Pache, A Stew Of Sheep And Cow Innards, May Not Look Appetizing, But The People Of Mosul Adore It

The annals of food preparation have no lack of the gruesome. Still, it's hard to envision a more macabre process than the one that yields pache (pronounced PAH-tshe), the piece de resistance of Mosul's unique cuisine.

The Iraqi city, where the government recently declared victory over Islamic Statemilitants, is famous all over Iraq for its pancake-like version of kibbeh (a patty of bulgur and spiced meat with raisins) and dolma (an especially fatty take on the stuffed-grape-leaves dish). But it's the city's version of pache, a veritable witch's brew of sheep and cow offal, that has Muslawis crowding the city's restaurants, even as the thumps and crashes of battle can be heard nearby.

It all begins many hours before eating, when Mohammad Tareq Azzawi, 48, unloads animal heads, feet, intestines and other parts in the yard of his house in east Mosul.

Click here to continue reading about the preparation of pache on the LA Times.