11/30/2005

Interest in snake meat surges after Kagoshima’s health ads
Kagoshima, JAPAN–Officials and business proprietors in Kagoshima Prefecture have been busy responding to a flurry of inquiries on the meat of “Habu,” a virulently poisonous pit viper snake native to southwestern Japan, since the prefecture placed ads on its health benefits recently…
The Amami Kanko Habu Center in Naze, which has long produced Habu-infused liquors and fried Habu meat, decided this summer to develop new products after the recent surge in interest. They include bite-size frozen Habu meat for frying and bone-in Habu meat for stews. “It tastes and feels like chicken or squid, and is surprisingly good,” Eiichi Nakamoto, 75, a sushi chef-turned head of the center, said.…more…

Yum. Habu (波布) Poisonous pit viper liquor—That’s my fav down on my rice ranch on Shikoku island. Whenever the folks are feeling fisky, they catch one and throw it into five liter jar of Shochu white lightning. The snake lives for days if not weeks drunk out of it skull before it dies and pickles for six months to a year.
Kompai/Cheers — Down the hatch — Poisonous pit viper liquor with snake poop. That brings a whole new meaning to, “Name your poison.”