Ambergris

[B Edulis]

Wilfred's post in the media section about past gastronomes reminded me of a short quest of mine years back. Brillat-Savarin talked about hot chocolate with "a knob of ambergris the size of a bean" added that was tremendously restorative. Larousse defines ambergris as "an intestinal concretion of the sperm whale" that is found floating in the ocean and says that it smells pleasantly like musk, which, I believe I've read, some people can't smell at all.

I know I'm setting myself up for heckling (Tommy!) but I'm nothing if not dogged in my searches... Has anyone out there ever tasted ambergris? In hot chocolate? I looked around at a variety of stores, including Angelica's in the East Village, which has a lot of obscure stuff, but I never found any.

[Liza]

I dare ya to ask for it at Food Emporium!

My quest would start with a visit to Kalustyans, but my guess is that whale by-products are banned in the US.

[John Whiting]

You'll find a great deal of information at: Ambergris

[Lord Michael Lewis]

Since reading Moby Dick as a lad I'd always been fascinated by this stuff some of which I bought in a shop in San Sebastian. It came in a dark grey ball with red and yellow spots and smelt sort of acidic and mouldy. I wasn't brave enough to eat it, and threw it away before returning to London as I was worried what our Customs officials might make of it.

[B Edulis]

Wow, John, that article is fascinating -- to think that it's whale bile and squid beaks! I can't blame you, Lord Michael, for not eating it.... yuck... Yet it's still intriguing.

Since it's banned from sale worldwide, I guess I'll never get to try it, unless I find one of those rare nuggets washed up on a beach.

Maybe it's all for the best...

[Lord Michael Lewis]

B Edulis, I visit San Sebastian on a regular basis, so if you'd like me to score you some Ambergris just forward me your address via the e-gullet messenger.

[Wilfrid]

Mmm, my reaction was the same as LML's - Moby Dick.  I am a hearty enough carnivore, but the sheer reeking gloopiness of Melville's descriptions might but you off eating any whale products for life.

[Adam_Balic]

I was offered some Ambergris while in Morocco (I was buying spices etc). It looks, as LML said, like a greyish waxy lump. However, its odour was rather nice, distinct but similar to the Musk that I was also offered (along with all type of interesting drugs). Both are very complex and in the case of the Musk, far more so then the synthetic versions I have sampled. I toyed with the idea of buying some of each to recreate some of the Robert May recipes, but decided that since I didn't know how the stuff had been obtained then I didn't want it. I had already seen enough examples of rare animals for sale alive or made into tourist trinkets to make me wary.

[Rachel Perlow]

I'll say it before tommy does.

Whale Poop.

[B Edulis]

LML, Thank you for your kind offer - I'm very tempted. But I had thought that ambergris was collected floating on the surface of the sea (like fleur de sel?). If whales are killed to get it, I just can't indulge myself.... I'd still like to smell it one day tho'. Perhaps I'll meet a friendly oceanographer....