Were Cavemen the First Foodies? Trying Marrow Bones for the First Time

My self-proclaimed title of Foodie isn’t something to be taken lightly. With left hand gently resting on Julia Childs’ Mastering the Art of French Cooking and right hand raised high, I solemnly swore to explore any new eateries in town and determine which chef had created the latest tour de force in the culinary field.
When it first appeared on a menu, I thought it was a misprint or a cutesy play on words—roasted marrow bones, huh? I fervently hoped the restaurant was one of those avant-garde establishments where dogs were allowed but had a sneaking suspicion that wasn’t the case. Damn my Foodie creed, I was about to go where no one (but Fido) had gone before.
My instinct was that it would be a love/hate thing; something along the lines of caviar or foie gras. Surely it would have a rather strong flavor, after all the marrow of the bone is what gives a good beef stock its richness and texture. And osso buco, the Italian favorite, would just be another stew without the addition of the veal shank. Anthony Bourdain, the Travel Channel’s celebrity host calls it “God’s Butter,” so how bad could it be?
Bill, my sweetie, was recruited for this taste-testing adventure—guys love beef, right? Actually, he was the only person who would try it, and he didn’t really have an option.
At the restaurant we summoned our courage, selected a glass of wine and waited for our gastropub grub to arrive. We were rewarded 15 minutes later with the split femur bone of a calf, baked until the marrow had turned into gelatinous goo. Roasted garlic, lemon and fried capers were the accoutrements.
 
A squeeze of lemon later, I slathered grilled baguette toast with the spread and took a bite. It tasted like  . . . drum roll, please… lemon and garlic. I backed off the citrus and tried again, garlic was the predominant sensation. Bill pushed everything to the side and dug straight into the bone to get only marrow. The texture was that of Jell-O, with a barely detectable beefy essence.
 
After all our trepidation, it was pretty anti-climactic. Perhaps we received an inferior bone, or maybe we just didn’t get it. The thing is, it wasn’t interesting enough for us to hunt it down and try it someplace else.
Fit Bottom line: If you are a Paleo enthusiast it might be fun to try this ancestral staple, but, in my opinion, there are other nutrient-dense foods that are a lot more tantalizing. Simply put, this primal treat is best left for the dogs.
Are you a fan of roasted marrow bones? Should I give it a second chance? —Karen