One for the chaps

[HelenM]

Took this off the beeb website tonight.....so come on, own up - who'd be prepared to eat 'em...

H

Reviving a very delicate delicacy



An organic farmer in Devon is trying to revive the eating of the part of male cattle and sheep known in the trade as fries, or more commonly as testicles.

Mark Bury, who runs Eversfield Manor Farm near Okehampton, says they are a forgotten and delicious delicacy.

He says that testicles, which are part of Middle Eastern diets, should be on supermarket shelves.

However, he is having trouble even sourcing enough testicles to fulfil demand from his own farm.

The farm had an order for a dozen, but it is struggling to find them as most cattle and sheep are castrated while young.


One slaughterhouse could supply only four testicles from 200 sheep slaughtered.

Mr Bury said: "We are struggling to fill demand.

"We'll see how it goes, but I'm considering not castrating our sheep to increase supply."

The main aim of promoting testicles was to promote organic farming.

He said: "We have been intensively farming to make subsidies for too long.



"I say to farmers, 'Wake up to some marketing and put UK products at the front of the agenda'.

"To do that you have to be a bit creative."

He is confident testicles will survive any taste test.

"I had a few friends over to try some lamb's testicles," he said.

"I didn't tell them what it was, but they did taste fantastic and I do think that people are missing out."

He added: "The only person that wouldn't eat them was my 14-year-old son who was the poor chap who had to prepare them.

"Taking the skins off them isn't a particularly pleasant job."

'Gesture of respect'

He recommends lamb's testicles, covered in breadcrumbs and fried in butter and sunflower oil.

Food writer Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall says they are a bit bland, but says testicles have other attractions.

He said: "It is a gesture of respect to animals that we kill for food that we use every part of them.

"It is a holistic approach that I think is very much in tune with organic farming."

He said trying to get testicles into people's shopping bags may be a step too far.

"One step at a time. I am rather passionate about trying to get tripe back on the menu at the moment and sheep's brains. "But you will find testicles on sale at many butcher's shops serving the Middle Eastern community. "We can learn a lot from them on how best to use these dishes."





The raw: A sheep's testicle before being battered




And the cooked: Meat and two veg

[beanie]

sometimes i wonder how you manage to fit breathing in between all the surfing

[HelenM]

P.S. Am curious to see who is the first to use the smilie... (after me, obviously )

[HelenM]

Originally Posted by beanie

sometimes i wonder how you manage to fit breathing in between all the surfing

Cheeky sod I've done loadsa work today...

HM

[Helen F H]

During my time at the vets i saw more than my fair share of castrations. Do you know what they do? (in simple terms)

Well, cat, dog, rabbit, ferret etc is knocked out.

The testicles are PLUCKED or shaven.

Cut open and pull out testicles.

Tied a knot in the cords and then cut or PULLED off.

Saw a st bernard having to be done on the floor since no-one could lift the bugger onto the table. Rabbits can suck theirs back in. No wonder really.

[Diving Daisy]

I think thats probably three veg, to be accurate.

Oh and !

[Helen F H]

Question is, do they taste salty?

[Narked@50]

This is no place for this type of vile attack on the male reproductive system. I think this is utter BOLLOCKS.

James

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by Porg

Question is, do they taste salty?

unnecessary...


When I was in Mexico city there was a big bullfighting festival going on, I'm not too keen on it, but I thought, when in Rome etc. Anyway, by the time I got there all the tickets had gone, so I had a look around and went to a local cantina. When in there I ordered the special, when it came out there were these two bulls nuts on a plate, again when in rome, so I ate them - pretty tasty. The next day I tried to go to the bullfight again, but being a drunkard, I was too late again so, I went to the cantina and ordered the special again, this time out come some tiny little balls on a side plate, I ask the waiter what was going on and he said,

Wait for it....












"eh Senor, sometimes, the bull - he win!"

[Pierre Farrugia]

Hello,

Here many people eat that of rabbits, when I was a small boy I used to fight to eat them until i got a little big older and they explaine me what they were YUK

Regards

Pierre