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-   -   Whale Meat (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/diningbuzz/717174-whale-meat.html)

powerplantop Jul 26, 2007 7:25 pm


Originally Posted by BiziBB (Post 8106525)
What other protected species should we discuss as popular dishes?

Spotted owl, it taste like chicken! :D:D:D

On a more serious note I tried whale when I was in Japan, Once and only once. I was not impressed, I am sure it taste good fried. But I am Southern and almost anything taste good fried.

JHattery Jul 27, 2007 7:39 am


Originally Posted by LapLap (Post 8102560)
My guess is that it isn't 'extremely popular' for similar reasons to why horsemeat isn't, even with people who feel no qualms about eating them. Unless you developed a taste for it growing up, it's probably not that great a culinary experience. Which could be why the government wants to expose children to their 'culinary heritage'. I actually don't really understand what the real agenda with pursuing an economically unviable and unpopular food such as Whale meat is for the Japanese government.

Horsemeat is actually quite delicious, and it is a crying shame that extremists in the USA have been so successful in keeping it unavailable. Best steak I've EVER eaten was a bistecca di cavallo near Venice, Italy.


Originally Posted by JoeW (Post 8126579)
EDIT: And its not that common. Probably as common as liver, which isnt common in the US nor Norway.

Liver is quite common in the USA, both in restaurants and in grocery stores.

LapLap Jul 27, 2007 8:36 am


Originally Posted by JHattery (Post 8128665)
Horsemeat is actually quite delicious, and it is a crying shame that extremists in the USA have been so successful in keeping it unavailable. Best steak I've EVER eaten was a bistecca di cavallo near Venice, Italy.

Talk for yourself.

I've eaten 'carne equino' a few times, didn't much like it. There's never been much of a problem getting hold of it in my part of Spain. But even amongst my grandmother's generation it's not well liked. Definitely a niche market, and for good reason.

JHattery Jul 29, 2007 10:48 am


Originally Posted by LapLap (Post 8128998)
Talk for yourself.

I've eaten 'carne equino' a few times, didn't much like it. There's never been much of a problem getting hold of it in my part of Spain. But even amongst my grandmother's generation it's not well liked. Definitely a niche market, and for good reason.

Well, I'm willing to accept not all cuts of Trigger are the same, but the steak I had (grilled MR, parmesan shaving, balsamic reduction) was excellent.

brucebowe Jul 29, 2007 11:48 am

addition to this silly thread
 
I didn't know Peruvians eat iguana. They DO eat quite a lot of cuy (guinea pig). Maybe they eat those lizards in the Amazon part of Peru.

Lewis and Clarke thought the dog meat they got from the Indians was super--some of their best meals. I think at that time the native Americans mainly kept dogs for that purpose.

My wife worked with an gal from Barrow whose parents would FedEx her whale meat once in a while. She grew up eating it and loved it.

There's a very strange law about trading in whale teeth. What's strange is that whales aren't killed for their teeth ever--just a byproduct and probably not a very lucrative one.

What all this has to do with flying I can't imagine except that folks that fly a lot tend to be interested in lots of things. Including zipping through the air at 500 mpg and 35,000 ft whilst sipping a cocktail. People are surely funny.

chartreuse Jul 29, 2007 12:15 pm


Originally Posted by JoeW (Post 8126579)
Well, Im actually Norwegian, and yes, I have tasted whale meat several times. I guess it used to be real inexpensive back in the days, while it is EXPENSIVE today... Anyways. Doesnt taste really good, I would describe it as liver...

Doh! I was in Norway a couple of weeks ago and totally forgot to try some whale meat. What makes it worse is - I love liver!

Can it be got anywhere other than Norway & Japan, or is it illegal everywhere else?

LapLap Jul 29, 2007 3:50 pm


Originally Posted by JHattery (Post 8138378)
Well, I'm willing to accept not all cuts of Trigger are the same, but the steak I had (grilled MR, parmesan shaving, balsamic reduction) was excellent.

I'll bet you'd have enjoyed a prime cut of venison, goat or ostrich (or cat, yak or kangaroo) given a similar treatment.

I'm also guessing that whilst you nibbled at your Sundancer steak niche, the rest of the animal was enjoyed as pet food.

chartreuse - Iceland


Can we continue with the dog meat verdicts now?

JHattery Jul 29, 2007 4:04 pm


Originally Posted by LapLap (Post 8139536)
I'll bet you'd have enjoyed a prime cut of venison, goat or ostrich (or cat, yak or kangaroo) given a similar treatment.

Venison - Been there, done that. Bambi tastes EXCELLENT as either a prime cut, jerky, sausage, or chili!

Goat - tried it several time in Mexico, but not my favorite. Too gamey.

Ostrich - breast meat makes for an excellent steak/roast.

Cat - pretty sure I've had it in Korea. Host swore the meat was beef. Beef isn't that color. And definitely wasn't pork, chicken or dog. Was pretty good though.


Originally Posted by LapLap (Post 8139536)
I'm also guessing that whilst you nibbled at your Sundancer steak niche, the rest of the animal was enjoyed as pet food.

And your point would be......??

What do you think happens to the wierd bits of the cows, pigs, chickens, fish, etc. that people seem to find more (ahem) palatable? The bistecca di cavallo a la Barbarro was excellent. I hope Rover enjoyed his share at least half as much.


Originally Posted by LapLap (Post 8139536)
Can we continue with the dog meat verdicts now?

They make really, really good soup (Korea).

Now back OT. Didn't care too much for whale. Beefy with fishy afternotes. Seal was not much better.

LapLap Jul 29, 2007 6:23 pm


Originally Posted by JHattery (Post 8139594)
And your point would be......??

That you've been rather quick to point your finger at 'extremists'.

chartreuse Jul 29, 2007 6:29 pm


Originally Posted by LapLap (Post 8139536)
chartreuse - Iceland

Thanks LapLap, I've been meaning to visit Iceland for a while and now I've got yet another reason :)

JHattery Jul 30, 2007 9:52 am


Originally Posted by LapLap (Post 8140111)
That you've been rather quick to point your finger at 'extremists'.

See -
Horse Meat
Horse slaughter in USA

In the USA, legislation has been forced through by monied interests who sentimentally anthropomorphise horses, and insist on imposing their views on others (not unlike many other moralistic issues in the USA, unfortunately). Interestingly, the legistlation is strongly opposed by those actually involved in the industry, such as the American Quarter Horse Association. Politicians, afraid to stand up to little girls crying about ponies, caved.

erik123 Jul 30, 2007 11:38 am


Originally Posted by JHattery (Post 8128665)
Horsemeat is actually quite delicious, and it is a crying shame that extremists in the USA have been so successful in keeping it unavailable. Best steak I've EVER eaten was a bistecca di cavallo near Venice, Italy.



Liver is quite common in the USA, both in restaurants and in grocery stores.


Horse is a common baby food in Italy - soled in jars at most supermarkets (as is donkey and sheep).

The problem with eating whale (as opposed to dogs or iguanas) is that whale populations take very long to restock - as whales only have one calf every few years or so and grow very old (some upto 100 years). Lastly, pregnant females are preferred for eating because they carry a lot of blubber.

LapLap Jul 30, 2007 11:58 am


Originally Posted by JHattery (Post 8143118)

If you prefer to think that's the ONLY reason, fine. I'm just saying that it really isn't that tasty a meat (even you enjoyed it once it had been coated in dairy umami/MSG) and I doubt it would have become that popular anyway. There's not much of a history of 'sentimentally anthropomorphiing horses' in Spain, yet it rarely features on menus there. People in Spain have the choice, and they choose other meats.

JHattery Jul 30, 2007 1:09 pm


Originally Posted by LapLap (Post 8144013)
If you prefer to think that's the ONLY reason, fine. I'm just saying that it really isn't that tasty a meat (even you enjoyed it once it had been coated in dairy umami/MSG) and I doubt it would have become that popular anyway. There's not much of a history of 'sentimentally anthropomorphiing horses' in Spain, yet it rarely features on menus there. People in Spain have the choice, and they choose other meats.

My point is exactly that it should be a matter of taste, rather than legislation. In the USA, it has become a legislative matter, rather thaqn one of personal preference.

I can't stand cooked spinach, and once had a fern that meant a great deal to me because of from whom it was a gift. That doesn't mean I should pull out the stops to outlaw leafy green comestibles though. If you like them, more power to you. If I don't, that's also OK.

For the record, and back OT - even though I've tried whale (not that good) I do not believe it should be a harvested animal. Endangered trumps individual tastes and preferences.

thegeneral Jul 30, 2007 5:07 pm

I have a friend who tried it in Japan solely to piss off the tree hugger type they were having dinner with who was annoying him. He wasn't a huge fan, but it had quite the desired effect. Raw horse is apparently much better.


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