Before I get into what I really want this post to be about, my first experience with oysters, I have to tell you a little bit about my day yesterday.
It started off wonderfully. I woke up, relaxed a bit, went for a run and then went to my Mom’s for a wonderful late lunch of corn chowder and panini.
It was great.
Then, I got home and I was bored.
So bored. For like 4 hours, I sat around the house in total boredom. I honestly can’t remember the last time I was bored. I’m not sure it’s occurred once in 2010. I was beside myself.
So, I watched Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters and then went to bed because when you’re bored the logical thing to do is sleep – right?
Wrong.
I then proceeded to get out of bed and go through old pictures for two hours.
Why I couldn’t have done this during the day, while I was bored, I’ll never know.
However, I did find the pictures from the first time I tried oysters and had to share them on the blog.
To set the scene a bit: It was spring break of my freshman year of high school and my friend Candy and I went to Corpus Christi, Texas with my mom and dad for vacation.
The first night, we went to Landry’s for dinner. My dad ordered oysters, and he had this thing about forcing people to try things no matter how much they protested.
Candy and I had absolutely no interest in the slimy crustaceans, but eventually he convinced us.
And he wouldn’t just let us slurp them down like people usually do. Oh no, we had to chew them. On a cracker. With horseradish sauce.
I’m not sure if my extreme hatred for horseradish sauce came before or after this moment, but I know it was definitely the final nail in the coffin.
I think our expressions say it all.
But, in case you’re confused. We didn’t like them.
Particularly because mine was still sandy, so not only was a crunching down on slimy oyster nastiness I was also grinding small particles of glass between my teeth. Awesome.
Fun things to note:
- The table behind us staring like we’re crazy. I assume we made quite the scene.
- My one-shoulder purple shirt. I loved that shirt so much, in the year 2000. Now one-shoulders are all the rage again. Wish I would have kept it.
My pallate was very immature at that time, and while I’ve now gotten to the point where I can eat oysters in a delicious stew and can slurp them in moderation, I would never recommend the cracker-chewing oyster method to anyone. Ever.
It’s just not good.
And that was the first time I ever tried oysters.
Q: What is the worst food item you’ve ever tried?
I feel like I may have tried oysters once at a friends house. I can remember her dad making and offering them, and I feel like I don’t like them, but I can’t remember for sure if I tried one.
I love that second picture! You two made your feelings pretty clear.
I love oysters! But I agree – when they are sandy they are pretty nasty.
Never tried them and I don’t think I ever will! Haha love one shoulder shirts/dresses. I’m not very adventurous so the weirdest food I’ve ever tried is probably sushi, haha.
I’m sorry, but Sushi is the worst thing I’ve tried! Blech!
I think octopus was the worst thing I’ve ever tried- not squid/calamari, but actual octopus. Texture of steak and tastes like salmon, just awful!! And the little suction things were still on and I bit into one of them and it almost cracked my tooth…ugh!!
I do like oysters and different oysters from different regions have more/less sand and different flavors. So keep trying them!!
Deer anything for me! I never trusted anything my BIL tried to serve me b/c I was so afraid he’d not tell me it was deer until after I’d eaten it. I did really love oysters though.
Um, minus the sand.
I was bored for a good part of yesterday, too. I’m so used to running around that standing still for more than 15 minutes was strange….
I don’t think I’ll ever be one to try oysters. I’m open to new things, but from everything I’ve heard, the texture (or lack of?) would cause instant vomit. Texture is a big thing in my book… ick
Lol. This reminds me of the oyster tasting I did earlier this year. I was NOT a fan. The only one I was a fan of was doused in butter and bacon and cooked.
I do the same thing when I’m bored..at least when I’m back home where there are actually real photos and not just a bunch of digital ones.
It’s fun looking back in the past!
I remember not really liking oysters when I first tried them, either. Although it uld have been the face they were off a buffet- Im sure it’d be different if they were prepared better. But as far as the worst food I’ve every tried..hmmm..I really don’t know! I’ve loved everything pretty much (and I’ve even eaten snails!)
Hahaha I love the story behind this. Don’t we all have a “food pusher” in our family/friend circle? Hey, at least you gave it a shot!
I’ve eaten ants! In Ecuador, they roast them and season them and eat them like popcorn or bar nuts. In high school my Spanish teacher brought them in. They tasted like burnt popcorn!
Aw, I love oysters! However, they are pretty nasty when there is sand involved. Ick. As for the worst thing I’ve tried- I forget the name of the fish but it was featured at our local sushi place. Feeling adventurous, I tried it and almost threw up. Yuck!
Ahaha, I love those photos. I love oysters, too. But sandy ones, I don’t know. Hmm, worst food item, that’s hard. I tried squid in 6th grade in Mexico and hated it, but now I like calamari. I think it was the worst *at the time*, meaning it got the worst reaction out of me!
When I was like 9yrs. old, my dad cooked squirrel!!! He told us that it was chicken!!!! It makes me sick to think about it!
I’ve never been a fan! Even when I was growing up and we went to the beach once a week and hit up ‘shuck ems’ I’d just get fried shrimp.
Worst food? Probably those shirataki noodles or whatever – I just hated them.
My parents made me try oysters the same way! yuck. I think oysters and snails are tied for worst food I’ve ever tried. The snails were basically flavorless but really slimy and rubbery. I’m cringing just thinking about it.
By far the worst food I’ve ever tried had to be chicken livers… ugh I don’t think I’ll be doing that again :/
Haha, what a fun (and kind of yucky) memory! I’ve never tried oysters, but I’d like to…I love trying new foods! Although when I tried snails a few years ago, I hated them – that texture was so icky.
Haha, love the pictures. I have to say oysters on a half shell were my worst food experiences too. My grandma made me and my sister try them and it was the grosses thing EVER. I have yet to get the nerve to try them again.
Why is looking at pics so much fun late at night?
Blue cheese. Hands down.
Ooh I agree with that one. I hate blue cheese!
MY husband LOVES oysters, but when I tried them, I really really tried to like them. But like you, I swore I tasted sand!