Some call the dish a true delicacy of the American West. Others call it just gross.
However you care to refer to them, the festival that serves up bovine testicles was held this weekend just south of Santa Cruz.
The 2nd annual Testicle Festival happened at JJ Crosetti in Watsonville Saturday.
Testicle dishes are called Mountain Oysters, Cowboy Caviar, Swingin Sirloin or Calf Fries.
It's long been a practice on cattle ranches for young male bovines to be castrated into steers, which after the initial loss, eventually makes them more docile and easier to handle. In order to make the private parts palatable, they are sometimes peeled and marinated.
The festival was an all-you-can-eat deal, but for the weak at heart, chicken, pasta, salad and garlic bread were also available for your $40 ticket. Oh, and the band who signed on for the party? "No Respect" and that is no bull.
Rancher families will tell you they taste like chicken, but you'd have to partake to see if they are telling the truth.
Lori Preuitt was kind of tempted to head over the hill next weekend.
