When in Doubt - Go Classy!

For the last while I've been on a bit of a trip about trying new things. I won't say that I've gotten a bee in my bonnet or anything because it's really not an intense thing but I have recently been thinking a lot more along the lines of 'I could really be missing out on something just because I haven't tried it before'. If you've read the recent posts about cooking and whatnot then you might see where it is I'm coming from. I'm not going to go into much detail, because honestly it's not terribly interesting or anything. The point is for the last few weeks I've been asking nearly everyone I speak to if they have ever had mussels, oysters or tofu. Now it turns out I've had plenty of fried tofu, in Chinese food and that sort, and I have decided that I love it (I haven't had it prepared any other way so if anyone has suggestions let me know). However I have never, knowingly or otherwise, had mussels or oysters. The reasons for this is simple: 

• I don't do seafood, or at least I haven't until now.
• It's usually the texture of a food that puts me off rather than the taste, and looking at mussels and oysters I can't imagine they feel all nice and lovely and pleasant in my mouth.
• I try to avoid ordering food in restaurants that I'm likely not to eat. Obvious I think.

But if I try them just once then I won't have to again. Unless of course they turn out to be utterly amazing like everyone claims them to be. So this evening when I was meeting himself for food I decided today was the day! O' Connell's Pub formally and better known as Synott's in Castletroy do Galway Bay Oysters (Oysters from Galway, Galway Bay that is). I felt so classy ordering them as they do seem to have an air of sophistication about them but the moment the bartender put the plate in front of me I exploded into laughter. I have no idea why. Himself looked disgusted by them and was thanking God it wasn't him eating the things. 

I didn't shoot them back. I picked up the least weird looking one, which also happened to be the biggest and I poked with the fork and nibbled it. It tasted like a fishmonger's smells, which really is just slightly fishy with a strong smell of ice and parsley. I didn't really think that it tasted of anything. But as I said its the texture of food that turns me off not the taste. The next three looked absolutely disgusting, all blackened and squiggley and wet looking. I didn't want to eat them! But they did taste fine, just didn't look it. I picked up the smallest one next...it was also the ugliest so I put it back down. I really couldn't do it, but I wasn't going to leave them there, like I said they tasted fine (who am I trying to convince?!). So what else could I have done...

When in doubt - swallow whole!

Taken with the crappy camcorder I keep in my bag and will be replaced

All in all I'm glad I tried something new and now I have some shiny new ornaments, but lemon isn't enough to make those things look nice or have a stronger taste. I definitely think lots and lots of melted butter is the way to go so once I find somewhere that does mussels I'll try those too.

Therefore in conclusion: Oysters look gross and unfortunately they serioulsy don't make you classy, not when you're laughing like a jackass and are terrified by your dinner.