Ok you adventurous eaters...and anyone else!

[MickeyNicki]

Need some advice, guidance, opinions...

We are going to in Oct and I really want to start sampling alot of foods that I never eat..and I am going to give it a go for wine too (never liked it before but maybe my taste buds are maturing?) I figure with the F&W happening on our trip this is a good time to start sampling...for all the years we went before I never would have thought to try them but what if I am missing out on something great?

What do these foods taste like?

Salmon
Duck
Lamb
Escargot
Couscous
California Roll

My seafood expertise is shrimp, scallops, calamari, lobster and recently any type of whitefish like grouper, mahi mahi, talapia, haddock and my favorite..SNOOK! If something tastes or smells fishy I cannot handle it....

I had duck breasts once by mistake, about 8 years ago in the Bahamas it was on the buffet and I thought they were just tiny chicken breasts in a brown sauce..it was awesome and then the chef came around and asked how I liked the duck! Now for some reason I cannot remember what it tasted like even though I remember that I like it!

So can you do your best to describe these items to me? Many thanks in advance!

 

[molly213]

F & W is a great place to try the wines. I had tried a few and didn't like the ones I tried at all but since F & W I've found a few I like and keep looking for more. Try the Ice Wine in Canada! Nothing in the world like it. It is FANTASTIC! Rose Regale in Italy is also worth a try.

 

[Pakey]

I've had everything on your list but I don't think I can describe most of them. Escargot is great if you love garlic. That's pretty much what you taste. A California Roll has crab and avocado. If you do not like crab, you will not like it as that is the dominant flavor. Duck is richer and heavier than chicken but has a mild enough taste; a lot will depend on how it is cooked and if it has a sauce or glaze of some sort. If it is overcooked, it will be chewy but if it's cooked correctly, it is very tasty if the sauce is something that you like. Salmon is definitely fishier with a stronger taste than a whitefish of any type. I do not like lamb so I will not describe it for you!!!!

My favorite food in the world is fois gras (goose or duck liver) that I would have never discovered if I wasn't adventurous. So I hope you find some treasures to eat while at the world.

 

[JohnathanS]

To add to the previous poster:

Lamb, to me, is a much sweeter meat than beef. I love it! It's definitely best cooked no more than medium rare. After that, it gets dry, gray, and tasteless IMO.

Couscous is tiny pasta (it looks like a grain, but it is a pasta) so it doesn't have a very strong, individual flavor. It's flavor is mainly comes from the aromatics and other ingredients its cooked with.

Escargot reminds me of very rich mushrooms. They tend to taste of the garlicy sauce they are cooked in more than anything else.

Have a great time tasting. I have to admit, I would not enjoy the Food and Wine Festival nearly as much if I were a picky eater...I'm planning on trying every food item at each booth at least once this trip!

 

[bearzabout]

I recommend trying them all. You may find you really like them.

Salmon is not very fishy. In general, I don't like fish but I like salmon. The maple glazed salmon at Canada is often great, as long as it is not overcooked.

Duck is a dark meat that is often served with a sweet fruit glaze. It is rich from the high fat content of the bird. Cooked properly, it is very tender and tasty.

Lamb is a bit gamey. I love it when prepared correctly. A chop should be cooked medium rare and be pink inside. It is one of my favorite meats, but I have a hard time finding it cooked as well as they prepare it in Australia.

People either love or hate escargot. They have an odd texture, but taste great because of the butter/garlic sauce on them. They look intimidating. I say close your eyes when you eat them and savor the flavor.

I love the coucous they serve in the Tangierine Cafe. They mix raisins and small veggies in with the rice/pasta-like grain.

California Roll is sushi for beginners. They use fake crab inside of the sushi roll instead of raw fish. The crab and rice with a bit of soy sauce and a very small dab of wasabi is a real treat.

 

[MickeyNicki]

Thanks you guys! Would you say that escargot is the same texture as calamari?

 

[lonegungirl]

Thanks you guys! Would you say that escargot is the same texture as calamari?

Yes, actually I would. I think the last time I had it was on the Disney cruise line, and I found it to be tasty, a little tough, and a little salty/oily, but that would vary depending on the sauce they serve with it.

I think actually any fish can taste fishy if it's not very fresh. Salmon is one of my favorite fishes, however it is a little oilier than whitefish--but it's the good oil! The omega fatty acids! At least that's what I tell myself.

The others are all pretty much as they've been described. I like them all, but then I like almost anything that isn't too spicy or too pickled. Or cartilage--I don't like cartilage.

 

[MickeyNicki]

Ok good to know about the escargot..I love garlic and I love calamari so I am really excited to try this one. Truth be told the one that I am the most nervous about is the salmon.....but if it is smothered in maple glaze how bad can it be?

 

[Uncleromulus]

Couscous cooked properly tastes pretty good. The couscous we had once at Marakesh wasn't cooked much at all--looked and felt like parakeet seed.
Don't care for lamb much except braised, slow coked lamb shank--as found at Jiko.
And salmon is a great fish. Not quite as firm as swordfish, but not as flakey as some other fish. Properly sauced (as at Atrist Point) it's a good choice.

 

[Pakey]

I had escargot last night at a local bistro that was NOT cooked with garlic. First time like this. It was cooked with lemon and served on brioche. It was excellent. All this time I thought I liked escargot because of the garlic but I guess not!!!

 

[jess20k]

I tried Escargot for the first time at Le Chefs de France this past Feb. I have always wanted to try them, but I always ended up changing my mind at the last minute. I love seafood, so I thought, what the heck...they can't be that gross. Well, when I did finally order them, I was very pleased! Like previous posters have mentioned, I also noticed the garlic-butter sauce taste more so than any prominent taste from the escargot. I did think that there was a slightly seafood like taste, but nothing overpowering. The texture I thought was similar somewhat to calamari.

Have fun trying new dishes!