23.5.11

a meat called sweet; put to the test: part one

today i purchased my most daring ingredient yet
so daring that i am not yet sure if i have the balls to go through with the undertaking
i've wanted to try this for a while

in barcelona
i had briefly toyed with the idea
the opportunity did not present itself and i did not pursue it further than it needed
mostly because i chickened out
heavily discouraged by the inescapable but considerable dash of instinctive disgust


today while buying lamb back strap and some cans of baba ganoush from the syrian butcher in san gwann
opportunity rang my doorbell

i recently embarked on a long time coming low-carb diet
i needed to stock up on protein foods
what i ended up buying is probably very protein rich
i wondered what else to buy so i inquired further as to the syrian's wares


i pointed to a bag at the back of the display counter
and asked what was in it

he laughed...

circumstance made itself present
was i to grab destiny by its stones?
or should i cower forever?
promise myself a lie disguised as postponement?
...


anything this butcher has recommended
i have gone back for more

first it was the back cut of lamb
a loin perfect for grilling and barbecuing
a princely cut among the red meats

then it was the heart of lamb
simple to cook and ranks only second to certain animal livers among offal

and lastly his homemade lamb meat casseroles and falafel mixes: spot on


i manned up
put my life in his hands
(hands soaked in the bloods he cleaved from many a halal-slaughtered animal)
-give me just one of them
i decided

he reassured me that it was good and easy to prepare
- fry it up with an onion!
he suggested


back home
before i tossed it in the fridge
i feared the smells of freshly milked ejaculate or worse
a sweaty crotch
there was only one way to know better
i sheepishly convinced myself that i should get testy
i opened the clear plastic bag
and sniffed at the sheep's testis...

...luckily i was wrong
the smell was not unpleasant
it was much like the smell of turkey ham or ricotta
you can make out something fresh and cold but nothing foul or distinguishable in the least

please stay tuned for part two
were i cook and eat the lamb gonad and describe it to you

tomorrow that testicle is gonna brown in hot butter and garlic!!

(and most probably then simmer in a reduction of cranberry juice, bardolino)

till tomorrow!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

ahhhh interesting.... when in damascus i could see that this was part of their diet, basically they have butcher/bbq shops all over.. like you choose your cut of meat or offal and they cook it there and then.

good luck.. tell us how it goes


and next... bull testicles