Guga

image

The tradition.

The controversy.

The taste.

Eating guga is an experience that can produce a lump in the throat, tears in the eyes. Tears of nostalgia, to those for whom it is part of a cultural identity - for others, simply a response to the urge to regurgitate.

The guga is a fishy-tasting seabird, highly prized in its own area for its unique taste. Yet to others living a mere 20 miles away, it is incredible that something so foul can even be taken into the mouth, let alone enjoyed.

The guga, however, is unique to the Isle of Lewis. When exiles meet in far-flung places, the talk soon turns to guga and memories of sharing this . . . delicacy. As the ache of nostalgia creeps in, soon they long to plunge knife and fork into this plump seabird, a 3lb baby gannet. And so it is that barrels of guga, salted down in the summer, wend their way across the world to destinations as far away as New Zealand to bring a taste of home (the sweaty, fishy, oily taste of the scuppers of a fishing smack).


     Posted By: Paul - Tue Aug 09, 2011
     Category: Food | Regionalism | Foreign Customs | Europe | Natural Resources





Comments
What? Did I miss something?
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 08/09/11 at 01:10 PM
Anything that can make haggis look good must be the epitome of nasty. :sick:
Posted by yogi in Kennesaw GA on 08/09/11 at 03:58 PM
haggis IS GOOD! :cheese:
Posted by Tyrusguy on 08/09/11 at 04:36 PM
Dried fish is good, taste real good as well as haggis 😊
Posted by ComEd on 08/09/11 at 08:00 PM
Where's Scot? I'd expect him to jump in and defend haggis as a culinary delight too. :sick: Guga does sound like it is a local taste and not one I would enjoy. :shut:
Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 08/10/11 at 08:05 AM
Someone tried to serve me eggs from hens that had been feeding on fish once. You've no idea the stench!
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 08/10/11 at 09:06 AM
BTW, there ain't no defending haggis!
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 08/10/11 at 09:13 AM
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