When you grow up in a Polish household in Chicago, food--God, sometimes a lot of it--just naturally becomes a vital part of your upbringing. Stuffed cabbage, peirogis, Polish sausage, sauerkraut, beet soup and special, fat, fluffy donuts you can't find anywhere else but in your mother's hot, steamy kitchen--all filled with tasty berry jam. Heaven. Needless to say, my wonderful Polish mother and I had to purchase my clothes in the "husky" section of the boy's department at Sears.
Still, being a foodie gave me keen senses--and adventurous taste buds--so it seemed absolutely fitting for me to attend a rather unconventional local food festival last week in Santa Cruz County, California--a festival I never imagined I'd ever attend: The Young Farmers and Ranchers Annual Testicle Festival.
So, there I was, with my camera crew, deep in the heart of the county's rich agriculture community out at Crosetti Ranch--which, in and of itself, has an amazing history--when a young rancher asked me to try his testicles. Bull testicles.
Eight years ago I began Bikram Yoga and became mostly a vegetarian. Should I? Could I? The carrots would be pissed. But, for the sake of delicious journalism--and God knows, "good" entertainment--I took one for the team. (Tip: balls go down better with a beer chaser.)
Take a look. (And special thanks to all the bucks who gave up their beastly bits.)
WATCH:
Next stop: The Turkey Testicle Festival.