http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/5371500.stm Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!uke:
No, I've lived in China-Taiwan (Republic of China) for almost 15 years and know all about this. It borders somewhat on being superstious and believing that animal similarilaties and their anatomical features can enhance masculine virility. What I'm surprised to see is that this is in Beijing. I'll have to look into where in Beijing this is - must be in some remote place on the outskirts and not near the central areas. I would expect this to be common in districts of Guangzhou, north of Hong Kong, or in the "somewhat backward"? provinces like Hubei or maybe Yunnan near Laos. I'm very surprised that this is in Beijing. Post questions about this and I'll try my best to answer within the culture context. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Okay, I looked into this a bit and this restaurant is pretty much on the outskirts, but near West Lake, and if my my memory serves me right, this is the emperor's retreat. Foreign visitors would only be headed for West Lake and would not venture off into the surrounding vicinities. Tour guides, tour books and tour brochures would just direct foreigners to go to West Lake. So, this restaurant is clearly only directed to Chinese nationals who could understand the significance and meaning of what is offered here. For further description see: http://agonist.org/candy/20060403/animal_penis_on_the_menu_at_new_beijing_restaurant I came across another article that stated: "Serving all manner of penis,from donkey to deer.Who needs Viagra when you can dine on penis hot pot? But bring your credit card;maximum pleasure doesn't come cheap. Daily 10am-10:30pm. 1A Dongyan,Xihai,(South of Deshenmen Qiao),Xicheng District." "On the menu today: horse penis and testicles with a chilli dip." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/17/wfood17.xml Again, I pretty much understand all of this. It is a culture nuance. But what pisses me off about it is that in order to fulfill the desire, they have to kill endangered species. This promotes illegal poaching. The idiot asses that get rapted up in this superstious belief are halfway between modern knowledge and rural beliefs, and are the ones that flaunt this approach by demanding the highest priced exotic "endangered species" dishes! Do you see what I mean? So these "newly rich" assholes try to impress their peers by demanding the most exotic dishes, like endanger tiger penises, monkey brains, or Red-Panda balls.
I've eaten udders. They are yummy, nobody would let me eat the testicles though, they said they were "too hot" for me. Apparently, for males only. I sneaked a piece once, but it was just like any other organ meat. Never had a penis though. Love kidneys and liver, absolutely gorge on brains.Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Also love trotters, head, tripe and intestines, goat and cow.
Hmm never had squirrel. Weirdest thing I ate was a monitor lizard, in KSA, also supposedly "too hot" for me (thats code for an aphrodisiac, apparently), but I bullied the guy into giving me some.Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! And camel. Love everything from the sea, including sushi. Don't like frogs though, way too stringy meat. I'll try everything but worms and insects.
Although I'm a Northerner, I've had frog legs and alligator down South: didn't like the former, love the gator steak.
