Current Events > My horse meat and other 'illegal'-flavored chips have arrived. Thoughts inside.

(+) Yeah! (+)

So GameFAQs brought this to my attention a couple weeks ago, and being that I like trying different foods I figured I'd order a couple boxes and give them all a try.



I started with the Casu Marzu (Sardinian maggot-filled cheese) because it was the grossest one, the one I was expecting to hate the most and I just wanted to get it out of the way. While I would still say it's my least favorite of the three it turned out not to be as awful as I thought (if only because I know it's artificially flavored; I'd still be rinsing my mouth out and spitting if it weren't). Upon opening the bag it gave me a scent that I would have thought was sour cream and onion. Biting into a couple chips it definitely tasted of an average nondescript cheese but it really wasn't bad. It did have a somewhat nastier, almost garlicky aftertaste whether that would be attributed to the maggots or not I have no idea, but in any event it wasn't horrible enough to make me throw the bag out and never speak of it again. I don't think I would've ever guessed maggots were in any way involved in the flavor if I didn't know that going in. Overall I'd rate this flavor a 5/10.

Next I went for the horse meat bag. There was a definite "meat" scent I could detect after opening the bag, very deep and smoky compared to what I'm used to. I ate a few chips, and... they're actually rather good. I'd say the whole thing tastes somewhat of a cross between beef and vension (my dad used to go deer hunting annually back when I was young so I know what that tastes like), but stronger, almost to the point of being overpowering. Maybe that's how real horse meat is, or maybe they just put in a *lot* of flavoring to make sure we got it, I obviously have no idea. But if I didn't feel like horses are too high on the intelligence chain for eating them to be ethical I'd probably be inclined to try the real thing after having these. Rating: 8/10

Finally, the Fugu chips. Given that this is a delicacy that people eat despite the poison risk I figure these have to be good; plus I generally like fish anyway. Despite sticking my face in the bag and sniffing several times I really don't get any scent aside from normal-smelling air. After first biting into it it seems like an odd combination of salty and citrusy, with a strong tint towards the citrusy. As I chew and swallow the first flavor gives way to a more traditional fishy flavor like a Haddock fish fry. I'd definitely say this was the most "unique" of the flavors. Overall very good and again I would seek out the real thing if not for the risk that it could kill me. Rating: 9/10

@DrizztLink

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Where did you get these?!

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Will_VIIII posted...

Where did you get these?!

If you have to ask ( )

Will_VIIII posted...

Where did you get these?!

https://illegalchips.com/ had bundles of all three flavors but they sold out yesterday unfortunately. The horse and casu marzu chips are still available here though:
https://www.sayweee.com/en/promotion/partnership/mschf-illegal-chips-2021

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How much was the pack? I can wait for a restock

And how long was shipping? This would make a great White Elephant gift

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I just looked into Casu Marzu, what the actual fuck. I 100% bet some guy way back when didn't want his cheese to go to waste and claimed that it was intentional. Fuck that.

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Will_VIIII posted...

How much was the pack? I can wait for a restock

$12 each, but I highly doubt it will be restocked, it was put together by the art collective MSCHF, which generally only does things once and for a very limited time. Which is a shame because I'd definitely buy the fugu and horse chips on the regular if I could get them in stores, I don't care what kind of dirty looks the customers give me. I was really hoping to get the pack so I could give my thoughts while they were still available but that's life I guess

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8F-0Ogp4fU

I didnt know this was a thing.

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Master Kazuya posted...

I just looked into Casu Marzu, what the actual fuck.

Casu martzu is considered by Sardinian aficionados to be unsafe to eat when the maggots in the cheese have died.[8] Because of this, only cheese in which the maggots are still alive is usually eaten, although allowances are made for cheese that has been refrigerated, which results in the maggots being killed.

B R U H

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Does the fugu have the tingly sensation?

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Mistere Man posted...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8F-0Ogp4fU

I didnt know this was a thing.

WTF?

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I've heard of that cheese. I wouldn't eat that shit if you paid me. I can't believe it got made into a chip

Whoa weird

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Pretty much any other farm mammal is smarter than a horse, and I am pretty sure the damn ducks were as well.

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I can't even get potato chips that taste like what they say they taste like, there's no way I would trust a horse meat potato chip to taste anything like horse meat.

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WilliamPorygon posted...

I started with the Casu Marzu (Sardinian maggot-filled cheese)

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The maggot cheese oddly enough seems familiar. I think I saw it on Ripley's Believe It or Not in the early 2000s.

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I puked

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Oh hell naw

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WilliamPorygon posted...

Finally, the Fugu chips. Given that this is a delicacy that people eat despite the poison risk I figure these have to be good;

While I am no foodie, does being a delicacy mean it will taste good? The only thing I tried that could count as a delicacy is Shark Fin and that doesn't add much if anything to the soup. Rather just have seafood soup than Shark Fin soup.

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I think the risk from fugu is overblown. I can get it at a cheap kaiten place here in Japan. It doesn't even have a warning or anything.

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I heard the maggot cheese actually is illegal. Even where it originated. But horse and fugu?

I don't get it.

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ssjevot posted...

I think the risk from fugu is overblown. I can get it at a cheap kaiten place here in Japan. It doesn't even have a warning or anything.

Yeah although there was someone who died from it a few years ago it's extremely rare. It's hard to screw up and the chef usually knows if they screwed up and will throw the whole thing out and start over.

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LeoRavus posted...

I heard the maggot cheese actually is illegal. Even where it originated. But horse and fugu?

I don't get it.

It's not illegal in Sardinia where they've got some kind of special cultural heritage exception. You're not allowed to sell it at stores though so you have to make it yourself or buy from a local farm.

It's illegal in the mainland and Sicily.

Horse slaughter ban in the USA was lifted but keeps getting re-banned as a yearly budget provision. The bans have to expire before anyone can even request to open a slaughter house which is a separate lengthy process.

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WilliamPorygon posted...

I was really hoping to get the pack so I could give my thoughts while they were still available but that's life I guess

I was so excited to see this notification.

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Gobstoppers12 posted...

Casu martzu is considered by Sardinian aficionados to be unsafe to eat when the maggots in the cheese have died.[8] Because of this, only cheese in which the maggots are still alive is usually eaten, although allowances are made for cheese that has been refrigerated, which results in the maggots being killed.

B R U H

It gets worse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese_fly

In the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, the larvae are intentionally introduced into pecorinocheese to produce the characteristic casu marzu ("rotten cheese" in Sardinian). When consumed, the larvae can survive in the intestine, causing entericmyiasis.

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Nice!

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Solar_Crimson posted...

It gets worse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese_fly

Oh man.. Will, what did you do

The horse one was probably the nastiest sounding one to me tbh, something about them adding a fuckton of artificial raw beef flavoring.. I almost smelled it and gagged

The maggot one.. I can see some culture deciding thats a recipe.. but still not my thing. I think Id try it but I wouldnt go HAM with the bag of chips

that collective sounds cool though, wanted to check out their site in the morning and didnt get a chance to.. howd ya hear about them?

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RedLuigi posted...

that collective sounds cool though, wanted to check out their site in the morning and didnt get a chance to.. howd ya hear about them?

From another post on this very board. I remember hearing about them a while back when they did the Satan Shoes thing (which got some mainstream attention) and thinking that was kind of dumb and tasteless but didn't really look into them beyond that, until now. Some of the other stuff they've done is actually pretty clever and funny imo, like buying a Warhol painting, making 999 forgeries of it and then selling off all 1000 of them with nobody having any idea which was the original.

WrkHrdPlayHrdr posted...

I can't even get potato chips that taste like what they say they taste like, there's no way I would trust a horse meat potato chip to taste anything like horse meat.

I suppose the major flaw of the whole thing is I (and most people who got these) will never have any frame of reference to judge how accurate the flavors are. I remember a few years ago my supermarket had a brand of bacon-flavored chips and they actually tasted very much like bacon so I figure it's at least possible these are in the ballpark.

Tyranthraxus posted...

Yeah although there was someone who died from it a few years ago it's extremely rare. It's hard to screw up and the chef usually knows if they screwed up and will throw the whole thing out and start over.

Even if it's very low-risk... I'm just very risk-averse, especially when it comes to my health.

Alteres posted...

Pretty much any other farm mammal is smarter than a horse, and I am pretty sure the damn ducks were as well.

Eh. Admittedly My Little Pony has probably tainted my perception in favor of them being smarter than they really are to a degree.

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Marzu is on my bucket list. I need to try every cheese.

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Guide posted...

Marzu is on my bucket list. I need to try every cheese.

Have you tried stinking bishop? I think that is what it is called.

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Mistere Man posted...

Have you tried stinking bishop? I think that is what it is called.

No, but I plan on it. Have to go to the UK eventually.

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Guide posted...

No, but I plan on it. Have to go to the UK eventually.

Some store near me had a pungent cheese (cant remember the name), and let me smell a bit of it. It smelled like what I imagine infected rotten toe fungus would smell like. I couldnt imagine eating it so best of luck to you on your quest.

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Mistere Man posted...

Some store near me had a pungent cheese (cant remember the name), and let me smell a bit of it. It smelled like what I imagine infected rotten toe fungus would smell like. I couldnt imagine eating it so best of luck to you on your quest.

Thanks, let me know if you hear anything of it being exported.

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Guide posted...

Thanks, let me know if you hear anything of it being exported.

I am in the us so it was an exported cheese. You can find them in international markets sometimes.

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Mistere Man posted...

I am in the us so it was an exported cheese. You can find them in international markets sometimes.

Dang, I'd know if it were in my area. Still, nice that it's mainland.

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Guide posted...

Dang, I'd know if it were in my area. Still, nice that it's mainland.

https://www.murrayscheese.com/

This place seems to have us locations and lists stinking bishop for ordering.

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Guide posted...

Marzu is on my bucket list. I need to try every cheese.

Is there an origin story for this life goal? >_>

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Ivynn posted...

Is there an origin story for this life goal? >_>

Two things have been true for at least as long as I have been self-aware.

I like cheese, and I like weird things. And there's a lot of cheese, and a lot of it is pretty weird.

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Guide posted...

Two things have been true for at least as long as I have been self-aware.

I like cheese, and I like weird things. And there's a lot of cheese, and a lot of it is pretty weird.

No judgment from me, I just cant get past the smell factor. Funny thing though one time I made so horrible smelling soup, but it was super delicious! So I should know not to judge things by smell alone. Still I fear when it does taste like it smells.

That soup smelled so bad seriously I thought I had stepped in cat shit of something before I figured out it was the soup. So I named it shit smell soup. I think the water chestnuts I added were out of date or something, but damn was it good tasting. Sadly I have never been able to remake it.

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Water chestnuts in soup? That sounds like some advanced stuff, what kind of recipe were you going for?

I learned early on that sometimes, things that seem bad are actually just me being too pleb to appreciate, and now this is why I'm an elitist pain in the ass all up in these forums.

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Guide posted...

Water chestnuts in soup? That sounds like some advanced stuff, what kind of recipe were you going for?

I learned early on that sometimes, things that seem bad are actually just me being too pleb to appreciate, and now this is why I'm an elitist pain in the ass all up in these forums.

I was just experimenting with flavors. That and I was hungry and was looking for anything to use from my pantry as the store was closed.

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ah, ax stew.

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