# The Price of Rat Meat increases in Cambodia **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 27, 2008, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401 "2008-08-27T10:19:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/1 "2008-08-27T10:19:07Z")
The poor are struggling as the price of rat meat (that is not a mistake) has quadrupled (that is not a mistake either). The price of rat meat has quadrupled in Cambodia this year as inflation puts other meat beyond the reach of poor people, officials say. With consumer price inflation at 37 per cent according to the latest central bank estimate, demand has pushed a kilogram of rat meat up to around 5,000 riel ($1.48). [Link](http://abc.com.au/news/stories/2008/08/27/2348348.htm?section=justin) I really wasn’t that interested in visiting I guess. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/2 "2008-08-27T11:59:06Z")
[QUOTE=Cicero] … a kilogram of rat meat… [/QUOTE] Lord, please let that be from more than one rat. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/3 "2008-08-27T12:10:44Z")
[QUOTE=lieu] Lord, please let that be from more than one rat. [/QUOTE] That gave me a great laugh- thank you. I see they export one tonne of live rats a day to Vietnam. Good grief- they must have a few. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/4 "2008-08-27T12:57:26Z")
For the life of me I can’t explain why (maybe I’m not quite awake yet), but when I first read that title I thought it said “The Price of Rat Meat increases in Canada” :eek: Maybe I need new glasses… ---
**Author:** ![3acresandatruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e79b87/32.png) [@3acresandatruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3acresandatruck)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/5 "2008-08-27T13:17:30Z")
But admit it, **Canadjun**. You’re relieved to find the price for Canadian rat meat will apparently be unchanged the next time you go grocery shopping. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/6 "2008-08-27T13:22:35Z")
[QUOTE=3acresandatruck] But admit it, **Canadjun**. You’re relieved to find the price for Canadian rat meat will apparently be unchanged the next time you go grocery shopping. 😃 [/QUOTE] Yes- it will be Mickey Mouse (slang for grouse). ---
**Author:** ![Engineer\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9fc29f/32.png) [@Engineer\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engineer_Dude)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/7 "2008-08-27T13:43:06Z")
Obligatory Monty Python Reference [QUOTE=The Church Police Sketch] Man: What’s for afters? Woman: Well there’s rat cake … rat sorbet… rat pudding… or strawberry tart. Man: Strawberry tart?! Woman: Well it’s got some rat in it. Man: How much? Woman: Three, rather a lot really. Man: … well, I’ll have a slice without so much rat in it. [/QUOTE] [http://orangecow.org/pythonet/sketches/salvfuzz.htm](http://orangecow.org/pythonet/sketches/salvfuzz.htm) ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/8 "2008-08-27T15:26:07Z")
I am sure that the price increase is directly attributable to the price of fuel, right? ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/9 "2008-08-27T21:22:17Z")
Oddly, the article makes it sounds _sort_ of nice. > [@](#): > > Spicy field rat dishes with garlic thrown in I still think I’ll stick to saving money by eating lentils and potatoes and veg though. Too unfit to go chasing rats, I think. 😃 (Ack! Now I have a mondegreen bit of "Go Ask Alice " running through my head. I do think they could have had more fun with the headline, though. “Run on Rats as Rates Rise” or some such. 🙂 Now, I’m wondering - as it does say field rats, is this going to be something really not bad to eat and it only _sounds_ bad to us? ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2008, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/10 "2008-08-27T23:38:01Z")
[QUOTE=Celyn] Now, I’m wondering - as it does say field rats, is this going to be something really not bad to eat and it only _sounds_ bad to us? [/QUOTE] The rats people ate in Cameroon were big, meaty things that tasted good enough that people looked forward to rat season. One of my friends memorable roasted a rat that his student gave him in herbs and red wine. There are also "cane rats’ which are guinea pig type things that even Americans really enjoyed. So yeah, rat can be pretty good tasting. More importantly, if you have few sources of protein, you are going to eat any protein that you can get. I’ve seen rising food prices affect people, and it’s amazing how global and drastic this situation is. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/11 "2008-08-28T00:23:54Z")
Yep, all that mention of herbs and red wine and garlic - I bet it would taste pretty good if I ate it _without_ first knowing what it was. Yes, I do know how illogical that is. Hell, I don’t eat meat much anyway, so it would probably seem pretty special. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/59ef9b/32.png) [@FlyingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRat)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/12 "2008-08-28T02:49:13Z")
[QUOTE=Celyn] Now, I’m wondering - as it does say field rats, is this going to be something really not bad to eat and it only _sounds_ bad to us? [/QUOTE] I haven’t had it, but I have indeed heard that field rats are really nice to eat. The rats eat the tender rice shoots, so killing them is in the interest of the farmers-- and as a bonus, the rats get nice and plump off of good, clean food, so they are really delicious. It’s a win-win situation for the farmers, if not the rats. I’d be interested in trying it someday if I travel up to the North/Northeast (here in Bangkok, most of the rat specimens I’ve seen are decidedly NOT tasty-looking :eek: ). ---
**Author:** ![Penchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/74df32/32.png) [@Penchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penchan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/13 "2008-08-28T02:58:03Z")
[QUOTE=FlyingRat] I haven’t had it, but I have indeed heard that field rats are really nice to eat. The rats eat the tender rice shoots, so killing them is in the interest of the farmers-- and as a bonus, the rats get nice and plump off of good, clean food, so they are really delicious. It’s a win-win situation for the farmers, if not the rats. I’d be interested in trying it someday if I travel up to the North/Northeast (here in Bangkok, most of the rat specimens I’ve seen are decidedly NOT tasty-looking :eek: ). [/QUOTE] I’d imagine the rats would take a page from the kittens from Korea and glow in the dark. After all of the mangey animals I’ve seen in Thailand over my lifetime, I can’t imagine wanting to eat them, let alone an animal that eats the other dead Thai animals. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Harry1945](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Harry1945](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harry1945)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/14 "2008-08-28T03:02:47Z")
It has a fairly mild flavor and is light-colored. The stuff I had was sliced thin and layered into rolls, then seasoned to taste. I thought it was pretty good, but I was usually drunk at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/15 "2008-08-28T08:37:54Z")
D’Oh! :smack: I included the rat-meat story in my [Odd Animal News](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=481189) thread. Have a giant-lizard story in there too, though. Rat: It’s not just for breakfast anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/16 "2008-08-28T10:02:52Z")
How do you say “Esta carne es de rata” in Cambodian? If you get the reference, enjoy it a little and pass it along. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/59ef9b/32.png) [@FlyingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRat)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/17 "2008-08-28T11:51:36Z")
_Love to eat them ratties Rattie’s what I love to eat Bite they little heads off And nibble on they tiny feet._ - as paraphrased from B. Kliban ---
**Author:** ![3acresandatruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e79b87/32.png) [@3acresandatruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3acresandatruck)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/18 "2008-08-28T11:56:04Z")
[QUOTE=Ale] How do you say “Esta carne es de rata” in Cambodian? [/QUOTE] When all the world’s a Taco Bell? Delicious! [QUOTE=FlyingRat] Love to eat them ratties [/QUOTE] Isn’t that a little, um, cannabalistic? ---
**Author:** ![nd\_n8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/439d5e/32.png) [@nd\_n8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nd_n8)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/19 "2008-08-28T12:58:56Z")
Do you suppose they use the pelts to make rat coats for hollow men? - T.S. Elliot \*Remember us—if at all—not as lost Violent souls, but only As the hollow men The stuffed men. \* ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401/20 "2008-08-28T15:57:48Z")
I did a double-take at the author of this thread; I thought sure it was one of **Siam Sam** ’s. I have a cookbook written by a couple of ladies who were determined to discover and publish recipes for every historical dish that was mentioned in Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey and Maturin series. Since the shipmates were sometimes reduced to catching and eating the ship’s rats (“millers”) when rations ran low, the ladies decided to include some rat recipes in their book. They obtained rats from local laboratories that bred clean, fat domestic rats, asking the lab technicians to kill, skin and clean them. They reported back that the rats were actually extremely tasty no matter how they cooked them up. I suppose they should be; they’re rodents, like rabbits, and rabbit is very tasty, too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-price-of-rat-meat-increases-in-cambodia/461401.md?page=2)