Please stay for some tongue...

Remember preparing a homecooked meal for that special guy you wanted to impress? Well, over time I have come to learn that everyone's taste in what's good to eat is not always the same.

I remember one such meal where I was the guest. He made London broil. It was a cut of meat that was not unfamiliar to me. What was, however, unfamiliar to me was cutting into it and seeing it drain blood onto the plate like a sponge that had just been squeezed.

I made a purchase of beef tongue. I don't eat it all that often. It's a favorite when I dine at Jewish-style delis. Occasionally, I will order tongue tacos, but I never ask what animal they are from. What makes me laugh is how grossed out people get about/over it. When I consider that people eat meat called 'rump roast' or 'pork butt' or 'oxtail', why should there be any snobbery over tongue. Besides, after the tongue is cooked, the membrane is removed. And that membrane is one thick piece of rubbery tissue, boy howdy!

Sharing a tongue sandwich is always a treat. You simply ask and the person being offered will say, "No," with varying levels of disgust. I then reply with, "Good, more for me!"
or
Bom, mais para mim
Gut, mehr für mich
Bueno, mas para mi

It's a versatile meat (for those who are meat eaters). I can be put into an omelet, made into salad, sliced and served by itself on a plate, sliced thinner and served in a sandwich, or included with hot, cooked vegetables or a grain (such as rice). What keeps me from it is the price mostly. Oh, and since it has a shelf life of about a week (I live and eat alone) it takes away time from my conversion to vegetarianism. You can't throw away good food and it's not something that most folks would readily eat if they have an aversion to it.

Well, you get the picture!