One of the great things about the world we live in is that it still contains incredibly diverse cultures. Nothing expresses that better than our attitude to food. Yet some would seek to erode these differences, in the name of nothing better than taste and a perceived 'yuk factor'. This manifested itself recently on the occasion of the World Cup in Korea and Japan, notably with a protest led by the Belgian MEP Nelly Maes, who appeared not to understand the irony of campaigning against the eating of dog whilst coming from a country known for its rabbit based dishes.

Some of these 'exotic' meats are associated with ill treatment of the animal in question, and this is of course reprehensible. Some other animals are consumed despite the fact they are endangered, or are genetically too similar to us for this to be sensible. There can be little excuse for snacking on rhino horn or tiger penis, for example.

But assuming that the animal you plan to consume is available in sufficient quantities, and that you can be sure that what is on your plate has shuffled off its mortal coil under reasonable conditions and not been anywhere too nasty¹, why restrict yourself to a few herbivores? This article aims to broaden the horizons of the reader, and celebrate the diversity that means that one species worships cows in India, but steak in the USA, and is equally capable of keeping rabbits in a hutch and placing them in a stew.

If you are from a western culture, before condemning those who snack on what you view as a pet, you might want to reflect that people from other cultures might consider what you have on your plate to be equally disgusting. As well as the well-known examples of Muslim and Jewish aversion to pork and Hindu distaste for beef, even the classic default foods of chicken or fish have their detractors. The Masai of Kenya and Tanzania consider both to be sacred and will eat neither the one nor the other.

And indeed, taking things a little bit further, you might want to assess why some animals are deemed to be cute, and worthy of pampering, while others meet a less pleasant fate². It is certainly not animal 'intelligence' which is leading some to make the cut while others go under the knife. It is eminently possible that pigs are more 'intelligent' than dogs, but when was the last time you saw a pig in a £100 coat? Similarly, is there really that much in it on the IQ front between a cow and a horse?

Below are some recipes, in case you want to take the next logical step. These examples are all 'furry' but of course could have been reptiles or insects as these are pets for some people. However, such creatures are perhaps more likely to arouse another type of 'disgust reflex' - even touching it is seen as being horrible, let alone consuming it.³

Deep fried guinea pig with a spicy peanut sauce

Guinea pig as a food is mainly associated with Peru, where it is still an important source of protein for the local population. The Peruvian National Institute of Agrarian Investigation estimates that 65 million guinea pigs are eaten a year in Peru.

Take an appropriate number of skinned and gutted guinea pigs and deep fry in hot oil. In a separate pan cook onions, peppers, chills and garlic and season well. Add peanuts just before serving, ideally with rice. One guinea pig will just about feed one adult, but you'll need plenty of vegetables with it. Watch out for the little bones!

Ragout of dog

Dog meat is tough, which is why it is often associated with cruel treatment of the dog before death, in an attempt to make the flesh more tender. An ethically sound alternative is to cook the dog slowly so it is less chewy. Although Koreans wouldn't generally eat their dog in a stew, the Penang of Borneo would.

Cut the dog meat into small cubes, fry until brown. Put the meat into a large pot with flour, oil and seasoning. When flour is brown add plenty of water, garlic, rosemary and other herbs as desired, bound together. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Add onions, carrots and potatoes and cover and simmer for another 40 minutes, stirring often. Take the herbs out, taste for seasoning and away you go.

Rabbit in 'Kriek' (cherry beer)

This is one of the traditional dishes of Belgium, and is very good. If you can't get Kriek, normal ale is also good but probably not with the cherries - prunes would be better.

Cut the rabbit into six pieces (the four legs and the middle bits). Make a marinade from the Kriek, water, vegetables and herbs. Fry the rabbit, and then add puréed cherries and the marinade to the pan. Serve with potatoes.

Horse steak and chips with a pepper sauce

Horse used to be a very popular meat in France in particular, although globalisation and changes in dietary habits has meant that the specialized horse butchers have largely died out, and it is rarely seen in restaurants. Still you should still be able to get a decent cut of horse meat in a good supermarket on the continent.

Tenderise a good quality steak⁴and grill until brown on both sides, until it is done to your liking. Combine with chips and a pepper sauce.

Cat chow mein

I couldn't really find any cat recipes and indeed it would seem that very few people eat cat. The chinese are, however, partial to a cat on occasions, so why not serve it in the form of a chow mein?

Put water on to boil for the noodles. Combine soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger. Put to one side. Cut cat meat into bite size chunks and fry until golden. Add garlic, ginger, green pepper, mushrooms and cabbage to the stir fry (in that order) and then add the sauce. Stir thoroughly and serve.

Dessert

If you have found yourself wondering what Kitty or Rex would taste like, then this will have hopefully given you some ideas. Alternatively, you can take the other logical step, become a vegetarian, and avoid the problem altogether...