Posted on 12/31/2013 7:11:10 AM PST by JoeProBono
PORT OF NESS, Scotland, A Scottish oil rig worker set a record by eating half a pickled baby gannet and 14.1 ounces of potatoes in just 3 minutes and 44 seconds.
Peter Macritchie, 33, ate half of a guga, the Gaelic name for a gannet, and his required serving of potatoes in 3 minutes and 44 seconds Saturday at the World Guga Eating Championships at the Ness FC Social Club in Port of Ness, Scotland, the Scotsman reported Monday.
Macritchie finished just a second ahead of second-place finisher Willie Macritchie, who is not a relative.
Donald Macsween, organizer of the event, said Peter Macritchie was crowned world champion and set what organizers consider to be a world record for guga eating.
"We applied to the Guinness Book of Records to enter and ratify the attempt but they never replied," he said.
He said the real prize of the event was "the honor and the glory of being world champion."
Ness is the only remaining place in Britain where young gannets, large black and white birds, are hunted for their meat. The region received an exception from British and European laws against the hunting of seabirds due to the traditional yearly hunt.
"The guga is an important part of our heritage and history and very much a part of who we are in Ness. We are very proud of the guga," Macsween said.
Tastes like Spotted Owl
I like mine grilled. How do you fix yours?
“I’ll have two, please.”
Of course if you mention this to an Englishman, they would likely not be surprised that Scotsmen eat pickled babies.
‘Must be an acquired taste... “
Like haggis.
Like haggis.
Yes! a little like spotted owl, but I believe more of a cross between a bald eagle and a condor. But maybe you are right. I will have to keep tasting to get a true sense of the flavor.
Gorgeous. Though, if you live in a region where gannets are as plentiful as seagulls are by our shores, I can see why the Scots would also regard them as food.
How does it compare to the taste of sautéed baby panda in a rich clubbed baby Canadian harp seal cream sauce?
That sound great! Can we trade recipes???
Right now, I'm preparing a Red River giant softshell turtle for the pressure cooker.
I know that leaves only an estimated three of the species in the wild, but three's always been a lucky number for me.
Hell, I have never seen one and it has not bothered me one bit.
Bon Apatite
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.