Many men would grimace at the idea of eating balls – testicles – of an animal. Perhaps men are better equipped to understand the pain these animals would have gone through in losing their balls, or perhaps it is simply too close to home. As a woman, I have no issue with eating testicles, though I haven’t had to the opportunity to. This might give new meaning to the moniker some alpha women have been given – ball breakers. The whole idea of eating testicles reminds me of an old Hong Kong movie, where the protagonist was rumoured to be highly endowed and great in the sack because of his weekly lunch of wonton noodles and bulls balls. Guys, take whatever you want from this myth or fact; maybe your girlfriend, wife, or partner might be great-full you gave testicles a try. I’m not guaranteeing anything here.
Depending on where you live, eating balls may not be uncommon at all, and can even be considered a delicacy. In Western Canada and the United States, where cattle ranching is a major industry, Rocky Mountain Oysters, or Prairie Oysters (a nicer regional name for testicles) can be found in restaurants as appetizers. In these ranching regions, they are usually served battered and deep fried. Considering how much beef North Americans consume, there certainly are plenty of Prairie Oysters to go around.
Keep in mind that the animals were never killed primarily for their testicles, but rather the removal of testicles is a common husbandry and culinary practice. So if you’re a meat eater, you are only part and parcel of a food system that practices castration of livestock. Weather you have the balls (pun intended) to eat testicles is a whole other matter entirely.
If you have read this far, you might be surprised or interested to know that there is a cookbook specifically for cooking testicles. And above all, it is written by a man. Chef Ljubomir Erovic, from Serbia where this type of offal is also a delicacy, has been cooking with balls for over 20 years, and two years ago published The Testicle Cookbook – Cooking with Balls. The book contains recipes for a variety of dishes, including pizza and meat pie. Such a book is bound to irk a few people:
- “the perfect gift for the gourmet chef who has everything, or your friendly neighbourhood feminist vegetarian” [bookfail.com]
- “the dudes gota be gay im suprised his wife hasnt questioned his obsesion with the nuts.” In the comments at [geekologie]
Clearly, the sentiment towards eating testicles has something to do with different cultural discourses on gender. I’m neither a raging feminist, nor really a feminist at all, but why is it that in dominant mainstream North American culture, organ meat is considered weird?
I'm a grad student studying the geography of food. My interest in food is not limited however, I love to cook, try new methods of cooking, and analysing (er, collect) cookbooks. But most importantly, I love to eat. What is available for me to eat is certainly a privilege, and so I find that eating is truly a humbling experience that must be appreciated with every bite.
Yes, North Americans seem to be very very adverse to eating organ meats…maybe it makes the animal more “human” since we aren’t just eating their flesh but their organs which are similar to human ones? But if you’re going to eat meat/animals, why waste, might as well use up all their parts (e.g. Aboriginal Cultures). However, I’m guessing that even if we don’t go out and buy animal testicles specifically, they are probably ground up with other parts to make hot-dogs, samosas, sausages, and anything with ground meat…sooo technically, we have probably all eaten testicles before…
Ok…this I find disturbing…cooking with semen. http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/natural-harvest—a-collection-of-semen-based-recipes/5198959
Omgosh, cooking with semen?!??! Like, human semen?! Now that’s disturbing!
I guess in keeping with the Hong Kong movie, the protagonist might have more kids if he eats testicals and semen…
Interesting article, uncommon as these parts are in North America, they are certainly widely eaten in other places in the world. Often considered as the best parts even!
My goodness, that has to be a gag book/recipes!
It also puts a whole new meaning to ‘spit or swallow’…
About Ball Cup festival ……………………………………………………………………..
No one could guess that this championship would experience worldwide glory. The competition took place on October 30, 2004 and then over 600 internet sites and famous media companies announced that the first WORLD TESTICLE COOKING CHAMPIONSHIP had been held.
Since then, cooks from all over the world – Norway, Finland, Republic of Serpska, Macedonia, Australia, Spain, Austria, Slovenia, the USA, Canada, Hungary have entered the competition.
When it comes to a very unusual name – World Testicle Cooking Championship, one thing is to be clearfied – this highly unique competition has nothing to do with any kind of vulgarity. There’s no stripping of clothes, naked bodies showing off, alcohol drinking competitions of any kind. Everything that happens, happens in the spirit of domestic positive atmosphere.
Rules of festival …………………………………………………………………………….
• Attendance prohibited for older then 65, without medical approval
• Attendance prohibited for AAs
• Strictly prohibited to bring Viagra
• The testing of the testicles specialties’ effects is prohibited
. unless in the assigned area (camp)
• The “casual“ visit to the “balling village“ is prohibited
• Women are allowed everything
Ball Cup camp ………………………………………………………………………………
There’s a BallsCup Camp – which is a chance for all the visitors to find out about the aphrodisiac effect of this specialties. Ball’sCup Camp is always formed one day before the start of the competition and it is organized by the teams and competitors themselves.
The championship is always held on the last weekend of August and lasts for three days. On the first day (Friday) BallsCup Camp is set up by the competitors. Beside this one, there’s another camp for the visitors who don’t want to participate, but to be part of it by testing the specialties and sharing their experiences or gaining new ones with the cooks. On the following day (Saturday), in the afternoon hours the competition takes place, and the winners are announced. Visitors can enjoy the various music, and rock concert are held late in the evening. Sunday is the day when everybody gathers around a feast prepared by the winning team, thus marking the end of the competition.
Ball Village in the future
Judging and jury ……………………………………………………………………………
The competition takes place in a beautiful rural environment of Serbia, by the river in the woods. And this is how the authentic way of preparing this dish is preserved. Cooks demonstrate their skill in the natural environment, without the use of any modern appliances and luxurious restaurant atmosphere. Skill and knowledge is only what matters and counts. Being a world champion in this discipline isn’t easy to accomplish.
Judging on the experience of the consumers, these specialties are an exceptional aphrodisiac that stimulates sexual energy.
Members of jury are women who are doctors of veterinary medicine. They are eminent experts, qualified to judge these specialties. Colour, taste, smell, combination of spices, the most beautifully organized camp, the hottest dish, the funniest joke… is what counts. Curious visitors rate the most simulative specialty.
World Testicle Cooking Championship is an ideal place for you to have fun, make new friendships, listen to good music, eat healthy food, camp in the peaceful, natural and non-polluted environment, where there’s no modern hotels and luxury, no arguments and fights.