Happy Friday everybody! If this is your first Friday Firsts click the image above or on the side bar for more information! I'm happy to see a crew of "regulars" joining me every week! Thank you for sharing your firsts and continuing to spread the word!
My first for this week was trying jicama for the very first time! Jicama is a root vegetable popular in Mexican and Asian cuisines. It is usually eaten raw and when I searched for "recipes" most tips said to cut it in slices and munch as you would with carrots or celery. It is also sometimes added to salsas, stir fries, or salads.
To prepare I cut the tips off and peeled with a vegetable peeler. It smelled exactly like cut grass to me- very fresh and "earthy." The jicama was very hard to cut, it was starchy and clung to my knife like a raw potato.At this point the kitchen smelled pretty strongly like cut grass. It didn't smell sweet or like something that should be eaten raw. But, I took a deep breath and did what any adventurous person trying a new food would do ...
...I fed a little piece to Corky first!
And he spit it out!! (Not a good sign, especially from the dog that eats everything!)
Ok. Enough stalling! I took a bite and it was odd to say the least. A lot starchier than I expected. The forefront was subtley sweet like an apple or a pear, but there was definitely a raw potato feeling in there. Further back in your mouth it tasted very starchy, almost as if all the moisture in your mouth was being sucked out.
Johnny and I both gave a couple of pieces a try. I will admit that the more you eat, the more you taste the apple tones. But, once you stop eating and go back for another piece it's as if you're right back at the start, building up a tolerance for the starch factor.Now it's your turn to tell me about your first! To participate in Friday Firsts create a blog post featuring a "first" of yours. It could be the first time you've baked a cake from scratch or the first time you've used your stick blender! Any culinary first will do! Next, link that blog post below and tell us about it! If you don't have a blog or a specific post to link to please tell us about your first in the comment section! Any and all participation is welcome!
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This is the first time I have made these caramel chocolate cookies-yum it won't be the last!!
ReplyDeleteHad to post the french oven giveaway!!
ReplyDeleteI like jicama - I grew up eating it so the whole the starchy thing is par for the course - squeeze some lime on it and a little pinch of kosher salt - it changes it for the better!
ReplyDeleteOh man, I remember the first time I had jicama. It was at an authentic Mexican restaurant and I saw it on the menu and thought, why not? They cut it into french fry-like wedges and marinated it in lime juice and cayenne pepper. So good!
ReplyDeleteRats! I forgot about Friday Firsts with everything going on in my house - is it too late? It said its closed - is there a time limit?
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday Christina! Tell Johnny I said hello!
I love jicama! I had for the first time at a Whole Foods salad bar a few years ago and fell in love with its mild crunch. Nice using Corky as a guinea dog ;) I once tried to use the word "jicama" during a lecture in front of my entire class and pronounced it like it looks (gee-cah-mah). Needless to say, people we cracking up at that one :P
ReplyDeleteI love jicama and eat it all the time. Its really great cooked also - it keeps its crunch, which is nice. I like to add it to chili. Just linked my first time cooking with yuca; a similarly starchy tuber!
ReplyDeleteI love jicama! I've seen recipes for it with watermelon slices, both sprinkled with salt and chili powder. Sooooo good.
ReplyDeleteI will try to remember to post next week! We just started getting our CSA box each week so we are trying tons of new recipes and cooking outside of my comfort zone. It is so much fun!! I really enjoy your blog!
ReplyDeleteJulie @finntannermom
way to be adventurous!
ReplyDeleteThat's how I've learned there are LOTS of fruits and veggies I love now that I always thought I hated!
yo, have you tried ROASTING jicama? Pretty good, with all the spices. Also, jicama slaw! So refreshing.
ReplyDeletepoor corky!!! lol did he know he was being used for taste testing? hahaha
ReplyDeleteOH MY GOD about your dream!!!! lol yea im sayin, if i had FOUR boys i would definitely be looking to give one away.. interested? lol jk- thats nuts! but hysterical, it totally made my morning!!
(going to a blogger convention would be fun though.. )
OMG I laughed SO hard over seeing Corky leave those bits all over the floor! I guess he wanted the lime juice on it! too funny:)
ReplyDeleteI love jicama! Mister Linky is up for this week's Crock Pot Wednesday. There's another giveaway this month. Come on over!
ReplyDelete