A few nights ago, we were invited by some new American friends for dinner. They have been living in Spain for 23 years and are more than familiar with the local culture and language.
While helping to prepare the table with my friend in her kitchen, I noticed a large octopus leg—about 1 foot long—packaged next to her kitchen sink.
“Hmmm, what’s that for?” I questioned, wondering if it was going to be a condiment for the hamburgers that her husband was grilling on their back covered porch.
“That’s the octopus for our apéro,” she responded.
Wow! Interesting!
“Wow, interesting appetizer,” I thought to myself.
Pierre was in the kitchen with me and was intrigued by the octopus leg under the clear plastic wrap. He began curiously admiring its skin and tentacles.
“I’ve had octopus before,” he said.
“You’ve had fried calamari, which is quite different,” I told him. “Calamari is squid, but this is an octopus with eight legs.”
My friend opened the plastic package and began slicing the octopus into bite-size pieces. She then drizzled olive oil on top and sprinkled it with smoked pepper paprika. Pierre placed toothpicks in each small section.
“Is it raw like sushi?” I asked.
My friend reassured me that it was completely cooked.
Willing to Try
It didn’t look appetizing, but I was willing to try. I’m always willing to try.
I’m always willing to put on my “Cultural Awareness Lenses” and be a “Cultural Learner.”
Throughout our years abroad—eating all kinds of different and interesting things—we have always encouraged our kids to try something once. If they don’t like it, it’s ok, we won’t force them to eat it. However, we discourage them to say that they don’t like something when they have never even tried it.
It’s a part of “opening our kids to the world”.
I took the first bite—with some hesitation. It was a bit tough and chewy in texture, like calamari, but much thicker. The tentacles also kinda freaked me out as I put the bite into my mouth. The olive oil and smoke pepper paprika gave it a nice taste—different—hard to describe. You will just have to try it sometime when you visit España!
Everyone tasted it, and everyone enjoyed it. That octopus leg was gone in no time!
A Spanish Crowd Pleaser
Our friends went on to tell us that if we ever have Spanish guests in our home, we can serve them octopus. They told us that their esteem of us will skyrocket if we do this.
We just arrived, so I’m not sure when we will have our first Spanish guests in our home. In any case, we will be ready to buy a giant octopus leg to serve as an appetizer!
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
LET’S WEAVE CULTURES!
Have you ever visited a foreign country and were served something that seemed strange and different? Were you hesitant to try it? Did you? What was the experience like? Did you love it, hate it?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures!” Write about them in the comment box below.
