Just because I've gotten out of the big city to spend a week chilling out in Maine with my good buddy Jonathan doesn't mean that I don't still hanker for strange Midnight Snacks. Today's is pretty strange: Gorira no hanakuso.It doesn't take terribly much knowledge of Japanese to realize that the name of this stuff translates to "gorilla boogers." After much laughter from Yuki, a line cook at Suzuki's Sushi in Rockland, my theory was confirmed. She also told me that the green legend on the right side of the package reads something to the effect of "It's so healthy, be careful not to eat too much."
After a little research I found out that hanakuso has a somewhat earthier derivation. While the combined word may denote boogers, its components are hana, or nose, and kuso, or sh*t. But enough scatological etymology, by now you're probably wondering how these wrinkled dry black soybeans taste. Let's get this out of the way first, they're not all boogerlike. In fact they're sweet and nutty and probably healthy as hell. They're a little too sweet for me to eat too many at once. Even if you don't speak Japanese, Ii's worth going to the company's web site , to watch the cartoon gorilla pick himself a winner.
Chocolate-stuffed bananas on the grill
Tyler Florence welcomes new daughter
Beware kids' menus!
