What are Chitlins?

A Southern Delicacy! You may know what they also are, but why do sooo many people eat them and why is there an entire festival to celebrate them? I decided to see what all the fuss was about. Evidently, you have to get chitlins at a reputable place, my friend at work knew just where to go! This afternoon she brought in a plate of them for me to try "as much as I'd like."

I had heard that they smelled pretty bad, so it was just fine with me that I was slightly stuffed up today. She didn't believe that I would actually go thru with trying them, and to tell you the truth...I wasn't so sure either! I mixed a portion of the chitlins with the rice and started to put on the hot sauce but NO, she insisted that I try one bite first, plain, to see what they actually tasted like. Unfortunately this was true, so the first bite I had was plain chitlins!
Having an over the top imagination, I chewed them up quite fast and swallowed them hoping not to get too much taste........Not tooooo bad, I'll try a bite with the hot sauce! This time I decided to go ahead and give them a taste!They tasted like overcooked pasta that had been in the refrigerator for a week, then reheated with onions, hot sauce and thin gravy! But that was NOT the worst part! The after taste was hooorrendous. I am writing this 3 hours, 2 pieces of gum, 3 glasses of tea, 2 mouthwash swishes and a shot of vodka later and I am still contending with the after taste!