I know our ancestors here in the USA used to eat squirrel, especially when making dishes like Brunswick Stew but I personally can not stand the thought. I guess the most unusual dish I have ever eaten was a taste of Frog Leg, and it did taste like chicken.
Oh no! I take that back. When we were in Portugal some years back with another couple. we had a car and driver. Our driver wanted to treat us to an authentic Portugese dish so he stopped at a truck stop. He ordered stewed cowbelly and beans and insisted we all taste it. I was the only brave one and it was not half bad.
Tasted like chicken:)
What is the most unusual food you have ever tried?
From the Dailymail.co.uk
"I haven't tried grey squirrel but people I know who have say it tastes like chicken used to taste when it tasted like chicken."
Top Lakeland restaurant serves up Peking duck-style squirrel pancakes
Nuts: Grey Squirrel is served in canapes
A top restaurant is serving up free grey squirrel pancakes to hungry diners.
Peking duck-style squirrel wraps are being offered to diners at The Famous Wild Boar Hotel.
The restaurant at Crook, near Windermere, in Cumbria, is giving diners the chance to try the canapes free of charge.
The grey squirrels were caught in the hotel's 72-acre woodland grounds and have been prepared by head chef Marc Sanders.
Hotel general manager Andy Lemm said: "Although we do still have red squirrels, the greys are everywhere.
"Our diners seemed to enjoy the squirrel pancakes and I thought they tasted rather nice, a bit like rabbit."
Scroll down for more...
Nibble: Wild Boar Hotel head chef Marc Sanders with the Peking duck-style squirrel treats
Lord Redesdale's Red Squirrel Protection Partnership specialises in trapping and despatching greys to protect the reds.
The partnership has killed 4,521 greys since January, and Lord Redesdale said: "The problem is that when we catch and despatch greys, there is nothing we can do with them.
"We would like to be a supplier of grey squirrels. With an estimated five million greys in the country, there are enough of them to go round."
James Cookson runs the Flying Fox sales and marketing venture for food and rural businesses, based near Morpeth, Northumberland, which also features the Comfort at Meldon Park restaurant.
He said: "Grey squirrels can be eaten and there is no reason why they shouldn't be eaten.
"It makes sense if you are catching something to make use of it.
"We have some grey traps set at the moment and I would be willing to try it, without a doubt.
"If we could get enough greys and a suitable recipe then I can see no reason why it shouldn't be on the menu.
"Our reds are disappearing, and perhaps the more greys that are eaten, the better it is for the reds."
Scroll down for more...
Endangered: Red Squirrels are under threat because of a burgeoning population of greys
Carri Nicholson, manager of the Save Our Squirrels project based at Northumberland Wildlife Trust, said: "It is far more ecologically and environmentally sound to find a use for what is being trapped.
"A number of places in Northumberland are thinking of having grey squirrel on the menu.
"I haven't tried grey squirrel but people I know who have say it tastes like chicken used to taste when it tasted like chicken.
"The Americans have numerous recipes for grey squirrel, with the most popular being Brunswick Stew, which is casseroled squirrel."
Last year Lord Inglewood, who lives near Penrith in Cumbria, warned the red squirrel will soon become extinct if the non-native grey population is allowed to go on increasing.
He suggested then that one way of dealing with the problem would be to foster a market for grey squirrel meat.
He said: "What about celebrity chefs like Jamie Oliver promoting it for school dinners? I have never actually eaten a grey squirrel but I am prepared to give it a go."
(one of the comments about this article)
"Here in NY grey squirrel pancake is better known as roadkill."
(click on title of this post for link and for photos of the "cute squirrels")
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
Super Bug
Please click on the title of this post for a link to a very important Reader's Digest Article about the "Super Bug" that is becoming alarmingly frequent throughout the country. It is resistant to most known antibiotics and can strike anyone, but children and the elderly are especially vulnerable.
If you have grandchildren, even teen age ones, please send this link to their parents so they can be informed and know the symptoms. You can email the RD article from the RD site.
A good friend and classmate of my 11 year old grandson is extremely ill with this condition. He has been in the hospital for over 3 weeks and has just come off the heart lung bypass machine. He remains in a medically induced coma while they try to build up his strength and get his lungs operative again. They do not know how he contracted this. He did play football and he may have had an injury.
His parents took him to the emergency room three seperate times and the ER sent him home thinking it was the flu. He progressively got worse and as his condition deteriorated, they had to helicopter him to another hospital here in Atlanta that had the heart lung machine to keep him alive.
We are all praying for him and his family.
Poor little guy.
If you have grandchildren, even teen age ones, please send this link to their parents so they can be informed and know the symptoms. You can email the RD article from the RD site.
A good friend and classmate of my 11 year old grandson is extremely ill with this condition. He has been in the hospital for over 3 weeks and has just come off the heart lung bypass machine. He remains in a medically induced coma while they try to build up his strength and get his lungs operative again. They do not know how he contracted this. He did play football and he may have had an injury.
His parents took him to the emergency room three seperate times and the ER sent him home thinking it was the flu. He progressively got worse and as his condition deteriorated, they had to helicopter him to another hospital here in Atlanta that had the heart lung machine to keep him alive.
We are all praying for him and his family.
Poor little guy.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Read in the New York Tmes
Ronni Bennett,of "Time Goes By" has recently posted a blog about what we Elders give up as we age. I thought this was a good example:
From the New York Times:
"Youthanasia / (yooth en azhe) / n. / a neologism for the controversial practice of performing a battery of age-defying medical procedures to end lifeless skin and wrinkles; advocated by some as a last-resort measure to put the chronically youth-obsessed out of their misery: “My doctor was on the fence about youthanasia, but I whined so much that he finally agreed to perform my abdominoplasty, mammoplasty and rhytidectomy, all at once. Think of it as mercy lifting."
From the New York Times:
"Youthanasia / (yooth en azhe) / n. / a neologism for the controversial practice of performing a battery of age-defying medical procedures to end lifeless skin and wrinkles; advocated by some as a last-resort measure to put the chronically youth-obsessed out of their misery: “My doctor was on the fence about youthanasia, but I whined so much that he finally agreed to perform my abdominoplasty, mammoplasty and rhytidectomy, all at once. Think of it as mercy lifting."
Sunday, October 14, 2007
"A Thousand Splendid Suns"
"A Thousand Splendid Suns"
by Khaled Hosseini
I had not planned to read this book but there it was on the new books shelf at my
neighborhood public library and I said to myself, "Why not"
I hesitated because of the locale and what I had perceived as serious subject matter. Afghanistan. A saga with the Soviet invasion, civil war, the Taliban. To my surprise this book turned out to be the story of two women and their indomitable spirit in the face of unimaginable hardships and tragedy. I highly recommend this book You will not be able to put it down and you will not soon forget it.
From Amazon Reviews:
"A Thousand Splendid Suns is an absolutely wonderful story about the things that keep us going, even when our world falls apart"
"Splendid Suns follows the lives of two Afghani women, Mariam and Laila, as they move from children to adults. The book spans 30 years, beginning with the Soviet invasion and ending with the overthrow of the Taliban. A Thousand Suns is a moving story about the power of love, the bonds of friendship, the love of country, and the struggle to survive.
BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1965. His father was a diplomat with the Afghan Foreign Ministry and his mother taught Farsi and History at a large high school in Kabul. In 1976, the Afghan Foreign Ministry relocated the Hosseini family to Paris. They were ready to return to Kabul in 1980, but by then Afghanistan had already witnessed a bloody communist coup and the invasion of the Soviet army. The Hosseinis sought and were granted political asylum in the United States. In September of 1980, Hosseini's family moved to San Jose, California. Hosseini graduated from high school in 1984 and enrolled at Santa Clara University where he earned a bachelor's degree in Biology in 1988. The following year, he entered the University of California-San Diego's School of Medicine, where he earned a Medical Degree in 1993. He completed his residency at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Hosseini was a practicing internist between 1996 and 2004.
While in medical practice, Hosseini began writing his first novel, The Kite Runner, in March of 2001. In 2003, The Kite Runner, was published and has since become an international bestseller, published in 38 countries. In 2006 he was named a goodwill envoy to UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency. His second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns was published in May of 2007. He lives in northern California.
by Khaled Hosseini
I had not planned to read this book but there it was on the new books shelf at my
neighborhood public library and I said to myself, "Why not"
I hesitated because of the locale and what I had perceived as serious subject matter. Afghanistan. A saga with the Soviet invasion, civil war, the Taliban. To my surprise this book turned out to be the story of two women and their indomitable spirit in the face of unimaginable hardships and tragedy. I highly recommend this book You will not be able to put it down and you will not soon forget it.
From Amazon Reviews:
"A Thousand Splendid Suns is an absolutely wonderful story about the things that keep us going, even when our world falls apart"
"Splendid Suns follows the lives of two Afghani women, Mariam and Laila, as they move from children to adults. The book spans 30 years, beginning with the Soviet invasion and ending with the overthrow of the Taliban. A Thousand Suns is a moving story about the power of love, the bonds of friendship, the love of country, and the struggle to survive.
BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1965. His father was a diplomat with the Afghan Foreign Ministry and his mother taught Farsi and History at a large high school in Kabul. In 1976, the Afghan Foreign Ministry relocated the Hosseini family to Paris. They were ready to return to Kabul in 1980, but by then Afghanistan had already witnessed a bloody communist coup and the invasion of the Soviet army. The Hosseinis sought and were granted political asylum in the United States. In September of 1980, Hosseini's family moved to San Jose, California. Hosseini graduated from high school in 1984 and enrolled at Santa Clara University where he earned a bachelor's degree in Biology in 1988. The following year, he entered the University of California-San Diego's School of Medicine, where he earned a Medical Degree in 1993. He completed his residency at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Hosseini was a practicing internist between 1996 and 2004.
While in medical practice, Hosseini began writing his first novel, The Kite Runner, in March of 2001. In 2003, The Kite Runner, was published and has since become an international bestseller, published in 38 countries. In 2006 he was named a goodwill envoy to UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency. His second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns was published in May of 2007. He lives in northern California.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Glutton for Punishment
I guess it is that time of year since it seems I get all inspired to get all my ducks in a row and get everything checked in the fall. As you know I got my flu shot, blood checked and eyes checked last week.
Yesterday I saw the ear Doc for a clean out job and hearing test. I had a hearing test about 10 years ago with some hearing loss but in the last few years I seem to be turning the TV up louder, not hearing all of what is said. So it is now official. I am a "good candidate" for a hearing aid".
I can go back and see the audiologist at the Doc's office anytime and get fitted with one. Trouble is I have read enough to learn that hearing aids are very expensive and not easy to deal with.
Do any of you have any experience, either you or family member with hearing aids.
(I am almost persuaed to put it off until next year.)
PS: It is a lovely fall day and the temp will be in the 40's tonight so we have finally broken the back of the long hot summer. Now what we need is about 3 weeks of solid rain to ease the drought.
Yesterday I saw the ear Doc for a clean out job and hearing test. I had a hearing test about 10 years ago with some hearing loss but in the last few years I seem to be turning the TV up louder, not hearing all of what is said. So it is now official. I am a "good candidate" for a hearing aid".
I can go back and see the audiologist at the Doc's office anytime and get fitted with one. Trouble is I have read enough to learn that hearing aids are very expensive and not easy to deal with.
Do any of you have any experience, either you or family member with hearing aids.
(I am almost persuaed to put it off until next year.)
PS: It is a lovely fall day and the temp will be in the 40's tonight so we have finally broken the back of the long hot summer. Now what we need is about 3 weeks of solid rain to ease the drought.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
My Day
At almost 78, I have been ruminating about getting old and I am not sure I like it.I used to be the youngest. Youngest in my family. Youngest in my class with a December birthday. And I am always younger than my hubby Sam who was born in March. But dang it, suddenly I feel O-L-D.
On top of that, today was tiring. First I went to the doctor for a simple blood test for cholesterol and also got a flu shot.After the doctor, and since Target is nearby, I stopped in and picked up a few things. Since I had to fast for the blood test I bought a Snickers bar and ate it on the way back from Target.
I was home for about an hour and then I left for a routine appointment with my eye doctor for a six month check up. I never like to make two medical type appointments on the same day but this one was unavoidable since my eye doctor had to reschedule since he was leaving town,
My appointment was at 2:40 PM. I left my home at 2 PM for a 30 minute drive to the medical office. I had to sit and wait and wait and wait in the doctor's office as he was overbooked. I began to get woozy and I remembered I had not really eaten all day so I had to ask the nurse for juice or candy for a quick blood sugar fix. I am not diabetic. Just hypoglycemic.
Finally,after having my eyes dilated, examined, photographed, pressure measured and getting a report that all is well with my eyesight for the next 6 months I went out into the bright sunlight which blinded me for a time even with sunglasses. A pesky detour on my normal route home (new sewers construction) made the drive less than pleasant.
When I finally arrived back home after 3 grueling hours all total, I rushed in and had hubby fix me a quick PB&J sandwich and a glass of milk. After about 30 minutes I felt better.
I learned three lessons today
Always eat some protein
Do not make two doctors appointments on the same day
AND
Old age is not for sissies
On top of that, today was tiring. First I went to the doctor for a simple blood test for cholesterol and also got a flu shot.After the doctor, and since Target is nearby, I stopped in and picked up a few things. Since I had to fast for the blood test I bought a Snickers bar and ate it on the way back from Target.
I was home for about an hour and then I left for a routine appointment with my eye doctor for a six month check up. I never like to make two medical type appointments on the same day but this one was unavoidable since my eye doctor had to reschedule since he was leaving town,
My appointment was at 2:40 PM. I left my home at 2 PM for a 30 minute drive to the medical office. I had to sit and wait and wait and wait in the doctor's office as he was overbooked. I began to get woozy and I remembered I had not really eaten all day so I had to ask the nurse for juice or candy for a quick blood sugar fix. I am not diabetic. Just hypoglycemic.
Finally,after having my eyes dilated, examined, photographed, pressure measured and getting a report that all is well with my eyesight for the next 6 months I went out into the bright sunlight which blinded me for a time even with sunglasses. A pesky detour on my normal route home (new sewers construction) made the drive less than pleasant.
When I finally arrived back home after 3 grueling hours all total, I rushed in and had hubby fix me a quick PB&J sandwich and a glass of milk. After about 30 minutes I felt better.
I learned three lessons today
Always eat some protein
Do not make two doctors appointments on the same day
AND
Old age is not for sissies
Monday, October 01, 2007
A meme using my real first name "Janet"
I found this on another blog. Try it with your name.
"Go to Google, enter "[your name] needs" in quotes, and post the top ten results. I seem to recall doing this before, but the answers are different now, and funnier. My comments are in [brackets]."
Janet needs our help
she was bold enough to paint an entire wall a warm purple cover.
[UH OH..not a purple wall.]
Janet needs a maid.
[Well now wouldn't that be swell]
Janet needs one of those ankle bracelets that tell her that she’s yo-yo dieting
[Rushing out to Walmart to buy one]
Janet needs to review medicine procurement and the supply chain
[I think I will just stick with my friendly Publix pharmacist]
Janet needs a slap in the face
[Ouch]
Janet needs craft and motivational articles
[Artsy crafty aren't I]
Janet needs to take her car to the shop for an oil change.
[Oh bother]
Janet Needs Another Cat.
[I don't have the first cat]
Janet Needs To Re-Invent Herself,
[Ok. From now on I am "Chancy"]
Janet needs to stop dressing like she's still 20 years old
[I'll drink to that]
Janet needs to be removed today. We had enough of circus for one day
[And I thought you all liked me]
PS: (I had to ignore some of the "Janet needs" because many were in reference to Janet Jackson and her wardrobe malfunction....:))
"Go to Google, enter "[your name] needs" in quotes, and post the top ten results. I seem to recall doing this before, but the answers are different now, and funnier. My comments are in [brackets]."
Janet needs our help
she was bold enough to paint an entire wall a warm purple cover.
[UH OH..not a purple wall.]
Janet needs a maid.
[Well now wouldn't that be swell]
Janet needs one of those ankle bracelets that tell her that she’s yo-yo dieting
[Rushing out to Walmart to buy one]
Janet needs to review medicine procurement and the supply chain
[I think I will just stick with my friendly Publix pharmacist]
Janet needs a slap in the face
[Ouch]
Janet needs craft and motivational articles
[Artsy crafty aren't I]
Janet needs to take her car to the shop for an oil change.
[Oh bother]
Janet Needs Another Cat.
[I don't have the first cat]
Janet Needs To Re-Invent Herself,
[Ok. From now on I am "Chancy"]
Janet needs to stop dressing like she's still 20 years old
[I'll drink to that]
Janet needs to be removed today. We had enough of circus for one day
[And I thought you all liked me]
PS: (I had to ignore some of the "Janet needs" because many were in reference to Janet Jackson and her wardrobe malfunction....:))
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