Penis restaurant

[urbpan]

belen1974 forwarded me this story from September 2006 about a Chinese restaurant in the UK Beijing (I wrote the wrong thing when I originally posted this) that serves up lots of different kinds of animal penises. Sort of a "read it if you dare" kind of piece, kind of entertaining fluffy shock journalism--until they got to the part where they claimed to sell tiger penises from tigers that have "died of old age."

First of all--I don't think most people eat animals that have died of old age--any farmers out there want to correct me on that? Second--no reputable zoo would sell their dead animals for meat--again, if I'm wrong (be sure, please) correct me. Third--I think it's a load of bull penis. Either they are illegally obtained tiger penises, or they aren't really tiger penises. I think it's probably poaching or fraud. And how do I feel about people eating tiger penises, anyway?

Comments

[daddi-cade.livejournal.com]

The restaurant is in Beijing, not the UK.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Whoops! Thanks for the correction.

[gryfindormia.livejournal.com]

Perhaps not actually bought from zoos, but I think I heard somewhere that the Chinese do breed animals otherwise considered not-food/endangered solely for their food (i.e. St. Bernards). I thought I heard they had farms for this sort of thing.

And I'm amused that "tiger penis" is a tag. Hee hee, tiger penis. *giggles like a schoolgirl*

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Yes, they raise dogs and other animals in captivity for food (which I have no problem with). Tigers, I don't know. I think the idea that different foods have curative properties is a little wacky. You can make a case for nutritional differences, but "women shouldn't eat testicles" sounds like superstition.

[candent.livejournal.com]

Just out of curiosity, why dogs but not tigers?

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Domestic vs. wild, Ubiquitous vs. critically endangered.

[gryfindormia.livejournal.com]

Agree with the wackiness, though many swear by it all over the world, though I personally think it's a placebo effect.

[temeres.livejournal.com]

Tigers, I don't know.

Apparently they do farm tigers. There was a recent article on the practice in the Daily Mail (odious UK rightwing tabloid that only runs animal welfare stories to show how nasty foreigners are).

[gryfindormia.livejournal.com]

Oh, and I should have clarified that I think the zoos in China are allowed to sell to the UK, but of that I'm not certain.

[candent.livejournal.com]

"The main event, so to speak, is downstairs near the wallet. Ever seen soccer players line up to block a free kick? They ain't covering their noses I'll say that much!"

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

The trousers conceal a second, tiny horn.

[candent.livejournal.com]

Hey, what have you heard?

[naturtraene.livejournal.com]

DISGUSTING!