Quail

The quail family of birds includes edible game species. The Common Quail was previously much favoured in French cooking, but quail for the table are now more likely to be domesticated Japanese Quail. The Common Quail is also part of Maltese cuisine and Portuguese cuisine, as well as in Indian cuisine such as a bhuna. Quails are commonly eaten complete with the bones, since these are easily chewed and the small size of the bird makes it inconvenient to remove them.

Quail eggs are considered a delicacy. They are sometimes used raw in sushi and often found in Japanese Bento lunches. In Colombia, quail eggs are less exotic than in many other countries, and a single hard-boiled quail egg is a common topping on hot dogs and hamburgers, often fixed into place with a toothpick. In the Philippines, kwek-kwek is a popular street food delicacy, which consists of soft-boiled quail eggs dipped in orange-colored batter before being skewered and deep-fried.

Quail eggs are often believed to be very high in cholesterol, but evidence is showing that cholesterol levels are about similar to chicken eggs.