The Great British Chefs website has just released a survey of British foodies and it makes interesting reading.

The national survey of over 5,000 self identified British foodies reveals what they like to cook, how they like to cook it and what inspires them.

There are some surprising regional differences. Especially when it comes to offal.

Apparently, foodies in Wales are big on heart while Londoners like marrow and people in the North West have a taste for tripe.

West coast foodies like tongue

People in the East of Scotland expressed a preference for cheeks but those in the West of Scotland would rather eat tongue.

In the North of Scotland, the survey discovered an appetite for lungs. This seems unlikely to this blogger unless there are a lot of people making their own haggis from sheeps’ pluck.

The survey also uncovered the unexpected factoid that diners in the South of Scotland liked to eat testicles.

Presumably in some sort of rugby club initiation ceremony.

Back on firmer ground, British foodies are an adventurous lot.

They are said to regularly cook an impressive 44 different dishes and have close to 100 dishes in their repertoire.

Far from sticking to chicken and salmon, they are cooking 31 different meats, fish, shellfish and game.

Men more experimental?

Comparing the sexes, the survey revealed that while all foodies love cooking, male foodies are even more experimental than their female counterparts, cooking double the number of exotic animals like kangaroo and crocodile and 20% more offal.

The vast majority (82%) of foodies believe they are far better cooks than their parents, and they’re seeking inspiration from a huge variety of sources.

When they are looking for a recipe they turn to their cook books (88%) or go online (85%). Their foodie inspiration comes from holidays abroad (76%), what they have eaten in UK restaurants (85%) or things they have seen on TV (83%).

They are less likely to be inspired by what their friends and family have cooked for them (53%).

If this all sounds very familiar, you may wish to test your knowledge with the Fanatical Foodie quiz on the Great British Chefs site.

And, if all this talk of exotic food stuffs has whetted your appetite, you can always book into Khublai Khan’s in Glasgow’s Merchant City. Apparently, delicacies such as kangaroo haggis often feature on the menu.