Cute Hedgehog

Hedgehogs are a food source in many cultures. Hedgehogs were eaten in Ancient Egypt, and some recipes of the Late Middle Ages call for hedgehog meat. In the Middle East and especially among Bedouins, hedgehog meat is considered medicinal, and thought to cure rheumatism and arthritis. Romani people supposedly still eat it, and also use the blood and the fat for its supposed medicinal value. One method for killing the animal suggests holding it up by one of its hind legs and cutting off the tip of its nose when it unrolls, which kills it and drains the blood at the same time. The animal is then cleaned and boiled or roasted. During the 1980s, "hedgehog-flavour" crisps were introduced in Britain, although the product did not in fact contain any hedgehog.