No Reservations #1: Grasshoppers

You may have heard that I fancy myself an Anthony Bourdain wannabe... a novice "Tony" Bourdain in training, if you will. It all started when Tivo suggested I watch "No Reservations" on the Travel Channel. My Tivo is so smart, I swear. Anyway, 1/3 of the way through the episode ("Ghana," I believe), I was smitten.

He's way more hardcore than I'll ever be, but a girl can try, can't she? I love to try new things, but rarely do I have the chance to feast on bull testicles, stomach sacks, and various insects. But, as part of my new year's resolution to "Emulate Anthony Bourdain whenever possible," I knew that last Saturday's trip to Oyamel would prove to let me test the waters.

.Grasshoppers.

Oh yes, they were that big (No, they weren't).

LM, RZ, DW, CC and I went to dinner at Oyamel - my first time, decently yummy, fish wasn't all that - and I ordered the Tacos de Chapulines: The legendary Oaxacan speciality of sautéed grasshoppers, served with shallots, garlic and tequila.

Let's enjoy the eating process:

Doesn't look so bad, does it?

Yep... the closeup doesn't do it any favors.

Oh boy. This looks more fun than it was. CC, in the background, looks so happy because SHE wasn't eating grasshoppers.

And yet, they were delicious. Again, please note CC's "face of compassion" for her friend. Bah!

All in all, I'd say they were pretty delicious. Crunchy, salty, and masked with guacamole to take the edge off. I imagined they'd be bigger, so it was mildly freaky to watch the smaller 'hoppers fly out of the other end of the taco whenever I'd take a bite. But I definitely think I'd order them again. Maybe.

Sheesh - emulating Anthony Bourdain is tres difficult.

Thanks, RZ, for the pictures.

2007: See Ya Later Sucka

Odd-numbered years tend to not be my best years**. All of the peskier parts of my life have occurred in '89, '01, '03, etc. So, while it's mostly in my head, I just love even numbered years... they give me hope. And hope, if you haven't heard, is a big theme this year. Just ask Obama.

So, I know it's a bit late, but here are my resolutions for 2008. I do hope you enjoy:

1. MAKE IT HAPPEN.
   
2. Emulate Anthony Bourdain whenever possible.
3. Don't emulate the smoking habit of Anthony Bourdain.
4. Read more books. Lots more.
5. Become a real Chilean (aka speak fluent Spanish)
6. Answer my phone when it rings.
7. Return calls when I legit miss them.
8. Learn to cook.
9. Learn to love.
10. Play scrabble like the bad-ass I know I am.
11. Eat more fruit.
12. Drink less Diet Coke.
13. Try, try hard, to enjoy Pittsburgh.
    

With a lot of these... I got a head start in 2007, which makes me v. happy. The rest of them... we'll have to see how it goes.

** That's putting it mildly.