When travelling I have often questioned whether what I think I am eating is actually what I am eating. I have seen many dogs on skewers, and although I have never opted for baked dog for dinner, I suspect I may have unknowingly sampled this at some point. I have eaten chicken that looks suspiciously ‘un-chicken-like’ and I have eaten foods that I quite simply have no idea what it is, and often I think I would probably rather not know!
Last month I went for lunch in Marrakesh and decided that I would try something new. So after tentatively examining the menu I decided I would try a dish called pastilla. When it arrived I was shocked to see that it was a meat pastry covered in sugar and chocolate! I am all for trying new things, but meat and chocolate? I wasn’t convinced!
I really did try to eat the dish, but the combination of sweet and savoury was just too much of a flavour overload for my taste buds! I decided I would not order that again and put it to rest.
Moroccan pastilla
However this morning I was casually flicking through Twitter and saw that somebody had posted a short article about pastilla; and they stated that it is traditionally made with pigeon!
I was under the impression that I was eating chicken, and yes it may have been. But now I have realised that it quite possibly could have been pigeon that I ate! I know that pigeon is eaten by many, but it was not something on my list of things I wanted to try-in fact quite the opposite!
Trying local delicacy is such an integral part of travelling and I am all for that, and I do love these funny, unexpected moments you get. But I will admit, my stomach did turn a little when I concluded that I may have unknowingly eaten pigeon.
It just goes to show, that what you think you are eating, may in reality be something entirely different… But I guess that is all part of the fun of travelling… or is it?
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Yes, it is! I love discovering new tastes. I guess, meat and chocolate is a strange combination, but it is always worth trying.
I have never eaten a pigeon, but I heard it is much tender than a chicken.
I love trying new foods too, but this one was just not for me!! :s
I hadn’t thought about until you mentioned it but pigeon is also eaten in Egypt – I remember being served it as a child, but the Londoner in me found it pretty hard to stomach, as all I could think of were the grimy birds in Trafalgar Square!
Those were the exact images going through my head too! Eeek! Ha ha