The Exotic Flavors of Nepal

Kady and I stopped into a corner store in Pokhara, Nepal on our way back to our guesthouse one night. We both ended up with candy bars. She probably bought a Snickers, which she definitely ate in two or three bites. I was a little more adventurous and opted for something I'd never seen or heard of.

I took a bite that stopped me in my tracks. It couldn't possibly taste that bad, right? So I took another bite to make sure.

But it did. It really did taste that bad.

But it wasn't even just bad. It tasted like...a history book on the suffering of Nepal. No, no—a literal book. In the worst way you can imagine. Here is what it tasted like:

• dog food
• dust
• moth balls
• body odor

I mean that it tasted like these things in excruciating detail. These flavors clawed at my tongue and the roof of my mouth—each one announcing its presence: "Hey, me! Don't forget about me! I'm here too!" It was so vile it burned my gums.

"OH MY GAAAWD! THIS...TASTES SO GROSS!" I said once I finally overcame my shock. "Do you want to taste it?"

"Okay," Kady said unreluctantly. 

She took a bite. 

"It tastes like dog food and moth balls, right!?" I asked for confirmation.

"Wow, you're right; that's exactly what it tastes like! It tastes so bad!"

And then she took another bite to make sure I hadn't missed any details. And then she took another bite. And then another. And then she took...another bite.

And it was gone. 

"So...can I eat it?"