One memorable meal was when a dear sister placed gato in a bed of rice on the table, skinned and cooked, but otherwise very much resembling the house cat it once was. He remembers trying hard to eat without becoming physically ill or being ungracious to the host family. He especially loved telling this story to picky elders eating at our own table in California.

Rebecca Demke
Brea, Calif.

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One of the most interesting foods I ate on my mission was called "patasca," a dish made by first obtaining either a cow or pig head, putting it in a large pot and boiling it over night.

Large corn or hominy, potatoes, carrots and a bit of grass (cut up like chives) is added. It is served as a soup, eaten with freshly baked bread and, of course, salsa. As a missionary I had a new "greenie" from South Jordan. We woke up that morning and went to our appointment, where patasca was being served. I gave him a taste from my bowl to see if he liked it. He said yes, so we asked for a bowl for him.

After we left I asked him if he knew what he had just eaten. I told him what it was and that he shouldn't have any problem eating anything in the mission after that.

Tyler Allan
Bolivia Cochabamba Mission

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There is a steep learning curve to understanding Mandarin Chinese. While serving my mission in Taipei, Taiwan, during my third month, my senior companion and I were visiting a man who shared a bowl of snacks with us. My companion asked what it was. I had no clue what the man answered, but I was game to try some. It was chewy and crunchy. I figured it was some type of jerky. My companion didn't eat any. After we left, I understood why; he said I had been eating pig ear.

Don Milne
Taiwan Taipei Mission

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The most interesting food I ate on my mission was fried guinea pig. It's called "cuye" (pronounced coo-eee) and was served with rice and potatoes. It was a little difficult picking up what looked like a chicken leg and seeing a little paw on the end. Many Peruvians raise several guinea pigs in a small pen outside their houses, and it is considered a delicacy in their culture. It tasted like chicken.

Jake Warburton
Peru Trujillo Mission

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