Numerous tales originating in Asia (usually Hong Kong, although I have also seen references to Singapore, Thailand, India, Japan, Korea, etc.) describe restaurants that serve monkey brains. The procedure for preparation is usually described thusly: A live monkey is brought to the table and immobilized by having his head thrust through a metal collar. In some versions scalding water is poured over his scalp to kill off the lice. Then a tool of some sort is used to smash the creature's skull, and its brains are scooped out and consumed raw. Are we dealing with just another long-running urban legend?


The Chinese, or at least those in Guangdong province, near Hong Kong, are said to prize all manner of bizarre foods, including bear's paw, snake, crocodile, dog, kangaroo, pigeon, frogs, sparrows, live baby mice ("good for ulcers"), newborn rats ("pinkies," swallowed whole and alive for asthma), lizards, worms seasoned in cheddar cheese and Mexican spices, fried ants, scorpions, smoked reindeer, moose, crickets, caterpillar larvae, and of course monkey brains.



I even got a lead on where I could score some brains, from the "Queer Food" page on a Web site called "Food in Singapore" (formerly at members.tripod.com/~zeoy/queer.html, but this address no longer works): "Rumours say that there is a stall beside Bedok Reservoir that sells monkey brains. Anyway what do you all think? Would you try?