. I should have known better. What else did I expect from liver? Well obviously not much because just as I expected, the familiar taste of iron swarms me and I grimace just in time for a photo. It is not bad per se, I just happen to have an unfortunate aversion to the taste of wild game and rosemary.
I take a second bite hoping that the initial shock over-powered my optimism. But that does me in. I end my experimental dance with the organ then and there. Two bites too many and on my first food experiment I laugh with Lauren, "I should have went for the turkey". Smitten with the beautiful fish and cheese spread I do not resign completely from the smokehouse, but for today I have had enough. I swipe a fork through Lauren's cranberry-walnut mayo and make note to myself that although the exotic may be more exciting it is definitely different to say the least.
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