The dish that tastes you back!
Amy | Beef | Wednesday, September 12th, 2007 | 
I’ve had tongue on the brain for about a month now, itching to try it out in my own kitchen/smoker, but have been deterred by travel or unkind weather every weekend. Can it be mere coincidence that just this very today the NY Times publishes an article singing tongue’s praises and even gives a shout-out to a Mennonite grandmother within?
If that isn’t a sign, I don’t know what is.
no can do. used to eat it and loved it as a kid. my grandma made a sweet and sour raisin sauce that was truly sublime. we gorged on it at holidays. until one day i went into her kitchen and saw ‘it’ before ‘it’ had been sliced in all it’s tonguey glory.
ruined it for me for life…
oh the scars we bear…
Comment by claudia — September 12, 2007 @ 8:11 pm
ps – very cleva title of your post girlie…
Comment by claudia — September 12, 2007 @ 8:12 pm
Guess telling you it was a special tenderloin wouldn’t have worked, huh?
I’ve only had tongue sandwiches from local delis and incredibly delicious tongue tacos from a little tacqueria in New Orleans, but I’ve seen quite a few recipes for this raisin sauce online. Sounds like it might be worth a try. Have you ever served it with other cuts of meat?
Now, I’m not saying I won’t be squeamish when the tongue is sitting there in all its glory on my counter, but I come from adventurous eaters…
And I wish I could take credit for the title, but it’s gotta be an old joke — I heard it from my dad.
Comment by Amy — September 12, 2007 @ 8:50 pm
being the ny jew that i am – albeit here in nashville – i grew up around lotsa tongue. there are very few things i don’t wanna eat – or at least wouldn’t order but if i showed up at your house and it was on the menu i’d eat it and like it. (i have a veal aversion too – for the other reasons but broke down last week and bought some for a pasta dish – it was friggin great and no other meat would have worked quite right…). and i recall all those deli tongue sandwiches of my youth. i can taste the flavor and texture as i sit here typing and it’s been 30 years at least since i’ve had any… it was good stuff – for sure. but the memory of that humungo tongue… i’m pretty much ruined. unless you invite me over…
Comment by claudia — September 13, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
Hey, anytime you’re back in the area, stop on by! (I’m sure we’d be able to scare up something better than tongue, but if you inSISted…)
And happy new year!
Comment by Amy — September 13, 2007 @ 2:44 pm
Tongue is not a meat I ever had much experience with! growing up.
In ‘79 Paul and I traveled in Europe for several months when we were in our early 20’s. We were on a tight budget, but you realy got more for your money then than now– do I sound old? We ate a lot of great picnic food, and saved our money to eat out once a day, usually in a neighborhood restaurant, as opposed to one in the city proper, which ended to be cheaper. Maybe the food was better, I don’t know! So it was a big event every day, much anticipated.
We arrived in Munich after a long train ride through Italy and were really hungry. We went to a large, old fashioned place and since we knew no German, either of us, we pointed our fingers to an item on the menu and we both ordered the same thing.
You cannot imagine our amazement when the huge plates arrived, each with a very large TONGUE on it. The shape was unmistakeable, and never having had it as kids, and being totally famished, our disappointment was enormous! But I think in the end we actually enjoyed it, and would never have eaten it to this day probably if we had not ordered it by accident!
Comment by deborah newton — September 21, 2007 @ 8:40 pm
What a great story, Deb. I can only imagine your disappointment at seeing two huge tongues laid before you! I first tried tongue in my early 20s, too, but actually sought it out after seeing The Frugal Gourmet prepare it in taco form. (Remember him? What a strange guy he was. Whoah — I just read that his career ended abruptly after he was accused of abusing several young men in his employ.)
If you’re ever down in New Orleans, I’ll point you in the right direction to try the BEST tongue tacos I’ve ever had. The meat is diced and you can’t tell from looking what cut you’re eating.
Comment by Amy — September 23, 2007 @ 3:15 pm