Dear Kid,

There was a small problem with conversation the other night.

Use your heart, your brain, your liver, your stomach, whatever you want to figure out what offal is... DearKidLoveMom.comThere was confusion about the difference between awful and offal. (Pronounced about the same, as different in meaning as the spelling. Except for some people who think they are exactly the same.)

So first the definition. Offal refers to the internal organs and entrails of an animal. So pretty much everything that isn’t bone or muscle.

Now before you stop reading and start yelling at me, some kinds of offal and its dishes are considered seriously yummy cuisine. Think foie gras, pâté, chopped liver, or sweetbread.

Iron Chef Michael Symon is known for liking offal.

I am not Iron Chef Michel Symon.

Love, Mom