127. Changing taste buds

I find it interesting that I now like foods that I never thought I would and/or that I did not like when I first came to Moldova.  I have also included some things that Americans generally do not like, but I liked right from the start.

Brinza:  Is a salty (because it is preserved by the salt) and dry cheese that could be used at every meal (like feta cheese I am told).  It is used in dishes as well as just sitting on the table to be eaten plain or with bread.  When I first came to Moldova I did not like it because it was so salty, but I have gotten use to it and enjoy eating it now.

Pickled tomatoes (red, green and in-between):  I really did not enjoy the picked tomatoes; in the US I barely ate dill pickles because I was not a fan of the vinegar taste.  As fall was turning into winter my host family was out of fresh tomatoes and we started eating pickled tomatoes, I ate very few.  Now it is spring and through the winter I are all that were put in front of me.

Rachituri: It is something similar to headcheese, it is generally made from pork or chicken. Most Peace Corps volunteers call it “chicken jell-o” because it is cooked and then put on a plate with the broth and left to cool. The broth has something in it and it turns to jell-o as it cools and is served cold. I did not like it at first, but I like it now and I think it is a lot like headcheese, so I look forward to trying that sometime.

Bacon:  I love bacon in the States, but it took a little getting used to the bacon in Moldova.  It is generally served cold with bread, nuts and/or wine.  It can also be cooked and used in different hot dishes.  Sometimes it is literally just slices of fat, no meat, much different than I was use too.

Meat with bones:  It took a little getting use to eating soup and other dishes that had the meat still on the bones.  But now it is second nature and I have no problem digging in and eating everything at a decent pace.

Salted fish:  Is one thing I will never get use to, just because I more or less refuse to eat it.  It is uncooked (I believe) fish that is salt cured and spiced and then served cold, usually it is served with alcohol and/or raw onions.  I believe this food is highly common here due to the huge Russian influence.