Growing up in the south, we did not see a lot of vegetables from other parts of the country or from other countries. Now there's asparagus and artichokes, all kinds of melons and berries, Chinese snow peas. I love to grill the Cornish game hens - they are so much tastier than chicken. I've added lamb and duck to the diet too. A favorite for a 'snack' dinner is a fresh French or sourdough baguette, various cheeses, pate, and fruit served with a glass of wine.
Exotic? No. Just different than what we had growing up.