Exotic cuisine

[loquitur]

There are restaurants all over the world that offer unusual cuisine. I happened upon a story about this one that I think proves the point: China's penis restaurant - There are several varieties of steamed, roasted and boiled penis at Beijing’s quirkiest diner

The place looks like a smart kaiseki ryori (Japanese haute cuisine) formal restaurant, complete with underfloor stream, separate secluded dining rooms and hushed, discreet staff. I have come determined to avoid euphemisms - we’re making a current-affairs programme for the BBC - but I’ll admit the temptation is strong.

I ask a chef to show us the preparation of a penis first, so that I can get a feel for the process. He enters holding aloft an eye-wateringly large yak’s knob. It’s about 45cm long, but thin, so thin. It’s been boiled gently and - I can’t believe I’m writing this - peeled, except for a hunk of foreskin still clinging on to the end. He cuts the thing in half lengthways with a pair of scissors.

As he chops through the very tip of this impressive member, I feel an undeniable empathy twitch in my own penis and a bizarre feeling of nausea in my groin. (I didn’t think groins could experience nausea.) I can’t help yelping in sympathy.

He then uses a knife to make hundreds of little snips along the side of the penis and chops the strips into 5cm pieces. When these are dropped into boiling stock, they curl up into little flower shapes that are so incongruous, I can barely believe my eyes.

What would be a good garnish?

Anyway, what exotic foodstuffs have you found on the net?

[jewels]

Fascinating. I'd probably eat it if I didn't know what it was.

My first hubby was Colombian and I was introduced to some of my favorite dishes through that culture. However, there were a coupla freaky things I just couldn't wrap my head around.

Mondongo: Many Latin countries do their own versions of this. It's a tripe soup. I can't even stand the smell. *shuddering at the thought*


Bulls eye soup: I can't recall the Spanish name, but this soup is served with the cow's eye staring straight up at you. Too scary for me. Wish I could find a picture.

They also grill mollejas, which are sweetbreads. I didn't know what they were when I had them on a grill plate at both Argentinian and Nicaraguan steak houses. These are absolutely delectable!