359672 Fri Jan 12 18:36:55 -0800 2007 20 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 2182178 I'm going to be dining at a restaurant featuring "Venison civet" as a menu choice in the coming month. Is this indeed the anal scent gland of a deer? Has anybody ever had it? What's it like? I've never heard of civet being used in food! Fri Jan 12 18:36:55 -0800 2007 52423 Kasumeat 1 2182577 Oh good God no! "Civet" is just an Italian and French technique for cooking game; marinating it with red wine, juniper berries, onions, and herbs. Oh, and "civet" the cooking term comes from the Latin word for onion: cepa. Fri Jan 12 19:42:00 -0800 2007 2182178 16490 Bostonbob3 2 2183305 >>Oh, and "civet" the cooking term comes from the Latin word for onion: cepa.<< *Cepa* is also the source of English *chive*. Fri Jan 12 22:31:47 -0800 2007 2182577 10520 carswell 1 2182642 Whew! That was a close call ;-) There is a cat-ish looking animal called a civet too. Musk from the Civet once was important in the perfume trade, maybe that's the connection here? Fri Jan 12 19:57:52 -0800 2007 2182178 42270 HaagenDazs 2 2182653 Different etymology. "Civet" as in civet cat is derived from Arabic. Fri Jan 12 20:00:20 -0800 2007 2182642 11369 Robert Lauriston 3 2182694 LOL, the first thing that came to my head when civet was mention was the animal. Hmmm... I wonder how civet and venison would match? Fri Jan 12 20:08:59 -0800 2007 2182653 10980 Blueicus 1 2183249 civet cats are related to mongoose. i doubt they taste anything like venison, lol. Fri Jan 12 22:14:57 -0800 2007 2182178 30273 hotoynoodle 2 2183288 How about preparing Civet Civet? http://www.slate.com/id/2093538/ Fri Jan 12 22:26:42 -0800 2007 2183249 16490 Bostonbob3 3 2183325 That's awesome - hilarious! Fri Jan 12 22:37:52 -0800 2007 2183288 42270 HaagenDazs 3 2185791 I knew that they ate civet cat in Asia, but I was unaware until now of the Continental cooking techqnique called "civet." One learns something new every day.... Sat Jan 13 20:53:54 -0800 2007 2183288 51367 Yaqo Homo 1 2183262 Actually, Civet is an old school French soup thickened with animal blood. Fri Jan 12 22:18:51 -0800 2007 2182178 59817 dublix 2 2183277 AND a cooking/marinade technique for game, which I think applies more to a dish called "Venison Civet." Fri Jan 12 22:23:56 -0800 2007 2183262 16490 Bostonbob3 3 2183310 A traditional "Civet" is a soup that is thickened by the animals blood. If it does not use the animals blood as a thickening agent, technically, it is not called a "Civet". At least by French terms. I'm pretty damn sure Civet is not a marinade, or a cooking technique. Fri Jan 12 22:33:01 -0800 2007 2183277 59817 dublix 2 2183307 Actually, civet is a stew, not a soup, traditionally made from game (wild rabbit, wild boar, venison, etc.), pearl onions and lardons (bacon chunks). The braising liquid is typically red wine with some of the animal's blood being added as a thickener at the end. Fri Jan 12 22:32:30 -0800 2007 2183262 10520 carswell 3 2183335 Stew, soup, drink, game, or chicken. It can't be called civet if its not thickened with blood, that's I'll I'm getting at. Fri Jan 12 22:39:53 -0800 2007 2183307 59817 dublix 4 2183365 You'll find that most civet in France is no longer thickened with blood. Certainly most of what I had wasn't -- and it was typically civet de lapin. I suppose some of the blood gets in because you're cooking meat (which contains blood, unless it's been kashered, unlikely in French cuisine), but it isn't typically added exprès. Fri Jan 12 22:47:30 -0800 2007 2183335 10811 Das Ubergeek 1 2183269 Geez - along the same lines as Robert Lauriston... too many meanings for one word! Fri Jan 12 22:20:10 -0800 2007 2182178 42270 HaagenDazs 1 2183741 So I'm guessing that the stew is pronounced "see-VAY" -- correct? Sat Jan 13 00:53:26 -0800 2007 2182178 34704 Luwak 2 2183782 Yes. Sat Jan 13 01:08:22 -0800 2007 2183741 10811 Das Ubergeek 1 2184928 Thanks for the clarification. I'm relieved (and admittedly, a bit disappointed) that I won't be trying any anal scent glands any time soon. Sat Jan 13 15:30:35 -0800 2007 2182178 52423 Kasumeat 1 2261986 LOL!!! try google sweet heart! You are making yourself look like an anal scent gland!!!!! Mon Feb 05 13:28:55 -0800 2007 2182178 71940 dinner4one