Hey Waiter, Can I have RATS with that?

Hi,

I think when you read stories like that you have to realise these people's culture differ very much from the "western" society. With that in mind, everyone is also entitled to their own opinion, however I think you should realise that there are cultures all over the world which differ very much from those in North America.

Actually I thought you were going to post the story about the girl who had a rat head in her McDonald's burger the other day.

I'm sure rats are very tasty but I prefer to stick to chicken. I don't recall ever eating anything which would be classified as "unusual".

Ravi

Oh, come on, Ravi! You've got to be kidding me, this wasn't meant to be a serious thread, but obviously some of you people can't take anything the slightest bit humorous. I found that link in CNN's "FringeMail" odd/unusual things newsletter, so I'm obviously not alone in thinking this is quite odd - and quite comical, IMO. Aren't we all entitled to our own views? I realize these other people have different cultures, but to me, their rituals are extremely strange - and I express my opinions from my perspective, rightfully so. Loosen your collar a little bit and relax...

Quote: Originally posted by Marc James
This is so digusting, I just had to share it. What is the most unusual thing YOU have ever eaten?

From CNN.com:

Sorry, I dont find making fun of other peoples culture or beliefs funny. It's not something I tend to do with my free time. This isn't a matter of "loosening" up, it's a matter of respect.

Ravi

I nowhere made fun of other people's cultures. I simply stated that in my American belief, eating rats is flat out digusting. I doubt anyone, even from that culture, would be offended by my perspective. I could care less if some other country made fun of me for eating hot dogs or any other American food.

And I think that if you were "loosened up", we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. Am I not allowed to state my opinion in fear it will offend someone? Offending someone is inevitable.

Quote: Originally posted by Marc James
Oh, come on, Ravi! You've got to be kidding me, this wasn't meant to be a serious thread, but obviously some of you people can't take anything the slightest bit humorous.

The above implies that people are suppose to find it humorous or disgusting as you put it, that in my opinion, is making fun of someone else's culture. I didn't say anywhere that they should be ashamed of eating rats either, in fact that's irrelevant. It does show poor taste on your part.

The reason why I brought this up is because T.W.F. attracts people from all over the world, and there may be people who truly are offended by comments like this. My focus isn't on the article itself as nowhere does it say that this is a disgusting they allow you to make that judgement for youself. I'm concentrating on your comments about it being disgusting, that to me shows that maybe you don't understand their culture, or the people and you're passing judgement on a whole city based on one article.

Now, this thread was not suppose to head in this direction, so if anyone has something else to post that would be nice to see, otherwise I think this has gone far enough.

Ravi

Hehe, Want to know what some American's best(Disgusting to some/most) food/recipe is? Tastes like Chicken!

TEXAS RATTLESNAKE

1)Find and capture a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake.
2)Kill, skin and remove entrails.
3)Cut into edible portions.
4)Make a batter of flour, cracker meal, salt, pepper and garlic.
5)Roll your snake portions in the batter.
6)Fry in deep fat, heated to a temperature that will ignite a floating wooden match.
7)Fry until meat is a golden brown.
Eat it!!

Tennessee Campfire Roasted Snake

1)Catch, kill, clean, and skin a snake.
To clean it, cut around at the neck (in the same place where it would wear a necktie) and then cut down along the belly all the way to the end.
2)Peel the skin off.
(You can spread the skin, scale side down, onto the side of the house or on a long plank. Secure it with thumbtacks. Spread a thin layer of salt over it. After a week of sun, it'll be dry.)
3)Cut along into the belly and remove the innards.
4)Cut off the head.
5)Clean and wash.
6)Take a green branch, peel the bark off, and sharpen the tip.
7)Poke the neck onto the sharpened tip.
8)Wrap the snake loosely around the stick.
9)Shake on a bit of salt and pepper.
10)Roast it over a fire.

Tastes "just like chicken..."

Haha, Want to know more about some delicacy/food(disgusting to some/most) and recipes around the world?

Visit:http://www.andreas.com/food.html

Quote:
Rat meat is sold at $1.70 per kg for top cuts down to $0.80 for the lowest grade, the paper said.

The only thing more disturbing than eating rat is the mental image of a rat-packing plant loaded with workers sorting the stuff by quality. How bad does rat meat need to be to qualify as "lowest grade"?

Maybe old rats are graded the lowest grade as the meat would probably be tough.

Young rats may have tender meat so it probably could be better quality.

It's the same as chicken in comparision and all other types of meat I suppose.

Rat's make good pets! They are very smart, and I have had 4 so far.

However, I have one sick rat. I would take a picture of it, but it's sleeping. Here's a pic from earlier today.

i'm wondering: everything seems to taste a little like chicken.
this leads us to two questions:
- is that the compensation chicken get for their dumbness?
- are chicken god, and put a little of himself into everything when he was creating earth?

before you start flaming me: those 2 question doesn't have ANY relation to each other. just two things passing my mind when i was reading the thread.

and yes, i think you can 'laugh' and wonder about other culutures, it's only about respect. if you laugh about them, thinking you're better, you'd better let it be. but if you laugh and think 'hey, never knew you could do THAT', i'd say it's ok. and never forget: your culture has moods too, that other cultures never knew they could have.

The Chinese or so probably laugh at us because we eat hamburger with cheese and bread on it (though probably because we have it).

I think every culture has yucky foods and I wouldn't consider rats to be the yuckiest actually

Ravi is right in saying that some people may find this offensive, but they're free to post and insult American food in return (as so many non-Americans do anyway).

Personally, I don't find any cookes meat very offensive. I wouldn't eat rats for the reason I don't eat dogs and cats - they're too cute! But I'm not disgusted by these kinds of things being eaten elsewhere.

What I am very upset about is the way cats are treated in China on their way to the plate. You may want to read this article (it's not funny and not easy to read:
http://www.people.co.uk/shtml/FEATURES/P44S1.shtml