When it was revealed last month that Belgium's cuisine was ranked 31st in the world, readers were split as to whether this was a laudable accomplishment or was exaggerating the appeal of deep-fried foods.
Whether you're a frites evangelist or think that waffles are overrated, at least we could agree on these edibles being relatively innocuous (at least when consumed in reasonable quantities). The same cannot be said for the "traditional" delicacy that has brought some Belgian travellers under the scrutiny of the law.
As if life weren't difficult enough for hedgehogs with their habitats threatened by urban sprawl, roads and lawnmowers, they have also found themselves on the menu of certain communities that wish to preserve their "culinary heritage" with the capture, killing, and subsequent consumption of the docile little mammals.
In spite of the spiny creatures being legally protected, their numbers have halved in a decade and the future looks bleak. But whilst most would agree that hedgehogs are some of the cuter animals that deserve our protection rather than persecution, the human palate is cruel when it comes to cooked meat.
In this case, the culprits are facing fines and community service for their actions, yet the president of Belgium's national traveller's community was notably unapologetic about the episode and didn't refrain from proffering cooking recommendations that personally make the very notion of it all the less appetising.
The oft-touted excuse of preserving "tradition" seems distinctly dated in this instance and might lead you to wonder when this argument really is valid. Can we justify demonstrably distasteful or outright harmful customs on the grounds of tradition?
What's the worst thing you've eaten? Let @Orlando_tbt know.
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