Monkey brains is a supposed dish consisting of, at least partially, the brain of some species of monkey or ape.
While animal brains have been consumed in various cuisines (e.g. eggs and brains or fried brain sandwiches), there is debate about whether monkey brains have actually been consumed. In Western popular culture its consumption is repeatedly portrayed and debated, often in the context of portraying exotic cultures as exceptionally cruel, callous, and/or strange. [1] [2]
Initial confusion over a translated term for the edible mushroom Hericium erinaceus may have played a part in the belief that monkey brains were used in Asian cuisine, as this mushroom is called hóu tóu gū in Chinese (simplified: 猴头菇; traditional: 猴頭菇; lit. "monkey head mushroom"). [3] The mushroom itself bears a superficial resemblance to that of the fur of certain primates found in Asia, such as macaques.
Actual monkey brains were historically part of the Manchu Han Imperial banquet of the Qing Empire held during the 17th century, [4] where they may have been eaten directly from the skull. [5]
One modern account published in 1958 from travel writer Leila Hadley details a meal in a restaurant in Macao near Hong Kong where monkey brains were eaten from a freshly killed monkey's skull. [6] The writer Albert Podell claims to have eaten live monkey brains in Hong Kong in 1966, which he describes in his book Around The World in 50 Years. [7] [ page needed ] There is skepticism as to how common the practice remains today. [8] Official Chinese policy on the procurement of certain wildlife species in the 21st century makes the serving of monkey brains illegal, with sentences of up to 10 years in prison for violators. [9]
Beyond Asia and into Africa, naturalist Angela Meder has described in Gorilla Journal a cultural practice of the Anaang people of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon whereby a new tribal chief would consume the brain of a hunted gorilla while another senior member of the tribe consumed the heart. According to this account, the practice occurred only in the specific instance of a new chiefdom, as the killing of gorillas would otherwise be forbidden. [10]
Consuming the brain and other nervous system tissues of some animals is considered hazardous to human health, [11] possibly resulting in transmissible encephalopathies such as Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. [12] [13]
A fictional depiction of the consumption of monkey brains is shown in the 1978 mondo film Faces of Death , directed by John Alan Schwartz. [14] [15] The scene depicts an Eastern-themed restaurant with patrons seated around a table watching a belly dance. A narrator explains that these are tourists who have come to this location to consume "the house specialty." [16] The proprietor signals for a server to bring out a monkey, which is then secured inside a pen built into the table. The tourists are given hammers, and they proceed to hit the monkey on the head until it is killed. [14] The server then cuts open the skull and removes the monkey's brains onto a plate for the patrons to sample. No monkey was harmed in the making of the scene, [14] [15] the hammers being made of foam and the 'monkey's head' a prop filled with gelatin, red food coloring, and cauliflower to simulate brain matter. [15]
Additional depictions in the decade following the release of Faces of Death contain scenes which reference the practice of eating monkey brains, including one from the 1984 film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom , [1] the 1981 Japanese crime film Sailor Suit and Machine Gun , [17] as well as dialogue from the 1985 comedy Clue . [18] In addition to their shock value, what these scenes have in common are their representations of Orientalism, which according to author Sophia Rose Arjana, work as cinematic tropes used to "conflate bizarre and vulgarized representations of the Far East". [2]
Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD), also known as subacute spongiform encephalopathy or neurocognitive disorder due to prion disease, is a fatal degenerative brain disorder. Early symptoms include memory problems, behavioral changes, poor coordination, and visual disturbances. Later symptoms include dementia, involuntary movements, blindness, weakness, and coma. About 70% of people die within a year of diagnosis. The name Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease was introduced by Walther Spielmeyer in 1922, after the German neurologists Hans Gerhard Creutzfeldt and Alfons Maria Jakob.
Chinese cuisine comprises cuisines originating from China, as well as from Chinese people from other parts of the world. Because of the Chinese diaspora and historical power of the country, Chinese cuisine has profoundly influenced many other cuisines in Asia and beyond, with modifications made to cater to local palates. Chinese food staples such as rice, soy sauce, noodles, tea, chili oil, and tofu, and utensils such as chopsticks and the wok, can now be found worldwide.
Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in Korea and southern Manchuria, Korean cuisine reflects a complex interaction of the natural environment and different cultural trends.
Vegetarian cuisine is based on food that meets vegetarian standards by not including meat and animal tissue products.
The shiitake is an edible mushroom native to East Asia, which is cultivated and consumed around the globe. It is considered a medicinal mushroom in some forms of traditional medicine.
Edible mushrooms are the fleshy fruit bodies of several species of macrofungi. Edibility may be defined by criteria including the absence of poisonous effects on humans and desirable taste and aroma. Mushrooms that have a particularly desirable taste are described as "choice". Edible mushrooms are consumed for their nutritional and culinary value. Mushrooms, especially dried shiitake, are sources of umami flavor.
Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) also known as prion diseases, are a group of progressive, incurable, and fatal conditions that are associated with prions and affect the brain and nervous system of many animals, including humans, cattle, and sheep. According to the most widespread hypothesis, they are transmitted by prions, though some other data suggest an involvement of a Spiroplasma infection. Mental and physical abilities deteriorate and many tiny holes appear in the cortex causing it to appear like a sponge when brain tissue obtained at autopsy is examined under a microscope. The disorders cause impairment of brain function, including memory changes, personality changes and problems with movement that worsen chronically.
Offal, also called variety meats, pluck or organ meats, is the internal organs of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, and these lists of organs vary with culture and region, but usually exclude skeletal muscle. Offal may also refer to the by-products of milled grains, such as corn or wheat.
Some people do not eat various specific foods and beverages in conformity with various religious, cultural, legal or other societal prohibitions. Many of these prohibitions constitute taboos. Many food taboos and other prohibitions forbid the meat of a particular animal, including mammals, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, fish, molluscs, crustaceans and insects, which may relate to a disgust response being more often associated with meats than plant-based foods. Some prohibitions are specific to a particular part or excretion of an animal, while others forgo the consumption of plants or fungi.
The Beginning Was the End is a 1971 pseudo-scientific book written by Oscar Kiss Maerth which claims humankind evolved from cannibalistic apes. The book has been criticized in relation to racialist and pseudohistorical claims.
Okinawan cuisine is the cuisine of the Okinawa Prefecture of Japan. The cuisine is also known as Ryūkyūan cuisine, a reference to the Ryukyu Kingdom. Due to differences in culture, historical contact between other regions, climate, vegetables and other ingredients, Okinawan cuisine differs from mainland Japanese cuisine.
Variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (vCJD), commonly referred to as "mad cow disease" or "human mad cow disease" to distinguish it from its BSE counterpart, is a fatal type of brain disease within the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy family. Initial symptoms include psychiatric problems, behavioral changes, and painful sensations. In the later stages of the illness, patients may exhibit poor coordination, dementia and involuntary movements. The length of time between exposure and the development of symptoms is unclear, but is believed to be years to decades. Average life expectancy following the onset of symptoms is 13 months.
Kuru is a rare, incurable, and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that was formerly common among the Fore people of Papua New Guinea. Kuru is a form of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) caused by the transmission of abnormally folded proteins (prions), which leads to symptoms such as tremors and loss of coordination from neurodegeneration.
The golden monkey is a subspecies of the blue monkey. It is an Old World monkey found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, including four national parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga and Kahuzi-Biéga, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It is restricted to highland forest, especially near bamboo.
The brain, like most other internal organs, or offal, can serve as nourishment. Brains used for nourishment include those of pigs, squirrels, rabbits, horses, cattle, monkeys, chickens, camels, fish, lamb, and goats. In many cultures, different types of brain are considered a delicacy.
This article traces the history of cuisine of Japan. Foods and food preparation by the early Japanese Neolithic settlements can be pieced together from archaeological studies, and reveals paramount importance of rice and seafood since early times.
Bats as food are eaten by people in parts of some North American, Asian, African, Pacific Rim countries, and cultures, including the United States, China, Vietnam, Seychelles, the Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, Thailand, and Guam. Half the megabat species are hunted for food but only eight percent of the insectivorous bat species are. In Guam, Mariana fruit bats are considered a delicacy.
Hot pot or hotpot, also known as steamboat, is a dish whereby a heat source placed on the dining table keeps a pot of soup stock simmering, and a variety of Chinese foodstuffs and ingredients are served beside the pot for the diners to put into the hot stock.
Monkey meat is the flesh and other edible parts derived from monkeys, a kind of bushmeat. Human consumption of monkey meat has been historically recorded in numerous parts of the world, including multiple Asian and African nations. Monkey meat consumption has been reported in parts of Europe and the Americas as well.
Mellivory is a term for the eating of honey. Honey is a sweet and viscous substance created by some eusocial insects, notably bees, for consumption by members of their hives, especially their young. Honey is also consumed by many other animals including human beings, who have developed beekeeping to make supplies of honey both reliable and plentiful. Despite honey's limited antimicrobial properties, it remains a food source for a variety of microorganisms.
Each dish is described in excruciating detail, including the infamous case of eating live monkey brains right out of the skull.
Feeling that the foreigners were comfortable within his domain, the waiter signals for the house specialty.
Monkey's brains, though popular in Cantonese cuisine, are not often to be found in Washington, D.C.