2011 week - day 5

Menudo

Show some courage, my friends. Next time you go with a group of friends to a Mexican place, order one bowl of this and everyone have a taste. You may hate it, you may like it, but you'll forever more be able to say you've tried it. That counts for a lot in my book. Fear not, I do not post this in the hope that you will cook it at home. Heck, I won't cook it at home.
When I started this week's plans I really did not know where this was going to go. Where it went is where I've been privileged to go in recent times. It's sort of Stevie's 21st century epiphany postings. Now I'm here at day 5 and digging down to find something more to share. With this posting I offer you a true challenge.
I first ate menudo during on a concert tour in the 1970's. While it was still piping hot and laced heavily with oregano and onion, I could eat it. As it cooled gradually, the flavor of the cow stomach crept up on me (yes, that's what the meat in menudo is). I had to quit.
It was when I got to Denver in recent years that I began frequenting Mexican restaurants, of which there are hundreds. My palate had matured and I was intrigued by the notion that I might enjoy menudo. I did. I enjoyed it immensely and learned that the pleasure was considerably magnified when it was served with tendon in it.
I will not twist your arm about this one, but I pride myself on eating virtually everything. It's one of the things about my advancing age that I actually enjoy!!!
I would not cook menudo at home – I can't stand having to deal with the tripe – but it's cheap in restaurants and they really know how to do it.
Day 5 is the end of this theme week, but I am reminded of having Vietnamese pho for breakfast a few years ago. It had plenty of gelatinous tendon in it. I know that turns some of you off, but I was in heaven. It is certainly as close to heaven as I'm going to get.