Super-tasty guinea pigs

[zybch]

Scientists at Peru's La Molina National University reckon they have developed a world-beating culinary experience - the plumper, tastier "Peruvian Breed" guinea pig, AP reports.

The average Peruvian guinea pig weighs in at best at a modest one-and-a-half pounds and offers the locals a lean, sinewy eating experience. The new überpig, by contrast, tips the scales at a whopping two-and-a-half pounds packing plenty of low-fat, low-cholesterol meat. It took 30 years to develop and the team behind the advance reckons that it might sell the consumption of the animal to westerners who are traditionally averse to eating household pets. Gloria Palacios, director of La Molina National University's "project to promote guinea pig exports", enthused: "I think if they become familiar with the cuisine, maybe suddenly they'll give in and be tempted to try it. It is really delicious."

Those keen to taste-test the Peruvian Breed might be interested to know that it reportedly tastes like rabbit. The fact that it does not taste like chicken - as allegedly does every exotic animal from snake to capybara - must come as an immense relief to the locals. Peruvians get through 65m guinea pigs a year, which must make a welcome change from, er, chicken. The animal has a long history in Peru as sacred animal and menu item. It is reckoned to have been domesticated 2,500 years ago and its popularity survived Spanish efforts to stamp out the indigenous rodent. Indeed, it is still used by healers who use the furry diagnostic device to pinpoint patients' ills - as well as gracing dinner tables across the country.

La Molina National University is already exporting 1,000 Peruvian Breed guinea pigs per month to the US, Japan and Europe. Most end up delighting the taste buds of America's Peruvian expat community.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10...er_guinea_pig/

[zybch]

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[j.m@talk]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[herosrest]

Don't even go there - yuchhhhhhhy yuchhhhhhhy pewter.

[zybch]

Why not? We eat pigs and sheep, both of which are often kept as pets, and the only reason we don't eat people is that they taste lousy!

[werz]

you may be used to eating live witchetty grubs, look like huge maggots to the rest of us, but cockles, winkles and jellied eels is as far as Brits will go in bizarre food.

[werz]

it does look a bit like a cat when skinned, I find cat a bit slimey myself and cant get into it.

[mireland]

Originally posted by zybch
and the only reason we don't eat people is that they taste lousy!

not if they're prepared properly...

[werz]

South Pacific Islanders call white men 'long pig' because they taste of pork, you just need to dig a longer hole to cook them.

[zybch]

I read somewhere that there was a bunch of islands somewhere in the pacific that has switched from the occasional canabalistic feast to eating SPAM as it tastes very similar but they don't have the risk of contracting diseases similar to mad cow disease.

"SPAM, saving missionaries from the cooking pot for 50 years"

[j.m@talk]

We could send Daddio over to test out the theory ........ Might have to go in & nick all the spam first tho

[zybch]

Just so long as hes topped up on pickles so the islanders won't get cancer when they eat him.

[crapyking]

there filthy little animals! Had a few many years ago - they used to wake us up every morning & mess up the cedar chips pretty good. At least there good for something. i say put them in a field & give me a varment rifle w/ a scope & a 6 pack!

[werz]

Sounds like fun, I used to have a winchester .22 magnum with a 10x scope which would have been perfect for that.
sit on the porch and fire away.

[leprechaun_40]

I don't like guinea pigs at all, but I ain't eaten em either, filthy beasties