Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The Cheese of Human Kindness

ameda lactaline personal breast pump breastfee...Image via Wikipedia




I like cheese.


I mean I don't like it as much as I like chocolate, but it is up there on my list of foods that I enjoy.



In other words I wouldn't kick Antonio Banderas out of bed for putting cheese on his crackers.



Unless Antonio Banderas happened to be chowing down on human cheese.





Human breast milk cheese tastes 'kind of sweet' according to Chef Daniel Angerer, who serves it at his New York City restaurant.

He gets his raw material from his lactating wife.





Now I don't know about you, but the yuck factor is really high for me on this one.

I won't be making reservations at his Klee Brasserie restaurant anytime soon.



I just can't figure out why.



I mean breast milk was the only thing I ate for the first few months of my life.



Anyway, after reading about Chef Daniel in the Globe and Mail, I went off to my volunteer job at the St. Catharines Museum and conducted a totally scientific survey among the Museum workers.



In other words I scrounged up a scrap piece of paper and then pestered everyone I saw for an answer to the following question:



Would You Eat Cheese Made from Human Breast Milk?



Two people, one male, one female, said they would eat it. 

Seven people, one male, six female, said with horrified looks that they-wouldn't-consider-such-a-disgusting-thing-and-what-was-I-thinking-anyway.

One female person was undecided but leaning towards a yes answer.




My totally scientific conclusion: Most people found the idea very disturbing.



But why?



Could it be fear of disease, cannibalism, instinct, or just the average persons fear of trying unusual foods?



Hoping to rule out the last, I then asked if they would consider trying cheese made from the milk of:


a) a dolphin (clean)

b) a deer (gentle vegetarian)

c) a wolf (predatory meat eater)

d) a beaver (rodent)

e) an ape (close to human)



The results?

Well I really can't say.

We got talking about it and I forgot about my totally scientific survey.



It was agreed however that Beaver cheese would certainly be a patriotic best seller.

But nobody volunteered to go and milk a beaver so we could try it.



Anyway, I've decided to take the question to my blog.



The survey is up in the right hand corner.

It is completely anonymous.



However if you would like to explain why you voted the way you did, I would love to read some comments about this.



I'll post the results Sunday morning.



See you at the beaver pond?
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6 comments:

Doug Jamieson said...

I would probably try a small portion, just to discover what it tastes like, provided that I did not personally know the breast that had been milked. Am I weird?

The Dancing Crone said...

Funny! No not wierd, you just have a lower yuck threshold than the average person.

Anna said...

Save the baby milk for the babies.

The Dancing Crone said...

I wonder, Anna, if women who donate or sell their milk online know where it is going or what it is being used for.

Janet said...

I'm not very good at absolutes but/ so......yes, out of curiosity and if the opportunity was there for a scientific experiment ---- or if that was the only thing/cheese to eat (I do love food, haha). I don't think I'd choose it at the grocery store, given the current choices we have.
I don't find it revolting, just mildly challenging!

The Dancing Crone said...

Wonder if they have it at Cheese World in Toronto? they have everything else. :(