The Catholic church hasa classified capybara and beaver as "fish", so they can be eaten on Fridays. Apparently, they are "fish" because they hang out in water. Weird!

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Reminds me of this:
http://www.slashfood.com/2006/06/24/nutria-the-other-white-swamp-rat/

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Don't eat Speak!
Eating Capybaras is just plain wrong!

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I have been aware of the capybara since I was a kid and I have always found it grotesque. No way would I eat it.

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Guinea pigs are regularly eaten in Peru, and there are plenty of Peruvian restaurants in the States that prepare them.

Or were they just banned?

/snark

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I've eaten nutria (swamp rat) in both Louisiana -- spicy -- and in Uruguay -- barbequed. Only remember it tasting basically like meat as I recall. However, now that I eat only organic, pasture-fed beef, pork and poultry, my taste buds remember again what each specific meat tastes like. Every mouthful is a treat and condiments have disappeared from my counter since it's a shame to mess with the flavor. Probably will have to try nutria since they too are herbivores.
Allison

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Guinea pigs are regularly eaten in Peru, and there are plenty of Peruvian restaurants in the States that prepare them.

Or were they just banned?

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I can't imagine why not. We've got the pet and pest notions in the back of our mind, but if other people regularly eat it, I'll try it.

Rabbit = Capybara = Nutria

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The popularity of capybara meat in Venezuela is attributed to a 16th century theological decision by the Roman Catholic Church responding to queries by Venezuelan Catholics, that capybara meat is equivalent to fish meat for the purposes of Lent, and thus allowed its consumption during that time. The decision may have been taken on the basis of incomplete or inaccurate descriptions of the capybara available to the Church authorities in Rome. But this decision was never reversed, and to this day the capybara is the only warm-blooded animal with this status.

In the 17th century, based on a question raised by the Bishop of Quebec, the Roman Catholic Church ruled that the beaver was a fish for purposes of dietary law. Therefore, the general prohibition on the consumption of meat on Fridays during Lent does not apply to beaver meat. The legal basis for the decision probably rests with the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas, which bases animal classification as much on habit as anatomy

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I've eaten nutria (swamp rat) in both Louisiana -- spicy -- and in Uruguay -- barbequed. Only remember it tasting basically like meat as I recall. However, now that I eat only organic, pasture-fed beef, pork and poultry, my taste buds remember again what each specific meat tastes like. Every mouthful is a treat and condiments have disappeared from my counter since it's a shame to mess with the flavor. Probably will have to try nutria since they too are herbivores.
Allison

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Alice-
Hahaha- You're kidding me, right? That just defies all logic!

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"That just defies all logic!"

Welcome to Catholic Dogma.

Or cabybara-ma...?

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No!!! Me no eat that meat..........Oh my. Are we in desperate times and starving?? Then.....no!!

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Never eaten capy but I've had some tasty rat, snake and mokney-on-a-stick in Viet Nam. Food's food when your belly is really empty.

Let's set the record straight on one thing. The rabbit is NOT a rodent. The rabbit's closest relative is the horse!! That's why all horses have harelip.

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Would and have. Specifically guinea pig or cuy as they call it in Peru. Sadly the beast was almost devoid of flavor. All they did to prepare it was drop the butterflied critter in a fat fryer. The other day I dreamed of eating spit-roasted cuy in a local park where some Ecuadorian folks serve it. I can't wait until the weather warms up so I can sample some.

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I've eaten some Musk Rat when I was younger; not bad, as far as I remember!

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Rodents of Unusual Size? I don't believe they exist...

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I lived in souther Brazil for a while and they eat it there as well. I've had it and it tasted pretty darned good. Nice and lean with a tender texture.

Seriously, if someone didn't tell you what it was and you tried it you'd love it.

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How about squirrel. They are a rodent and they are eaten all over the U.S. and the world. I have served it to people and they enjoyed it. Although some did change their minds after I told them what it was.

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I have hunted for most of my life and my buddies as well as myself have eaten squirrel...mmmmm tastes like chicken!

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