Balut

The second annual "Have an Offal Day" event has been announced and tickets are now on sale. This is an event which involves some of the best local chefs, each picking some part of an animal that's not normally eaten and coming up with a dish based on it. At the event, each dish comes out separately with the chef discussing it after everyone's had a chance to taste it. Last year's was a lot of fun.

This year, they are offering balut. When you go to buy your ticket online, there's a separate spot where you can check a box indicating your interest in the little proto-ducks. There's not a charge associated with it but it's emphasized that you should only check that box if you're definitely going to try the stuff. I'm going back and forth on this. It's likely the only time I'll ever get a chance to try it, but it's certainly a challenging item for this western palate. Anyone have any experience with the stuff?

I'm thinking you're on your own on this one, Mike.

I'm afraid just reading this initiated a gag reflex.

Yeah, my pal Nilo sent me a link to a site that demonstrates (with plenty of photos) the proper way to eat balut. The photos were not appetizing in the least.

[Robin Garr]

Calling Jay Labrador!

Ah yes, balut, staple of Fear Factor type shows and the one food item used by Filipinos to terrorize westerners. Ramon should also be able to fill you in on the details. Balut is fertilized duck egg around 2 and a half weeks old. These are boiled and then sold on the streets, usually at night, by vendors who walk around with baskets of the eggs suspended from poles on their shoulders. The eggs are always eaten hot. To eat a balut, the large end of the egg is broken and a little salt is put in. Some like a little vinegar and chili as well but my preference is just salt. The liquid inside is sipped before eating the actual contents. After the liquid is consumed, peel the egg and eat. The yolk is very eggy. The chick doesn't have bones or any hard parts developed yet so you just eat the whole thing. The white is also eaten but in some cases it can be very hard in which case you just leave it alone. Balut is supposed to give you strength.

Some chefs here have incorporated balut into their food. A famous restaurant used to serve a balut souffle. A chef friend of mine cooks them in a curry sauce.

Be sure to alert me when you have a discussion on durian...

So is the duckling a one-bite item or can you nibble off less than a mouthful at a time?

(Sorry 'bout this - I'd like to give it a shot but I don't want to sign up if I don't think I'll be able to handle the terror.)

You can nibble on it but I recommend you just pop the whole bird in one go. Better to get it over with right away if you're a first timer. Just remember it's essentially a boiled duck, not some alien creature.

Thanks - that's a good way to look at it. No matter how much it looks like an alien creature.

This is right up there with ortolan regarding "eww" factor.

-Paul W.

Yeah, I'm still waffling on whether to sign up for it or not. I hate to miss out on a unique experience, but.....

Do you think a shot (or seven) of tequila might help steel you for this? Good luck Mike!

Do you think a shot (or seven) of tequila might help steel you for this? Good luck Mike!

There is a bar associated with this event, so liquid courage will be available.

I tried one once, when I was stationed in the Philippines back in the mid-60s. I was half in the bag, had lots of encouragement from friends also half in the bag, and still couldn't get it down. Try it if you like, but it's a delicacy I would forego, given another opportunity. Climbing Mt. Everest or wrestling alligators might be a more reasonable way to establish your reputation for trying new things.

Alan said:

Climbing Mt. Everest or wrestling alligators might be a more reasonable way to establish your reputation for trying new things.

Ya know Mike, this time, it sounds like he knows what he's talking about.

Yeah. To tell the truth, I think I'd probably be passed out before I had enough to drink to eat something like that.

So the "Have Another Offal Day" event was yesterday. I didn't sign up for the balut, but they had some extras so I went ahead and tried one. I ate it as Jay indicated, sipping the broth, then the yolk, then eating the "bird". Although the taste and texture were not terribly disgusting, they weren't great and there was no significant reward to be had in the flavor. Just wasn't all that interesting.

It may also be that the balut suffered by comparison to the other dishes, which were uniformly outstanding. Out of the 12 that were served, my favorites included a banh mi made with chicken livers and chicken neck meat, haggis that was served over neaps and tatties, and a reuben sandwich made with corned tongue.

Wow, Mike
I take my scarf off to you. Just the thought of it makes me gag. They sell those eggs at the Vietnamese store I frequent. People buy them and I have always been amazed. Although I clean, cook and eat chitterlings (pronounced chitlins in the hood) once a year, I can't stomach oozy-gooey foods. (I don't eat soft boiled or over-easy eggs for that reason.) That is one reason I was never a fan of Paula Deen. Seeing her with a big wad of mayonnaise on the side of her mouth was a total turn-off to me. One view of Andrew Zimmern slurping this kind of stuff -- Ewww! But, thank you for sharing. Always good to see other people's strengths. Yours is in your brain to palate pathway -- mine has not evolved to that point yet. Kudos.

Thanks, Jo Ann. Definitely something I won't repeat (or re-eat), though.

[Jenise]

I can't stomach oozy-gooey foods. (I don't eat soft boiled or over-easy eggs for that reason.) That is one reason I was never a fan of Paula Deen. Seeing her with a big wad of mayonnaise on the side of her mouth was a total turn-off to me....Yours is in your brain to palate pathway -- mine has not evolved to that point yet. Kudos.

Ditto ditto ditto.