View Full Version : Whale meat is delicious
alexmaclennan
09-11-06, 06:37
Why not start the day with a controversial post?
My brother was playing at a music festival this summer at Sorkjosen - way north in Norway by Tromso.
Thee was an open air barbecue every day for the three or four days of the festival. The meat being cooked was whale - or so he was told/ understood - and he describes it as like the tenderest steak imaginable and delicious with potato salad and relish.
Needless to say he put his middle-class, tree-hugging, liberal notions aside and tucked in each day. What would you have done?
alex
Why not start the day with a controversial post?
My brother was playing at a music festival this summer at Sorkjosen - way north in Norway by Tromso.
Thee was an open air barbecue every day for the three or four days of the festival. The meat being cooked was whale - or so he was told/ understood - and he describes it as like the tenderest steak imaginable and delicious with potato salad and relish.
Needless to say he put his middle-class, tree-hugging, liberal notions aside and tucked in each day. What would you have done?
alex
Absolutely no chance. Don't care if it would be rude or not, in the same way as I didn't eat reindeer in Norway. They're way too cute.
Airmonster
09-11-06, 11:27
Absolutely no chance. Don't care if it would be rude or not, in the same way as I didn't eat reindeer in Norway. They're way too cute.
Must confess to having done this in Sweden a few years ago. Mmmmm. Very tasty if I remember correctly.
Never been in a situation where whale meat was on the menu, so don't know what I would do. Got mighty pissed off when I saw shark steaks in Tesco a few years back though :eek: :mad: so probably wouldn't.
/Colin.
Lizardland
09-11-06, 11:37
The whale is already dead. Not eating it isn't bringing it back to life and my objection isn't going to change anything. I'm also very curious about food, so yes I'd eat it. On the other hand I don't agree with whaling so I guess that makes me a hypocrite.
As for reindeer, it's very nice :)
I eat a lot of game (I have a deer head on my fireplace :) ), especially at this time of year as there is a lot in season. I had some very nice pheasant over the last couple of days. I always find it funny that people are squeamish over eating an animal that has lived naturally in the wild but are quite happy to munch supermarket meat. Ever seen a commercial pig or chicken farm or an abbatoir?
I recommend everyone to read A Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdain. It really makes the point that food needs to be taken in the context of the culture that's eating it. Or take a walk round a Hong Kong wet market.
alexmaclennan
09-11-06, 12:13
Absolutely no chance. Don't care if it would be rude or not, in the same way as I didn't eat reindeer in Norway. They're way too cute.
Best BBQ flesh I ever ate was Zebra in Restaurant Carnivore - meat, meat and nothing but meat - in Nairobi
alex
I always find it funny that people are squeamish over eating an animal that has lived naturally in the wild but are quite happy to munch supermarket meat. Ever seen a commercial pig or chicken farm or an abbatoir?
I don't object to eating reindeer because they're wild, it's because they're really furry and cute and I spent a very happy afternoon in the Cairngorms, being nuzzled by one!
As for whales, the majority of them are endangered and that is my objection to eating them. Sure, once it's dead it's dead, but in my opinion eating it is condoning the act of killing it.
Lizardland
09-11-06, 12:27
Sounds like the Grizzly Grill in Banff. Every kind of meat you could think of, brought raw to your table with a slab of granite that has been baked in an oven all day. Slap your meat of choice on it and let it sizzle :)
In mediaeval times, porpoise was eaten at posh banquets in Scotland.
Gas Guzzler still thinks it's hilarious that the reindeer centre in Glenmore sells barbeque huts.
Lizardland
09-11-06, 14:01
I don't object to eating reindeer because they're wild, it's because they're really furry and cute and I spent a very happy afternoon in the Cairngorms, being nuzzled by one!
It's a very good lesson, getting up close to animals. Most animals are cute and our supermarkets do a very good job of separating that something has lived & died from the non-descript trays of merchandise on the shelves. When was the last time you saw a picture of a cow or chicken on the signs or packaging? Death doesn't sell, especially after a particularly miserable life.
As for whales, the majority of them are endangered and that is my objection to eating them. Sure, once it's dead it's dead, but in my opinion eating it is condoning the act of killing it.
I agree completely. That's why I admit I'm a hypocrite :)
Can I place an order for a whale steak and a serving of bambi on the side?
;)
Lizardland
09-11-06, 16:02
Can I place an order for a whale steak and a serving of bambi on the side?
;)
I'll get my speargun :)
Gas Guzzler
09-11-06, 17:01
Gas Guzzler still thinks it's hilarious that the reindeer centre in Glenmore sells barbeque huts.
I was once mugged for my sandwiches on top of Bynack More by a "cute, cuddly reindeer".
They may be "cute, cuddly reindeer", but they have b****y big antlers, when your on your own miles from nowhere.
On the other hand there were goats on Ben Vrackie that used to attack you for your food............goat burger anyone?
GG
They may be "cute, cuddly reindeer", but they have b****y big antlers, when your on your own miles from nowhere.GG
Just cos they're furrier than you....
Lizardland
09-11-06, 17:29
I was once mugged for my sandwiches on top of Bynack More by a "cute, cuddly reindeer".
There's no season for reindeer and sandwich swiping should qualify them as vermin. Quick shot... 15st of venison to last you through the winter :)
On the other hand there were goats on Ben Vrackie that used to attack you for your food............goat burger anyone?
Urrrrrgh... there are a lot of things I'll eat happily, goat isn't one of them. I've had it once, it was minging. Never again!!!
I've ordered venison from http://www.donaldrussell.com in the past. Absolutely lovely, had one of their red deer boxes, I was eating it for months. www.blackface.co.uk do good game as well.
It's maybe dead but still don't go with the eat cause it is philosophy. You eat it more needs supplied. You keep eating it eventually nothing left, aka the dodo (watch Ice Age ;). One of the worst things i see and can only imagine the agony is off an explosive tipped harpoon that causes massive pain and sufferring to an incredibly intelligent animal. No matter how plentiful they say they are would only take a proverbial heartbeat to lose the lot. I am no treehugger but seems like a terrible offence to me. Would love to see humpbacks and everything else alive in the wild, diving with them and taking pleasure rather than destroy some of our greatest natural assests.
I think it’s something to do with interaction with an animal have seen so many octopi and cuttlefish no way I could eat one of them same with whales, sharks, manta rays
Its bad there just certain animals we like
I could never eat a highland cow because they look so cool but don’t mind eating normal cows
Could never eat a harlequin shrimp or manta shrimp but love normal shrimps
Potatoe cod no, trigger fish yes, butterfly fishes no, damsel fish yes
Pigeon yes, bird of prey no
dive granny
09-11-06, 22:13
I had kangaroo and crocodile in Australia. Both tasted good. then i had the cheek to visit an animal sanctuary and ooh! and ah! over the kangaroos. They look different in steak form though;) I have had venison a few times as well:)
I think it’s something to do with interaction with an animal have seen so many octopi and cuttlefish no way I could eat one of them same with whales, sharks, manta rays
Its bad there just certain animals we like
I could never eat a highland cow because they look so cool but don’t mind eating normal cows
Could never eat a harlequin shrimp or manta shrimp but love normal shrimps
Potatoe cod no, trigger fish yes, butterfly fishes no, damsel fish yes
Pigeon yes, bird of prey no
I totally agree. When gg and I were in the Maldives, there was reef fish on the buffet almost every night. I had no idea what sort but there was no way I was eating it after spending 3 hours each day diving with them. I have no problem with fish farmed salmon however.
When gg and I were in the Maldives, there was reef fish on the buffet almost every night. I had no idea what sort but there was no way I was eating it after spending 3 hours each day diving with them.
if they tasted funny, they were probably clown fish ;)
If everyone of us had to catch and kill their own protein i.e. fish, meat or whatever then there would be very few endangered species and an awful lot of hungry people. I'm quite happy to catch, kill and butcher my own food, and have done so with rabbit, pheasant, duck, grouse, deer and most things that swim in the sea. I believe if you are not able to take the responsibilty for killing an animal then you havn't earned the right to eat it. If you pass that responsibilty over to supermarkets and greedy commercial fishermen then you really should go and grow some soya. And leave all those tender juicy baby lambs to me ;)
bubblemaker
19-11-06, 14:55
hah, there's nothing like controversial subjects to get people going!!!
I agree with Mogwai however, the eat it cos it's dead argument strikes me as being completely ridiculous. basic 'supply and demand' theory would suggest that if there is no demand, there will be no supply, ergo lots of whales in the sea. if you think sod it, it's dead anyway, the whalers will think oh well... people ate that one, lets go kill lots more.
I'm not one for that goes in for 'fluffy bunny syndrome', I'll eat just about anything, but i think it's morally irresponsible to eat anything that's endangered.
I've had my share of rabbit, and pigeon, and Bambi. killing and butchering food, i think, is a good thing. I would ideally like to own a place big enough to keep pigs, and chickens, and such, so i know exactly where my meat comes from, and that it is actually meat, and not mostly water!!!
Anyway, i may be rambling now.. so in answer to the original question.. if there was Whale on the menu I would reckon it'd be a pretty squashed menu!!! Just kidding, I wouldn't eat it.