95 more days...

The mini-series continues:
Would Nana do it, for a buck?"

Reading about the wonderful food overseas got me thinking... Frog's legs, escargot, and brains. Would Nana do it, for a buck? Let's find out.

~ Frog's Legs ~

• France consumes about 3,500 tons of frogs legs per year (or about 70 million frogs).
• Because frogs are becoming endangered, much of Frances frogs legs are imported, in particular from Indonesia.  

So, what do you say Nana? Les cuisses de grenouilles, pour $1? On second thought, frogs legs are really no big deal. They serve them at the local Chinese buffet, and they are actually quite tasty. So instead, how about...

  

~ Escargots ~

• Escargots are typically removed from their shell, gutted, and then cooked.
• Snails are very high in protein and low in fat when they are cooked and served without butter sauce.
• But escargots are usually cooked in garlic and butter sauce, and then put back into the shells with the butter sauce. (Well, of course! What DOESN'T taste good in garlic and butter?!?!)
• There are special tongs, as there are special devices for lobster, used to hold the shell. There are also special snail forks that are used to get the meat out of the shell. Or, you can just slurp at it! Yummmmmmmmm!

Not bad, but maybe not worth a buck...

What else do we have to offer?

~ Brains ~

• Animal brains are featured in French cuisine, in dishes such as cervelle de veau and tête de veau.
• I have nothing else to say...

So, what do you say, Nana?

Do we have a bet?

144 more days...

When in Rome...

The talk of excercise, spas, travel tips, and the local marvels of Rome has got me hungry.  And as they say, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" (*), which led me to to think , "Would Nana do it as the Romans do, for a buck?"



Song Birds as an Appetizer ~

Yes, it's true.  Roasted and eaten whole, this is a delicacy in Rome. Delicious and nutritious!  (Just don't tell Pat!)  Unfortunately, hunters have nearly eliminated many of the migratory species.  So, would Nana do it for a buck?


Wash it down with Cynar!

Cynar is bitter liqueur made from artichokes.  I am told that the taste is much as if you left artichokes steaming so long that the water all boiled off and the artichokes burned to the pan, then you soaked it overnight in tepid tap water to clean it, creating a vile-smelling brown liquid.  Tastes, smells, and looks just like that, and clears your head right out!  Beautiful!  Nana...  A buck?

But the best has to be...
Cockscomb~

Yep...  This is the comb of an adult cock or hen. Cockscombs have long been used as decoration in cooking because of their unique  texture and shape.

Preparation: Pierce the cockscombs in several places with a needle.  Steep them in cold water, squeeze the cockscombs to remove any blood that's still left. Put the cockscombs in a pan with fresh cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for one minute. Drain them, then rub the combs one by one with salt. Rinse with cold water. Now any hairs that were left have to be removed.  Steep the cockscombs once more until they are white. Then boil them for thirty minutes with salt, drain again. Now you can use them for garnish, or whatever. (I think that I would opt for "whatever".)

Say "ahhhhhhh"

In the mean time, I'll be doing what the Romans do on deck 13!

Mike



 (*) "WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO."
            Who Said It: St. Ambrose, 387 A.D.

The Story behind It: When St. Augustine arrived in Milan, he observed that the Church did not fast on Saturday as did the Church at Rome. He consulted St. Ambrose, bishop of Milan, who replied: "When I am at Rome, I fast on a Saturday; when I am at Milan, I do not. Follow the custom of the Church where you are." The comment was changed to "When they are at Rome, they do there as they see done" by Robert Burton in his Anatomy of Melancholy. Eventually it became "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."