Strange things at the local butchers

At my local butchers right next to the cash till, is a large tray of cooked pig parts! ears, tails, trotters and noses, i asked if it was pet food and they all started laughing NO NO people eat this, well i could see meat on the trotter but how can you eat a pigs ear or a nose? anyone tried them?

I think they were having a go at ya... I have Never seen people eat that stuff. They do sell bags of pigs ears for dogs, kinda like the German ver. of Rawhide..

No they cook them fresh everymorning, looks like boiled ham parts, and they sell out each day.

Cue The Don.

trotters are great...an acquired taste admittedly as they're a bit slimy and gelatinous...but cooked the right way are a real treat...dunno 'bout the rest...

I remember when I first saw pig tails on sale at my local HL Markt.

Schweineschwänze - I was convinced they were pig's penises - just the right shape!! (I imagine). Took me a few visits and quick curious stares to convince me that perhaps they were tails.

Oder??

I've seen them raw at the butcher's at Viktualienmarkt so I suppose that people buy them and cook them at home as well.
EDIT: Pig's tails as well. Great stuff.

A pigs penis is shaped like a cork screw they eat them in Jamaica.

This stuff is great. Had pig's ears at a restaurant called St John's in London which specialises in "olde worlde Englishe" cooking. Really really nice stuff - would recommend it to anyone. If done properly they are really tender.

Other stuff along these lines worth trying is (and I am not kidding here) marrow bone on toast, pan fried goose gizzards stuffed with goose liver (fois gras) and terrine of chicken liver and spleen. Makes for a fun evening out playing guess the body part!

I'd say give it a go.

Trotters or crubeens are great fare, excellent reason to order a pint of Guinness.

Them Jamaicans ! Saints preserves, us eating corkscrews. still t'would explain yer man Marleys hair.

I only ever bought them straight, maybe the Jamaicans wrap them around a stick when they roast them.

I find it rather odd that the butcher would carry those bits cooked. They get most flavour from the method of cooking. I don't think I've ever had pigs' tails or snouts before (outisde of soup stock or head cheese), but most USians know about pickled pig's feet and pigs' ears are a serious Chinese delicacy. So are chicken and duck feet. And tripe. And lots of other stuff you probably don't want to ask about if you accompany me for some real dim sum brunch.

You have to wonder: if a culture comes up with ways to enjoy eating ears, tails, feet and various organs, who the hell ran off with the actual meat?!

woof.

A large group of us were on an island in Croatia about three years ago. An idilic spot had been found by one member and he arranged for an evening meal (white cloths etc) of suckling pig to served to us all at sunset that evening.

The setting was beautiful and we sat down (five families) for dinner. The first course was ok - I actually cannot remember what it was - then the main course. We were served the pig which we had seen cooking. Funny thing was it was mainly ears! Alot of trotters too, not much meat. YUK!

Have not eaten Suckling Pig since.

St John's is fantastic and truly one of the great gastronomic adventures anyone can take. Truly theatrical and regularly wins all-London prizes for cuisine. Set in an old abatroir with hooks in the ceiling and focused on food that involves offal of all kins. One of my favourite restaurants of all time.