Exhibit A

I like to experiment and am usually open to new experiences as long as my safety is fairly assured. I’m generally willing to give most things a try at least once and possibly a second time if I’m unsure for some reason.

This extended to my experiment with chicken feet. I’ve had them twice. Experiment concluded. They are a waste of time unless you’re a chicken.

Or enjoy delayed gratification with your food.

It is a lot of chewing for not a lot of return. They have the consistency of well-chewed gum that needs to be chewed further before swallowing. If the bones are still in them, you have to spit those out too. And I do mean spit. It’s a Chinese delicacy after all and the more mess on the table, the more you’ve indicated the meal was enjoyable. Either that or no-one is very good with chopsticks. It’s definitely not the latter. I have been continually amazed at how dexterous people can be using chopsticks to cut vegetables, noodles and meats to serve others at the table. I am no where near that calibre. I have two left chopsticks. Actually, I’m not that bad though I do have my moments. I digress…

The flavour is in the sauce anyway so just eat that instead. Most of the chicken feet sauces also go well with calamari or over rice though you’d be insulting your host if you order that too early in a meal.

Now I’m in Japan, my food experiments continue.

If anything, I’ve taken them up a notch as I don’t know many Japanese characters yet.

My team knows that I am partial to trying different things and brought me in Exhibit A. I have no idea what it’s called. I was told to boil water, stick my thumb in the top and pour the hot water into the hole. I was informed that it was a soup. I figured it could be useful for when there is an earthquake in the future as we’re all meant to be self-sufficient for at least three days. The size of a small biscuit, it would take up minimal storage space.

There were interactions inside however my Japanese doesn’t extend to that level of reading as yet and using Google Translate too frequently tends to detract from the fun of a food experiment so I decided to follow the verbal instructions of my colleagues.

1. I stuck my thumb in

1. I stuck my thumb in (I took my thumb out, I did the hokey pokey…) and it cracked the shell to reveal some powder-like substance. The shell had the consistency of a very light water cracker and smelt similar.

2. then the powder

2. I was temporarily confused as there were two sachets and I had only been instructed to add one. I opened both adding the one that wasn’t green. I figured that would be the garnish.

3. Remembering that this was somehow to magically transform itself into soup, I placed the powder filled water cracker concoction into a large bowl. Boiling water was then added.

3. The magic begins

The magic begins.

4. The water cracker continues to crumble spewing forth green things. Probably vegetables.

4. More greens

5. The water cracker is no longer recognisable and has become the consistency of bread. Some other things have rehydrated to now resemble intricate flowers in purple and white and pink and white and yellow. Even with reconstituted food, the attention to detail is amazing.

6. After a couple of minutes, garnish added and the soup is ready.

Tasted better than chicken feet.

5. Once was a water cracker

6. Eat your heart out Master Chefs

 * Thanks to INXS for the title to this post. Ahh Michael Hutchence… amazing.