Vietnam forum

Dog's OK, but as you point out in the story (referenced) it has it's own flavour and depends how it's cooked.

Most farmed animals have a proportion of saturated fat, and it's the fat that holds flavour. Dog is a bit like kangaroo in that there's not a lot of fat. Thus, there's not a strong flavour. But, like all meats, the younger it is, the sweeter, and the more its cooked, the dryer and chewier it tends to be.

- - -

I was reading your story, and a thought flashed across my mind...

I was in a mini-bus on the way to Halong and there were other Aussies on board. After the formalities were dispensed with, we got to sharing thoughts on VN. One lovely young lady piped up with I don't like that they eat dogs, I can't stomach that".

At that very time I looked out the window and there was a motorbike rider with a largish cage on the back stuffed with large pups. Being the blunt 'educator' I'm told I am, I pointed to the said 'evidence' and remarked Look there's some on their way the restaurant now.

Her immediate projectile vomit went fully across three rows of seats.

Cheers

Here in Korea they also eat dogs (horse too). I think the younger generation is embarassed by it because it makes them appear more "third-world."

Never tried it and never will. Dogs are man's best friend and I couldn't betray them like that. Also I'm not a hippy PETA weirdo but they treat the dogs like crap. Cages are too small, beat them and torture them before killing them.

Here are some pictures of pig meat at the night market in Trat not for the squeamish. Are those bits on top what I think they are.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8675349@N06/533239123/in/set-72157600303486647/

I can get some pictures of dog meat not for the squeamish next time I'm in the Manado area if you like Somtam...there's a big market in Tomohon that sells dog, bat and rat meat for the adventurous gourmet traveller.

I'm not into pigs Bruce. I am however an expert connoisseur of human male bits. Does yours look like that because if so it's rather unusual! ;-)

i was told dog was only eaten at times of full moon in Vietnam ... not the case then?

Bruce swinging his thing, not you crispyrolls.

"Hmm I thought they were ears -- goes to show how much I know..."

Indeed. I've never ever seen ears that shape though.

I unwittingly tried dog stew on my last trip to Sulawesi. One mouthful was enough to know it wasn't goat as I'd thought. It was very gamey tasting and I didn't like it enough to try another mouthful.

I have no idea whether the stew was made of dogs "ears" but I'm very glad I didn't think of that at the time. Whatever it was it was chopped up and swimming in brown gravy and totally unidentifiable as far as breed goes.... I suspect mangy mongrel but it might have been an award winning pedigree poodle for all I know.

Next time I will try and ascertain EXACTLY what is in any unidentifiable brown stew served at the restaurants long distance buses stop at even if it means explicit sign language.

Tried some 'lightly smoked' dog in Hanoi, a place called Highway 4 I think...

We figured when in Rome and all that.

For 'smoked' see 'raw' - It was thinly sliced, resembling in both looks and taste, a very pink ham with quite a strong flavour ( Mainly the smoking process I guess ). It was very chewy and not particularly great...

I'd eat dog again but preferably cooked next time.

Hell, I'd eat almost anything really!

Except maybe tadpoles, probably draw the line there... Oh and those raw duck embryos ( Balut ) in the Philippines...

Anyone else??

The fact that the Vietnamese eat canine meat is a big stumbling block for me. I run a dog rescue in Australia and I can't abide by the inhumane treatment of sentient being.

Are there areas I should avoid? I have been warned to not stray to the back of most markets.

Any advice on how to get me through this seeminlgy beautiful country without being faced with such a sight or am I just going to have to try and deal with it?

From talking to my Vietnamese frinds, dog meat is usually only sold in dog meat retaurants and usually only the older people go, the younger generation don't eat dog meat, and don't wish to. All dogs aren't eaten, there are a couple of breeds that are eaten.