Would -You- Eat a Mango Pickle?

Bonjour, mes amis!

My family and I were visiting les parents de mon beau-père (my stepfather's parents) for dinner when his mother pulled out a jar from the fridge saying she wanted to give it a try. I happened to be sitting at the table, not facing the kitchen as the following events occurred. She quickly moaned at its scent and put the mango pickle in the trash, the rest of the family ran to inquire and also quickly backed off. My mother came to the table saying, "Oh that's disgusting!" while making some silly faces. I, already irritated by the fact they smoked two cigarettes on the way there, told her not to be so rude because there are people who eat and like them. She then announced loudly, "Delphine wants to try one!"

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!

But alas, it had been done, and I had just been talking about being open-minded. I took the jar that was brought to me. This is sort of what I saw.

But a little less appetizing when it comes from a jar, and covered in a green oil-herb mix instead of red. The scent was just like brown-sugar, but I felt a little nauseous. Daunted by all of the strangeness, I asked for a fork. Mon beau-père snatched the jar, picked the small one I had been eying, and took a bite. He kept eating, so I made my move before I had a chance to think twice. It wasn't very appealing but it wasn't awful. A moment later it tasted comme cornichons à l'aneth (like dill pickles), and a moment after that it tasted little but was spicy. Well, to the extent pepperoni is, but I'm not a fan of spicy food. I ate the whole thing in one bite.

This is coming from the girl who doesn't like any sauces on her food beyond ketchup on fries and soy sauce on rice, the girl who didn't try sour cream on her baked potato until she was at least twelve. Oh how I've grown! I think Mom nearly had a heart attack but I don't think she ever tried it. Wiser of us two? Perhaps. More knowledgeable? Not when it comes to mango pickles.

À demain,

Mlle Delphine