Note: I said "extreme radicals." Sorry for the redundancy. Twenty slaps from the re-write ed. ;)

this is actually pretty common with new age types, It has some sort of spiritual meaning like taking in the soul or essence of the newborn. I've also heard that is has a dietary incentive such as being chock full of vitamins and what not.

I was once invited to share in the "feast" with some of my goth/wiccan buddies who had a kid. I told them I appreciated the gesture, but no thank you.

On another note, I love haggis.

Jared: was this during a home birth? Or had the placenta already been frozen and now, thawed out? Do they cook it? I never got the full details of the meal and its preparation when I was told this years ago.

Yes, they had a home birth with a midwife. I dont know the specifics of how the placenta was prepared. Wasnt exactly running to partake in this event.

The funny thing is, for how cliche and "pale and tragic" they are in the whole goth/wiccan thing, they are outstanding parents

It's the beauty of being a parent, my friend. :)

Just in case anyone thought this thread couldn't degenerate further.
Some more cookery hints:
http://wolf.ok.ac.kr/~annyg/english/e5.htm

The placenta was lovingly prepared like any other steak. Marinated withj a few spices and herbs, then pan fried. The comments were how remarkably tender it was.

I'm glad I don't have smell-a-vision

ok, i feel queasy. i know in china they buy each others placenta for dining pleasure. this was in the old days (probably the 70's :) )

what the hell is haggis?

Haggis: sheep guts, I think.

Speaking of China: they're killing all the rats and cats in one of the provinces, because it's believed they carry SARS. They were scrubbing down the streets with brooms and water yesterday.

Seems as if a restuarant in the province served some of this cat and rat et-tu-fe (sp?) to willing and now, horribly sick patrons.

sheep's heart, lungs, liver, etc. stuffed into its stomach with barley, oatmeal, suet and onions and then boiled.
"Like most Scottish cuisine, it's based on a dare."

It's not bad, actually. You've just got to have a couple of drinks and pay more attention to the conversation than the meal.

JP

Did you say "suet" or "sweat?" :D

heheheheh
Suet is actually more unpleasant, IMHO.



JP

Being of Asian descent (you guys know Asians will eat anything - well, almost), I was discussing the ramifications of MCD to a friend. I dryly joked that I was thinking about preparing some ox tail stew for the family unit and added, "The tail's the farthest from the brain, should be safe (snicker)." Whereupon my friend quickly countered with, "Yeah, but isn't the tail part of the spinal cord?" Touche.

So my fellow invertebrates, where does the spinal cord end - on a cow? Or do I have to settle for pig's feet?

Sherwood

Sherwood - if you figure the coccyx, (sp?) which is the end of our spines located at the top of our butts, was once where our tails extended from when we lived in trees a few hundred million years ago, that pretty much should answer your question.

At the only Burns supper I attended the haggis was drenched in whisky once it was on the plate. The only way of saving it I suspect.