I recently ate dog for the first time in my life. I tried it in Korea, the country which I currently live in. Even though it is taboo in western culture, I'd wanted to try it for a very long time. The curiosity was killing me. Knowing that some Koreans think it's delicious, I very much wanted to know what it tasted like.

Though many westerners may disagree with the practice of eating dog, it's important to understand that until recently, most Koreans didn't consider dogs pets. In the countryside, dogs are usually raised for their food. Even to this day, Koreans aren't as fond of pets as westerners. This is especially true of cats which are far less popular as pets than dogs.

Eating dog is associated with Asia, but in the past it was also eaten in the west. For example, it was eaten in France during times of famine and also in Germany during times of economic difficulty.

It's a misconception to think that all Koreans approve of eating dog. That's far from the case. Some have never tried it and have no desire to do so. Nevertheless, a certain percentage of the population enjoys it very much. However, it is not an everyday dish. Most people probably only have it once in a while. The practice apparently originated at a time when the country was very poor and people had little to eat.

It's misleading to think that dog is only eaten in Korea. It's also eaten in other countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam and China. Some Koreans feel very strongly that the practice of eating dog is wrong. They consider the dog a friendly animal which makes a good pet. However, though North Americans make consider the rabbit a pet, it's a popular food in France. In North America, though, many people have never tried it.

People who eat dog claim that it's very healthy and gives men virility. One of my Korean friends took me to a restaurant which served it. In fact, I probably never would have found the restaurant on my own. It was on a small street which wasn't so easy to find. The owners seemed somewhat surprised when we walked in. Why where they surprised? It was probably because it wasn't too common for them to see a foreigner in a restaurant that served dog.

In Korea, dog is often served in one of two ways. It can be in a spicy stew or in slices which are either boiled or barbecued. Summer is considered a particularly good season to eat it. Without question, it's more popular among men than women.

Not quite sure what to expect, I waited for my dog stew to arrive. The stew was in a red broth and tasted so spicy. The meat looked similar to dark chicken meat and was very tender. The taste was delicious, similar to that of soft pork.

As delicious as it was, though, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of dog I was eating. Was it a very big one? Was it a friendly one? Was it like a pet or like a wild animal? How many years had it lived? I never realized just how difficult it would be for me to eat it.

I now understand that I ate the meat of a special dog which was bred for its meat. It was probably a relatively large dog that was raised on a farm in the countryside. I think I would have enjoyed my meal so much more if I hadn't known what I was eating. It was a great cultural experience. As much as I enjoyed my dish of dog stew, I don't think I'm in any hurry to eat it again.

Learn more about this author, Les Zsoldos.
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