Penis as food
or pizzle is a type of offal. In many cultures, it is a taboo food. Penis is eaten in some cultures or traditional medicine systems as a purported health food: it may be seen as an aphrodisiac, a cure for sexual dysfunction, a hangover cure, and more. Penis is often paired with testicles as food.
Description and production
Penis is majority collagen, so it typically has a gelatinous texture.The penis is typically byproduct in the meat industry. Penis has to be removed with care, at risk of rupturing the bladder or urethra and contaminating the carcass with urine.
Consumption by region
Penis is a taboo food in many cultures, even those that consume copious offal; Robert Rotenberg of DePaul University opines that the symbolic association of penis to coitus, urination and ejaculation makes consuming it off-putting. Even in areas where penis is consumed, it is typically a niche food and eaten under specific circumstances, such as when their purported health benefits are needed.Americas
Bolivia
Caldo de cardán, known by the moniker "The Viagra of the Andes", is a Bolivian cuisine bull penis and testicle soup. A speciality of El Alto and La Paz, the soup is eaten for its perceived benefits as a stimulant, aphrodisiac and hangover cure, and for pain relief. Caldo de cardán typically features many other meats, such as beef tendon, ribs, and Jerky#Ch'arki, as well as hardboiled eggs, potatoes, rice, onions and llajua. The soup is simmered for over ten hours and typically served on weekends, particularly Sunday morning, at a high temperature.Colombia
Caldo de raíz or caldo peligroso is a Colombian cuisine bull penis and testicles soup. The soup is cooked for hours with potatoes, peas, and occasionally beans. Caldo de raíz is eaten as an aphrodisiac.Ecuador
Caldo de tronquito is an Ecuadorian cuisine bull penis soup. The soup features grains like hominy and corn, beans like chickpeas and fava beans, and offal like tripe and testicles; the ingredients are comparable to a fanesca with meat. Regional variations include Manabí, where peanuts and milk are added, and La Costa, which favors corn, cassava and carrots. The soup is eaten as a hangover cure, to treat anemia, assist recovery from sickness or post-partum, and as an aphrodisiac.Caldo de tronquito was created in 16th century Quito after the Spanish colonization of Ecuador introduced cattle to the continent.
El Salvador
"Triple saldo" is a Salvadorean cuisine bull penis and testicles soup. The soup is simmered for eight hours, with crema and eggs of free-range chickens added at the end. Triple saldo is eaten as an aphrodisiac.Bull penis and testicle tacos are becoming popular in Ahuachapán.
Jamaica
"Cow cod soup" is a traditional, rustic dish in Jamaican cuisine that is considered an aphrodisiac and made with bull penis. It is traditionally cooked with bananas and Scotch bonnet peppers in a white rum-based broth.Mexico
Viril de toro is a traditional Mexican cantina food prepared by boiling bull pizzle in vinegar, slicing it into pieces, and serving with toothpicks.Africa
Lasopy soucril is a zebu penis soup in Malagasy cuisine. It is seen as an aphrodisiac and a treatment for infertility and erectile dysfunction. The penis is soaked and par-boiled to remove any remaining urine, then boiled with vegetables for several hours. Lasopy soucril is served at a high temperature with pepper and chilies.Asia
China
In China, penis is eaten in traditional Chinese medicine to treat erectile dysfunction. Penis is euphemistically known as .Chongqing penis stew is a delicacy of Chongqing, featuring Sichuan pepper.