The Offal Truth About Black Pudding Quiz

Answer: The entrails and internal organs of a butchered animal

Offal is all parts of an animal used for food that is not part of the skeletal muscles. It includes all organ meat and entrails. While organ meats are eaten all over the world and prepared in a variety of ways there are many people who find offal to be just...well...awful!

Answer: Deep-fried pig skin

Cracklings are deep-fried pig skins and they are eaten in many places other the southern United States. In Britain they are called pork scratchings. They can be eaten at room temperature in the same manner one would eat potato chips. They are also served hot as a side dish to a meal.

Answer: Australia

Don't let the name fool you. Moreton Bay bugs are actually flat-headed lobsters and are named after Moreton Bay in Queensland, Australia. They can be boiled, broiled, and cooked in the same manner that other lobsters are cooked. They are often confused with crayfish and are eaten in many East Asian countries as well as Australia.

Answer: Herring

Rollmops are pickled herring fillets that are wrapped around various other foods such as pickles, onions, and olives. This is a popular treat usually eaten cold or occasionally on bread and can be bought already prepared in jars. They are very popular not only in Scandinavian countries, but also in such places as Brazil, Poland, and South Africa.

Answer: Chicken embryo

Balut is a chicken or duck embryo that is boiled alive while still inside the egg. Sold by street vendors, balut is believed to be an aphrodisiac and is high in protein. Often eaten while drinking beer, this is a common food in many parts of Southeast Asia where this dish goes by different regional names.

Answer: Wales

A rook is an Old-World bird not unlike the North American crow. In Wales and other areas of Britain they are sometimes used to make a meat pie. Younger birds are preferred for tenderness and flavor. Sometimes, but not usually, vegetables may be added. The gravy used in the pie is a source of much pride and secrecy to those who prepare this dish.

Answer: Jellied pigs feet

Zimne nogi is a Polish treat of jellied pig or cow feet. It is often considered to be an attempt by the peasants to emulate some of the aspic covered dishes that were a favorite of the aristocracy. No parts of a farm animal were wasted. In parts of the United Kingdom a similar dish is known as "trotters".

In parts of the U.S. it is not unusual to see pickled pigs feet for sale. It goes without saying that proper cleaning before preparation is essential.

Answer: Placenta

Placentophagy is the practice of eating the placenta or afterbirth of a newborn. While this is practiced by wild animals it does occur in the human population also. Many online articles suggest that it helps prevent postpartum depression, but scientific proof does seem to be lacking.

In China the placenta of a newborn baby was dried and used in herbal medicine to treat infertility, wasting diseases and impotence.

Answer: Shark

Hákarl is an Icelandic speciality usually made from basking shark. The shark is boned and the meat is cut up and buried in a pit the ground to ferment for 3-4 months. At this time the meat is dug up and hung up to dry for a couple more months. The hardened outside skin is cut off and the hákarl is served with a glass of Icelandic schnapps known as brennivin, which is made from fermented potatoes.

Answer: Blood

Black pudding also known as blood sausage or blood pudding is a type of sausage made by cooking blood until it is thick enough to congeal when fillers are added. Variations of black pudding are eaten all over the world with a variety of fillers used. These fillers include potato, rice, suet, meat, yams, and grain.

The blood used comes from domestic animals such as cows, pigs, goats, sheep and fowl.