Local delicacies - no time for inhibitions

Tom’s tuk-tuk pulled into what seemed like a large tin hut in the middle of the jungle. It was all only 1 room full of small plastic tables and chairs assembled in a manner resembling a restaurant. Only one other table had people, locals in their mid twenties that seemed quite happy to see a foreigner, as this was obviously not the most visited tourist destination. There was a bar in the corner with a glass showcase displaying only 2 bottles of the same beer. I thought this must be the beer of choice here as I wiped the dust from the small chair, which looked like the little child’s chair I use at times to reach the upper cabinet back home in my kitchen never giving a second thought to actually sit on it. “What’s your favorite meat”, I asked Tom as an elderly woman brought us 2 dishes filled with roasted meat and cut sausages? He pointed at the plate with a large grin on his face, unable to hide his enthusiasm. Dog, it turns out, is a special delicacy here in Cambodia, one that was enjoyed only on special occasions by the locals. A cultural stigma nonetheless, being the European that I am, somehow I just couldn’t get over the notion that you’re not supposed to eat dog meat. The thought was hard to get out of my mind as I sampled the assortment of barbecued and roasted meats that were presented to us. It was a dry red meat, with a peculiar aftertaste similar to that of game animals. Dear was the closest resemblance that comes to mind, yet I never felt this strange eating dear back home. The beer came as a welcome treat to help me block out the taste, I didn’t want to offend my host after all. It was around my 10th day in Cambodia that I met Tom. The 22 year old local tuk-tuk driver that proved to be a more that welcoming companion that was happy to show me their local delicacies. Next on the list was sampling toads from the pond around his house, another favored dish that would prove to be an inexpensive ample supplement to the diet of the working class Cambodians.