Did AIDS come from eating monkey?

This question has been discussed for years, but I found a recent article about new research on the origin of the HIV virus. From CNN: Research into wild chimps backs theory people got virus eating them.

The theory is SIV may have transfered to humans as HIV, and possibly from humans eating monkey meat, and that this may have happened on a number of occassions. WeirdMeat.com has always felt a little iffy about eating monkey -- seems a little too close to home, ya think? And eating stuff that's close to home like that, well, maybe there's a problem with it, like cows going "mad" after eating beef. I guess in the name of science, we'd need to test all that properly to see if there's something naturally wrong with cannibalism ... feed pork to pigs, chicken to chickens. Are there animal species that do this as a matter of course?

Illegal Foods

We're really big fans of the spicy-numb flavors of Sichuan food. Back in California, we used to cook with lots of "Sichuan peppercorns," which are actually a citrus flower, it turns out. They were illegal because, like a lot of illegal things, they're good for you. Seriously, the FDA worried imports of these might carry a citrus disease. But, we were addicted to the "ma" flavor, so we hunted all over Chinatown for some contraband peppercorns. Every shop said "no, they're illegal." Then we found one shop owner that winked and filled a brown paper sack full for us.



We once nearly overdosed on Sichuan peppercorns. They have a numbing effect that, if overindulged on, can actually relax the throat enough to disrupt your gag reflex. At least that's what almost happened to us.

Anyway, I'm told they are legal now in the States, as long as they're heat-processed, which is a good thing because the Sichuan food we've had in the States so far has been really lame. Maybe it will improve now.

I once took part in an "illegal foods potluck" many years ago. We had raw French cheeses that are against the law to import to the States. We had absinthe, desserts made with marijuana, and Cuban cigars.

Speaking of illegal food, Phoenix New Times (Arizona) wrote this amazing article about this crazy chef who hunts and cooks penguins and other animals he's not really supposed to. Some of his claims seem a bit far-fetched, no? The article linked to us, so we'll link to them.

Check back soon for our next penis adventure, some raw sheep's heart, and how we ate rats -- by necessity!

Leave a comment and tell us if you've ever eaten an illegal food.