I just want to offer everyone the following advice:
If you are ever at a fancy restaurant and considering ordering the Filet topped with "sweetbreads," you should know that what you are eating is "the
thymus glands and pancreas glands of
lamb,
beef, or
pork."
According to wikipedia, "there are two different connected parts to the thymus
gland, both set in the neck. The "heart" sweetbreads are more spherical in shape, and surrounded symmetrically by the "throat" sweetbreads, which are more cylindrical in shape. Although both are edible, the heart thymus gland is generally favored because of its delicate flavor and texture, and is thus more expensive
[1]. Typically sweetbreads are
soaked in salt water, then
poached in milk after which an outer membrane is removed. Once dry and chilled, they're often
breaded and
fried until crisp. It is also popular to use them as a
stuffing or in
pâtés."
If you are looking for an image:
http://media.commercialappeal.com/mca/content/img/photos/2007/10/23/24food4.jpegI wish somebody had told me this BEFORE I ate them last week, but thank you to Terry for not telling me what it was that I was eating until after my meal was basically fully digested.
It really wasn't bad, but as Denny Crane would say, "I think I have the Mad Cow."
