When in Cape Town ...

Among the Xhosa culture, a popular delicacy is roasted sheep’s head. That means all of the head – eyes, brains, tongue, everything but the bones. They’re called smileys due to the way their teeth are exposed when cooked. (I wonder if this is where the expression “sheepish grin” comes from?) I had seen a collection of uncooked sheep’s heads before and was sure I’d never be brave enough to try one. But two weeks into this adventure, I’ve done just that.

A man in Red Hill cooked one yesterday and offered me some. My friend Stanton cut me a piece from around the eye – let’s call it the eye socket – but mercifully, it didn’t include the eyeball. It was a little tough, but very tasty. I also had a piece of tongue, which looked like any other piece but meat, but had a strange flavor. Not bad, just different.

It might sound disgusting, but it can’t be as vile as Scottish haggis. Sheep parts boiled in a sheep’s stomach with onions and spices – ugh.