Food waste solutions: cuttlefish testicles and pigs' heads

[AdamSmith]

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2014/feb/06/food-waste-solutions-cuttlefish-testicles-pigs-heads

[RA1]

What a strange article. Many places here in the South make note that they use every part of the pig except the squeal. Pig's feet, hog jowl, mountain oysters as well as cracklins, intestines, etc. are all prepared and eaten foods hereabout.

I suppose every country and culture has their own food habits which is neither good nor bad, it just is. It seems that in the US we overbuy as well as overeat, both of which lead to waste. Many foreigners are somewhat aghast at our restaurant portions but they soon learn.

Best regards,

RA1

[MsGuy]

In reality, there's almost no waste in a modern slaughter house. All the bits and pieces go into ground meat or sausage and the like. If it can't pass the FDA inspectors, it goes to make pet food. Even the blood is salvaged.

[lookin]

That's offal!

I grew up near the Pennsylvania Dutch country and often enjoyed a slice or two of scrapple with breakfast. That is until my high school English teacher told us what was in it. "Pigs' ears!", she said. "And snouts!"

"Ew!", said I, and never ate it again.

I have a recipe for making it with pork loin and went so far as to add sage and thyme to my spice rack, against the day when I get the urge. But I have a feeling it would come nowhere close to the delicious stuff we got from the Farmer's Market all those years ago.

A friend who's a very good cook tells of a couple of ladies from New Orleans who served up turkey necks on rice with gravy at an annual food fest. He said it was one of the best dishes he ever had.

It's funny how completely a dish can lose its appeal just by knowing what's in it. Mince pie was another favorite until the self-same English teacher told us it was made with hamburger. That was enough to put me off it. Love hamburger. Love raisins. Love pie. But hamburger for dessert?

I'm sure it's my loss for never having the lip-smacking pleasure of a steaming bowl of cuttlefish testicles, but there you are.