Word to the wise: When traveling abroad, be sure to find out exactly what ingredients are used in the food you buy. Even the fast food:
"With Japan under fire for plans to expand its whaling program, a fast food chain is offering a new product aimed at using up stocks from past hunts — whale burger.
"The 380 yen ($3.50) slice of fried minke whale in a bun went on sale Thursday at Lucky Pierrot, a restaurant chain in the port city of Hakodate on Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido.
"’The taste and texture are somewhere between beef and fish,’ said Lucky Pierrot manager Miku Oh. ‘People in Hakodate have a long history of eating whale, so customers are looking forward to trying it.’"
Word to the wiser: My dad, who was an extremely finicky eater when he knew what was being offered, developed an effective means of dealing with strange food offered by well-meaning friends or relatives. He would eat just about anything as long as the person serving it did not tell him what was in it. It might not work in a restaurant, but it goes a long way toward preserving friendships.
“The taste and texture are somewhere between beef and fish . . .”
I guess that means it tastes like chicken.
And that’s only because the Matrix doesn’t know what food tastes like.
Can I get that with squid ink sauce, to go?
Sorry, that was me.