Prophylactics aren't usually the first thing one thinks of when imagining a well-stocked pantry. But at some cutting edge establishments, condoms are becoming part of dinner in strange and mysterious ways. We already know that condoms come in flavored varieties to make oral sex even more palatable, but condoms aren't actually for eating. Alvin Leung, Hong Kong's self-named Demon Chef, has set out to change that. He's created a dish that looks exactly like a used condom, thrown carelessly aside on a beach. And like the favorite boozy beverage of college girls everywhere—Leung calls this dish "Sex on the Beach."
One way to advocate for safe sex? Make it delicious!
Those daring enough to order this dish at Hong Kong's Bo Innovations (London location coming soon), won't really be eating a Trojan (or a Lifestyles, or a Durex). * Whew. * Rather, the dish is made up of a pink gelatin form that looks almost identical to a used condom. It's even filled with a white, gooey substance (no, not that white gooey substance) that's made from honey and a light colored ham. Once filled, the "condom" is laid on a bed of dried shiitake that looks an awful lot like sand. Sure, it may feel like you're eating disgusting beach trash, but HuffPo travel writer David Constable says it "tastes really good." Cost? About $9 American.
Why would anyone create a fancy restaurant dish that looks like a used condom? For AIDS awareness, of course. Try to eat this dish without talking about condoms. You can't. Seriously. When diners at Bo Innovation Hong Kong order "Sex on the Beach," the proceeds go to Hong Kong's AIDS concern. It's delicious, affordable, and the proceeds go to charity - I say that's a pretty good reason to eat a condom, wouldn't you?
In similar news, Japanese cookbook author Kagami Kyosuke has recently released a cookbook titled "Condom Meals I Want to Cook for You." Rather than creating edible condoms, she's using prophylactics as instruments for food prep. Her goal is to "encourage men and women to see condoms as more than just contraceptive devices," and her endeavour should certainly accomplish that. (Presumably, she's using unlubricated condoms without an additional flavors added.)
"Condom Meals I Want to Cook for You" contains eleven recipes for foods that are assembled using a condom as a cooking pouch or molding device. Recipes include "Condom Cookies," "Condom Push Sushi" for the rice lover in all of us, the decidedly French "Condom Escargot with Butter," and the hilariously titled "Condom Meat Stuffing." I mean, really, what else would you stuff it with?
Kyosuke has said that statistics show Japanese men are the third worst condom users in the developed world, so the cookbook is designed to start discussion about condom use both in and out of the kitchen. The cookbook itself is well-designed and full of great full-color pictures. It's available for Kindle at the cost of about $2.50 American. The bad news? It's only available in Japanese.
If it's true that all publicity is good publicity, it's been a good week for the humble condom. Let's hope that awareness is raised, as well as funds for AIDS and HIV charities. Let's also hope that any cookies, sushi, or escargot I eat in the future has never actually been inside a condom.
