There is something deeply philosophical about having your hand up a chicken's bum. Well, gut cavity anyway. No really. You should try this. Hegel I am sure reached many of his longer insights in this manner. (Hegelian philosophy may not be immortal, but the sentences (which can be a whole page long in the original German...) are close to eternal. Or at least very long.
My day (as you may gather) was interruped by a meaningful period of chicken introspection. Well, drawing and plucking. They asked me if I was able to do any arts and crafts things for the conference in Melbourne, music painting etc. - I said plucking and drawing... We were given two chickens (supposedly young roosters but one was a hen) that needed to go but the owners didn't want to kill themselves. I understand this, but quick clean killing is a part of being prepared to eat animals as far as I am concerned. So I did the deed, and wondered just what it is about my wife that makes headless zombie chickens chase her? I stand still, and they go elsewhere. She is persued by them. I just get to think about life and death and whether any other fantasy writers actually have any idea what goes into turning a chicken into dinner (or a sacrifice in some horror story) while carefully removing the inside bits without damaging the gut.
Anyway, we are getting better and faster. And young fowl are definitely easier.
I made our pita and 'roo (layer of greens, layer of tomato and fresh basil and olives, thin slices of grilled wallaby, and a healthy douse of salsa verde in a home made pita) for our tea. I really need to get a better recipe for those. And then I'd made trifle for dessert as we had some cake in the freezer and it was getting dessicated. It was yum, but such a rare treat that am now overdosed with cream.
Are you using tomatillo's for the Verde? Cilantro? How do you keep your 'maters from going soft keeping them in the frig?
ReplyDeleteI used to love the zombie chickens as a child. In fact, we'd head to the wood-heap every time Dad headed that way with a chook in his hand...
ReplyDeleteHorrible little kids we were. And yes, I can clean a chook and not break the guts or the gall bladder...but it's been a few years now.
Sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but have you clicked on the "Save the Dragons" link recently? Seems like someone else took over the domain.
ReplyDeleteGrmble - I must just take Save the Dragons link down - the book is sitting with Baen for now.
ReplyDeleteGlenda I should imagine Elizabeth Moon and a few others also know how to. But the vast majority of our peers? nope :-)
ReplyDeleteQuilly - Italian style Salsa verde, rather than spanish/mexican. Garlic, mint and parsley, a gerkin, salt, lemon juice olive oil. My Tomatillo -lots of flowers no fruit yet.
ReplyDeleteOnly cooking tomatoes make it into the fridge :-) so going soft is not an issue. Eating ones come off the bush.