Time to become Vegetarian?

**Cruella DeVilla** · 03-04-2008, 14:57

Well I nearly became a vegetarian yesterday!!

Silly story really but here goes as things are kinda quiet.

I like to make soup and normally buy a ham hock to flavour it against using cubes, more flavoursome. Well I had bought a couple of fresh ones (in a packet) from the buchers department at the local German supermarket. I used one at the time, and froze the other for later.

So a couple of days ago I decided the freezer was too full for my shopping so I took the second hock out to clear space so yesterday thought right it is defrosted so I' ll make that soup now.

Well I looked at the hock and thought that looks a funny shape, turned it over and it had a row of funny looking white things and I thought no it's not teeth as they were too perfect and uniform and really white but what then heck is it?

I couldn't bare to prod it, but it looked like the length of a full human tooth, you know what you also have under the gum. Then hock was way fleshy too and horrid and not bony like the first one and I thought not sure I want to use this "thing".

I am not usually squeemish and butchery doesn't worry me and I love cookings but I put it down and thought, hey is that round bit the bottom of the trotter and then I looked again and realisation dawned, blinken heck it is half a snout, turned it over again and right at the very back were teeth, actuall bl**dy teeth, I touched them to check, so when I turned it back over again yes it was obvious now it was one half of a pigs head with the eye part and top of the head/ears missing but everything inside intact!

Well I had seen enough by that stage and ditched it but it was giving me nightmares last night but I am too "pig headed" to become a vegetarian just yet!! (Although I did open a Covent Garden potato and leek carton of soup instead)

**mizzy** · 03-04-2008, 15:50

eugh you are very brave touching it i wouldn't have that's for sure [msneek]

**blott** · 03-04-2008, 16:03

We used to go to a local market in Lincolnshire and buy 'bath chap' which was pig's cheek. It looks just like best ham and very tasty too!

Have you never had pig's trotters? Or brawn?

**Cruella DeVilla** · 03-04-2008, 16:16

I've had trotters before complete with hairy toes and did think about the cheek being nice (I saw that once on one of those Andrew Zimmerman programms) but this thing was really just too big and ugly to deal with in its raw form.

Not tried brawn, but the thought of jellied pigs head would drive me to the carrotts and seeds I think!!

I shall certainly be on my guard next time I try to buy a hock and must learn the German for "not a pigs head complete with teeth please" as it's not a phrase I have needed in the last 20 years or so...lol!

**Newhomebuyer** · 03-04-2008, 17:36

I like tripe and black pudding and ox tongue, The latter I will cook from scratch but I would not like to cook a pigs head (half or whole) It's funny what we draw a line at isn't it. It isn't logical at all.

**owen3** · 03-04-2008, 17:39

If i liked veg i would become a vegeterian.
Barbara

**mizzy** · 03-04-2008, 17:56

there was a little girl in my daughters primary school class who wanted to be a vegetarian, she was already a fussy/ picky eater and her mum phoned me for some advice on what alternatives we have found for my daughter Jo

i remember howling with laughter when she phoned me later that night to tell me that the going veggie was a no go, her daughter took one look at her evening meal burst into tears at the sight of all the extra veg on her plate, her mother said she had thought it meant that by being veggie you didn't have to eat any vegetables [laugh]

**SunLover** · 03-04-2008, 18:30

Shame it didn't still have the eye in it...

It would have seen you through the week [msnwink]

03-04-2008, 18:33

OMG now I feel really [sick][sick][sick][sick] I am not totally veggie but I don't like anything that looks like its lived ie bones, skin teeth etc I only eat a small amount of chicken breast (organic free range) and a small amount of fish and very occasionally mince steak[msnwink]

You are a brave women CDV[msnwink]