You Know You're From Kennesaw If...

Balut is a Filipino delicacy, a high-protein snack known as an aphrodisiac and component for a long, healthy life. It is, essentially, a fertilized duck embryo, boiled alive, then eaten out of the shell – liquid, yolk, chick and all.

While it's a favorite food of my mother's, balut is hard to come by in Kennesaw. (In fact, if you know of any hidden balut suppliers around town, please let us know.) Personally, I've only tried it once.

To eat balut, first crack open the egg and sip out the liquid broth. Next, indulge in the nutritional richness of the yolk sac (which had only shortly before been sustaining the growing chick.) Save the best for last, and slurp down the embryo. This may require more or less chewing, depending on the age of the chick and the maturity of the bones, beak, organs, wings and all other components of an almost-developed duckling.

Not half bad, actually. Just don't look your feathered friend in the eyes before you gulp him down.

It's a far cry from southern comfort food, unless, of course, you're talking about southern Asia.

My mother was born and raised in the Philippines, while my dad is a Sicilian import who grew up in New York. My parents worked together in Manhattan before getting married and relocating to the South where they've remained for more than 25 years.

While I've lived in the Acworth-Kennesaw area since I was in grade school, I sometimes wonder: what does it mean to be from Kennesaw? Or from anywhere for that matter?

As editor of Kennesaw Patch, I often feel like I'm "rediscovering" Kennesaw. While I grew up frequenting Kennesaw businesses and attended , my family doesn't have the historical connection to this community in the way that some locals do.

The Kennesaw Historical Society recently sponsored a lecture entitled highlighting the many changes our city has undergone over the years. And if you haven't visited the , I suggest you do so soon.

As a child, I remember hearing rumors about Dent "Wildman" Myers. I remember how that bird's nest of a beard and the two pistols holstered on his hips scared me to death as my mother and I wandered into his store. After , I've since gained a completely different perspective on the man. (I may not agree with some of his opinions, but I'll tell you that since our first meeting, he has always welcomed me in his shop.)

I respect Kennesaw's history and the people who have lived here for generations. But I also know we are a changing city with families and individuals moving in from other cities, states and countries. Layered on top of that is the diverse and ever-expanding student community at .

With each person I meet and each story I write, I feel a greater sense of belonging here in "K-town" (as some of our younger residents have come to refer to it). In Kennesaw, you'll find elements of a close-knit community, urban living and a college town depending on where you look. In short, we're a diverse and changing community with a growing number of people who now call Kennesaw "home."

I suppose what started out as a rambling about duck embryos has led me to the following questions: Have you lived in Kennesaw all your life? If not, when did you move here and what brought you here? Finally, what does being a Kennesaw resident mean to you?

And for added fun, I've also set up a Facebook page. "Like" it and complete the following statement: "You know you're from Kennesaw if..."