Cooking with balls: the world's first testicle cookbook

Everyone's very excited about a new e-cookbook launched today, by online publishers YUDU. It's been compiled by a Serbian fellow called Ljubomir Erovic who has apparently been a testicular cook for some 20 years.

"The tastiest testicles in my opinion probably come from bulls, stallions or ostriches, although other people have their own favourites," says Mr Erovic. He also uses those from pigs and turkeys in his cooking and points out that "all testicles can be eaten - except human, of course". Glad to hear it Ljubomir.

Testicles are rich in testosterone (no kidding!) and are believed by many to have powerful aphrodisiac qualities.

Erovic reckons "the best for aphrodisiac properties are sheep and stallion testicles". So there you go.

While the ingredient is fairly challenging, most of the dishes in the book are less adventurous, from testicle pizza, goulash, battered testicles to barbecued testicles and giblets. To be fair though, it doesn't hurt to keep it simple, and there are a couple of more demanding recipes in there, for instance, calf testicles in wine (white or red but not sweet) and testicles with bourguignon sauce.

As for preparation, the recipe for omelette with calf testicles starts, "Remove fine veins from the testicles and put them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes". Presumably, this refers to the testicles, not the veins, but in such untested waters you can never be sure - however there are videos guides for the nervous. The book says testicles should be soaked in water before cooking, to soften them up, and cooks are advised that they will need a "very sharp knife" to tackle them with, so I'm thinking they're perhaps a little tough. Has anyone tried them?