ROBINSON’S RAMBLINGS

BY JOHN DRAKE ROBINSON

Hot dogs? Brats? We love ‘em. Your kids love them. They’re the stars of the backyard family barbecue. Just don’t ask what’s in them or watch them being made. You’ve always heard that.

Recently a friend put me to that test.

She invited Cheryl and me to her family picnic. Three dozen people gathered at a Cosmo Park pavilion after church, as they do every Sunday. Family members and friends look forward to the camaraderie.

And the food.

Mama always prepares a lavish feast, crowned by recipes from her native Philippines. I was intrigued and ready for the challenge. On this day a welcome breeze wafted gently through the pavilion, stirring the aromas from a picnic table packed with two dozen dishes, maybe more, lovingly prepared. Some foods were recognizable. Others were a mystery.

Cheryl and I each took a plate and started down the line. Every dish looked and smelled wonderful. I spooned a helping of the first dish and asked mama, “What’s this?”

“I’ll tell you after you eat it.”

Next dish. “What’s in it?”

“I’ll tell you after you eat it.”

We repeated the same conversation on almost every dish down the line. Meanwhile Cheryl filled her plate with foods she could recognize. Fruit salads. Corn. Beans. Fried chicken.

We sat to eat. With a plate full of mysteries, I approached my first bite cautiously. It was a delicious blend of crisp meats stir-fried with vegetables. The dish looked and tasted much like something I might see at my favorite Asian buffet. I wolfed it down, anxious to learn what I just ate. “Okay, what was it?”

“Pork sisig, with pig’s cheeks, face and snout, ears and liver mixed with jalapenos and onions, calamansi, peppercorns.”

Wow. So far, so good.

Next dish was a soup, spicy and intriguing. “What’s in it?”

“Crispy pork blood stew, with pork belly, offal, ginger and garlic.”

I ventured into the next taste test. This one was tougher because I had the sense it was looking back at me. I ate it fast and was surprised by its robust flavor. “Tastes like chicken. Tell me.”

“Helmets. A popular street snack. Marinated chicken heads with combs and beaks removed, barbecued with salt and onions.”

Cheryl didn’t hear. She had turned her head, talking to another guest.

Mama and I repeated this Q&A during my entire meal.

I’m an adventurous eater. I proudly list haggis — the Scottish national comestible litmus test — as a conquered taste. But I would never purposely pick pig knuckles. Mama knew this. And she knew I probably never asked what’s in a hot dog. She knew I just liked the taste.

Every dish she fixed was tasty. I tried them all. The crispy pork leg knuckles with lemon, onions, chiles and Thai sweet chili sauce. The Paksiw na pata (pig’s feet stew) in vinegar and soy sauce with onion, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, sugar and salt. Tuslob-buwa, cooked pork brains and livers. Papaitan soup with goat heart simmered in garlic, onions, spices and bile.

I not only survived the taste test, I enjoyed the flavors, the blends, the textures. Mama was proud of my adventuresome palate, and happy that at least for one meal, I was a convert.

Cheryl was less enthusiastic. Aside from an occasional platter of fried chicken livers, she’s content to bypass foods with exotic body parts.

Just put them in the hot dogs.

John Drake Robinson is a former director of the Missouri Division of Tourism and has driven every mile of highway in the state. His appetite covers a wide range of subjects at johndrakerobinson.com

Brushing and flossing are key to dental health, but you can also help prevent cavities by eating more shitake mushrooms and wasabi. Both contain compounds that help combat plaque and cavity-causing bacteria. Bonus? Both are tasty, too!

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