Caviar
When I was pretty young, a Russian friend came to stay with my family. As is the norm for Russians apparently, she bought gifts including some excellent black caviar, red caviar and a bottle of what I wouldn't know until several years later, was really really good vodka. However the only person in my family who liked or would even eat caviar was my dad, and he didn't eat much of it.

I'm allergic to fish and shellfish, and even at that age I knew that caviar was fish eggs, so I have absolutely no idea why I thought that somehow it would be exempt from the general rule of making me extremely ill. Even more stupidly I didn't sample it while my dad was doing so, when it was at its best and being served properly. Instead I sneaked downstairs to the back-kitchen and probably under the impression that I was doing something really naughty, I literally got a dessert spoonful of the stuff out and stuffed it into my greedy face. Forget blinis or crackers, all you really need is a spoon.

I'm aware for a lot of people caviar is a delicacy to be savoured and enjoyed. Bugger that, it was one of the most disgusting things I've ever tasted. It wasn't very salty, and the taste while really unappetising and rather fishy wasn't the most offensive thing ever. It was the texture that got me. It's impossible to describe, but although the eggs weren't actually popping, it felt like they were. I imagine it's what like eating frogspawn is like.

As if that wasn't enough punishment, even though I only swallowed a tiny bit, my mouth swelled up quite badly, and I spent the rest of the night in considerable discomfort. It's not fair, but even now when people talk about loving caviar, or how it's one of the best things they've eaten, I can feel a tiny part of me thinking 'liar.'
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Thu 2 Jun 2011, 4:20, 3 replies)

the texture is like blueberries or something
they do feel like they are popping.

I fucking love the stuff though. On toast, with butter.

mmmmm
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 2 Jun 2011, 9:12, closed)

tried it once
never again.
( Smash Monkey lowering the tone of the whole internet, Thu 2 Jun 2011, 18:14, closed)

Caviar I can take or leave.
I actually seem to prefer salmon roe, for some reason. I suppose I'm just a peasant at heart.
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Thu 2 Jun 2011, 20:02, closed)