Thank you! Never know when I start on one of these topics if people will actually take an interest. Glad this one did find an audience. As for cannibalism, yes, true. Note the reference to Kuru in my sources. I don't think it's a good idea to eat brains, period. I know when I was a child my landlord gave us a goat's head as a special holiday treat (Sicilian delicacy). I don't think I'd ever eat them again :)
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Wow, I have to ask, did you ever try it? How does it taste? I've never been interesting in those squishy parts of the animal (brain, tongue, intestines), can't deal with the texture.
I was about 13, and always eager to try new things. This was certainly new to me. Yes, I ate it, and it was weird and squishy. Later on, I came to understand why such a tradition would grow. In a poor culture (Sicily was very poor), you don't throw anything out. Goat's head, pig's feet...everything is turned into food. Nowadays, I'm a little more narrow in my food selections :)
I'd wanna try brains but now your article put the scaries in me.
It's not because of poverty. In nature, the alpha wolves eat the organs first. Kidney, heart, and liver are wonderful if you know how to cook them. Fortunately, we still do in Cyprus!
Got to say though, I found no redeeming qualities for the chicken feet I ate in a Chinese restaurant (claws and all), though the Asians who had me try it were really surprised I didn't like them...
Yeah, don't eat brains. I didn't find it rewarding, as I remember, and it's not worth the risk. On the other hand, there was at time when I couldn't resist pickled pig's feet. That time has passed. I won't eat a pig anymore... actually have tried not to eat any animal. But that is difficult to manage, for me, personally.
I always thought it was poverty that led to the consumption of feet, skin and brains, which I think don't have much nutritive value. Kidneys, hearts and livers, on the other hand are quite rich, aren't they?
Sicilians (my mother's heritage) are quite adept at using organ meat, so I grew up with this fare as part of my diet.