293254 Mon Jun 23 12:03:20 -0700 2003 22 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1603885 just reading the paper and saw that tonight's episode of Fear Factor features contestants consuming eggs containing partially developed duck embryos ( balut ) - the fun begins at 8pm - NBC Mon Jun 23 12:03:20 -0700 2003 0 gordon wing 1 1603886 A Vietnamese contestant will win this hands down. Large season's Amazing Race has their contestants drinking herbal tea in Hong Kong. One contestant threw up on the sidewalk. Mon Jun 23 12:18:42 -0700 2003 1603885 0 Peter 2 1603895 I thought balut was a Filipino delicacy. I've yet to try it - although rumor has it that one of my daytime cooks eats them regularly. I MUST ask her to bring some in for me. Mon Jun 23 15:40:26 -0700 2003 1603886 0 Phoebe 3 1603916 Are you sure you want to eat that? One time I was in an Asian grocery store that sold those eggs (dyed bright red to keep them separate) and someone had broken one--there was blood and gunk all over the place. The 18th day of a 28-day cycle, that's like the 6th month of a 9-month pregnancy. yech. Link: http://www.asiacuisine.com.sg/Nacws/1998/9/314/ Mon Jun 23 18:29:53 -0700 2003 1603895 0 whinysista 4 1603917 It's a cultural thing. Many of my Asian friends would recoil from a piece of rare steak. Mon Jun 23 18:34:39 -0700 2003 1603916 0 Peter 5 1603945 Thanks for pointing out the cultural issue. I'm a little put off by the cultural insensitivity of Fear Factor (and other shows) in reinforcing American revulsion at foods that other cultures find perfectly delicious. Personally, I'd be more willing to try balut than I would the processed crap and fast food that most Americans consider "normal". Just my 2 cents. Daniel Tue Jun 24 11:46:02 -0700 2003 1603917 0 Daniel 1 1603904 What next, natto? (hmm, could make an interesting subject digression - Fear Factor foods . . . ) Mon Jun 23 17:04:16 -0700 2003 1603885 0 Chris G. 2 1603907 At Fear Factor's website (hanging my head in shame that I actually sought out this information), they have previously had contstants eat pig rectum and pig uterus. Amazing what you can find at a butcher's shop. Mon Jun 23 17:26:23 -0700 2003 1603904 0 Phoebe 3 1603910 That's nuthin', I hear a few hounds already ate those at Kebab Cafe, in Astoria, as well as cow pizzle, and cow udders..... Mon Jun 23 17:50:52 -0700 2003 1603907 0 galleygirl 4 1603955 Cows got pizzles? Hey, BC! Cows got pizzles! Cows got pizzles!!! Tue Jun 24 14:28:51 -0700 2003 1603910 0 Clams247 5 1603960 Oops, what a shocking lapse; that would be bull pizzles....Can ya tell I didn't share the meal ? ;) And I heard they were in a cream sauce... Tue Jun 24 15:44:47 -0700 2003 1603955 0 galleygirl 6 1604032 Actually it was lamb pizzle! Wed Jun 25 13:26:38 -0700 2003 1603960 0 Abbylovi 7 1604035 It's just been so long since I saw a pizzle.... Wed Jun 25 13:33:07 -0700 2003 1604032 0 galleygirl 8 1604057 Must...not...make...stupid...joke... Wed Jun 25 16:32:16 -0700 2003 1604035 0 Abbylovi 9 1604100 Too late...you just did. Thu Jun 26 08:28:13 -0700 2003 1604057 0 fatboy 3 1603912 You can buy all of those parts and more to boot at any large Chinese grocery store here in Los Angeles. Its available fresh at 99 Ranch Market but for the very odd, try the Hawaii market at Del Mar and Valley out in San Gabriel. Mon Jun 23 18:05:39 -0700 2003 1603907 0 jenn 3 1604056 What's the matter, you never had a hot dog before? Mmmm, pig rectum... Wed Jun 25 16:30:41 -0700 2003 1603907 0 AlanH 1 1603918 Having read this entire thread, and being a pretty darned adventurous hound, all I can say is... Gulp, not sure I could stomach balut. Mon Jun 23 19:19:07 -0700 2003 1603885 0 StriperGuy 1 1603977 I was having my 4th or 5th balut one night in an open air market in Siem Reap, Cambodia when the feathers of an over developed egg got lodged in my throat. It took me a few dry hacks, but I finally coughed up the little wing. The lady selling it was laughed so hard but too a liking to me so she showed me how to pick the "best" balut...large and must be heavy (more liquid). Tue Jun 24 17:42:20 -0700 2003 1603885 0 Nathan Lee 2 1603980 So, what's the appeal of balut? Since you are a regular poster Nathan, I would take your description of the experience seriously. The fear factor contestants didn't seem enamoured with the taste of balut. The only thing I've read on the web about the actual taste was that they tasted like eggs. Through chowhound I've gained an appreciation of foods that I probably would have avoided not knowing what to expect from the experiance. I now know the appeal of chicken feet, for example. Here's a recent posting on the SF board with some articles and pictures of balut. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/24580#96356 Tue Jun 24 19:04:03 -0700 2003 1603977 0 Stanley Stephan 3 1603983 Hi Stephan, What I like most about balut was the fluids/juice. The way I eat it is to tap the pointy end of an upright egg (held in one hand) with a spoon. Lift the cracked egg shell to reveal an opening big enough for the spoon to fit through. You should have a salt pepper mixture to put into the egg. It has a very sweet liquid which is what I drink first. If there's a decent size egg yolk and a small (read no feathers) embryo then I'd eat those as well. I throw the egg whites away because they're tasteless and have the consistency of brittle rubber. They have them at some Asian markets and Farmer's markets in the Bay area. Give it a try! I think they're about 60 cents a piece. You can always take a sip of the juice without looking inside. Worse case, throw it away. I do that all the time. Tue Jun 24 19:34:52 -0700 2003 1603980 0 Nathan Lee 4 1603994 I agree -- the liquid is the richest, most intensely flavorful duck soup you can imagine. The rest of the balut is, I think, mainly for showing off. But, Nathan, four or five balut in one sitting?? (I've never gone past two myself.) What, exactly, did you have planned for the rest of the evening? Tue Jun 24 21:46:24 -0700 2003 1603983 0 PayOrPlay 5 1603998 I stopped at 4 or 5 because of choking on that feather. Those were just the appetizers as well. I was moving from stall to stall at the night market. Funny thing is I lost about 35lbs from that trip. To be fair it was a year long. Also, at less than 10 cents an egg, I can splurge and eat only what I wanted most. I saw it as a soup starter :) Tue Jun 24 23:16:53 -0700 2003 1603994 0 Nathan Lee