Grilled Rat

[Jockey]

On the subject of strange food I sat and watched my girlfriend tuck in to a plate of deep fried duck bill at Baan Isaan today! (Baan Isaan has great food but the duck bill was not to my liking).

[PeteC]

Me thinks duck bill is a bit crunchy? Are you sure it wasn't duck tongue? Very popular with the Chinese and tasty as well, you just need many, like a TV snack.

You never hear a quack in China because of so many ducks walking around without tongues. Pete

[Terry]

Reminds me of my first 'upcountry' eating experience back in '92.

I was offered deep fried 'bird'

Rice birds - I was told.

Sparrows by any other name!!!!!!!



Eat them whole - except the head.

OK when hot and fresh cooked - but I drew the line when offered a cold plateful for breakfast the following morning.

[Jockey]

Me thinks duck bill is a bit crunchy? Are you sure it wasn't duck tongue? Pete

It was duck bill! The bill was like a bone and I was amazed how she was able to extract meat from it which I can only presume was something like a lip?

[Jaime]

Your replies are appreciated fellas. The restaurant on the way to Pala-U sounds promising. I will get the details when I arrive Khun Guess.

As for SARS, those civets were being bred in very cramped and un-hygienic conditions. That is why I specifically requested non-farmed badger-like animals. However, I suppose that if they are not farmed then they must be wild and probably endangered, so eating those would make me a bad person......

[JD]

It was great to meet with you on this visit Jaime, you have a great family and I’m sure you are as proud of them as you should be. Your youngest nipper is a right star and the word ‘nipper’ is the best description I can give him.

The conversation we had on your culinary delights and future eating wishes, was indeed enlightening, none of which you will ever find at the HHH&B.

As a by the by. Eating cats, which we talked about last night. My Godfather taught me at a very young age, that when you catch rabbits, when you skin and prepare them you always leave the fur on the feet. The reason for this stems from WWII, when meat was in short supply, and it was to show the buyer that it was indeed a rabbit they were about to eat and not a cat, which when skinned and gutted is about the same size and shape as a rabbit.

I wish you luck in your quest for unusual meat products, may I suggest a visit to either Japan, China or France for some more unusual Culinary entrees. I’ll bet they all taste like chicken anway.

[Jaime]

Cheers JD - but I am strictly a wannabe compared to you when it comes to eating weird meat! At least I now know that badger is probably not worth it, dog stinks when it's being cooked and of course that those giant water beetles taste like Hubba Bubba Original (definitely not strawberry), courtesy of Dr Dave.

Tomorrow we're heading up country so maybe I'll have more luck than earlier in the week at tracking down something vaguely bush-meaty. Having said that, if I have to revert to a back up plan of offal, I noticed that Tesco have pre-packed pig's spleen for sale. I was surprised at how big a spleen is - I had always imagined it would be a small wobbly thing but it looks fairly filling......

Seriously though, it was great to meet you and your lovely family as well - you are a proper gent and we'll surely me(a)t again before we leave Thailand.

[Big Boy]

Jaime wrote:
I noticed that Tesco have pre-packed pig's spleen for sale.
I thought you told me in the past that your oriental shop in Cardiff was excellent - can't you buy such things there? The oriental shops in Bristol sell the lot, spleen, uterus etc. Mrs BB regularly buys it - although as far as I am aware, she does not share it with my son or I.

[STEVE G]

My neighbour’s wife was telling me that they are selling prepackaged dog meat up north now. Apparently the brand name translates to something like “smiling pigâ€

[JD]

If it's cheaper than meat from the local market, I promise you somebody's husband is eating it when he comes home pissed and demands a meal.