tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post2039852686129936845..comments2024-03-28T22:25:23.698-05:00Comments on Western Fictioneers: Pioneer Food: Cooking Coons, Possums, and Armadillos by Vicky J. Rose, aka Easy JacksonWestern Fictioneershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01683314579075461026noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-59137365564806559652018-04-30T13:59:07.301-05:002018-04-30T13:59:07.301-05:00Wow! That's all been an interesting eye-opene...Wow! That's all been an interesting eye-opener for me, Vicky. And I come from the land of the haggis. Chitterlings sounds - intriguing! I suppose that drinking busthead whiskey would help with some dishes.Keith Souterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15206349930107528691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-21336567343703567532018-04-30T13:14:00.827-05:002018-04-30T13:14:00.827-05:00My dad treated the family (or should I say subject...My dad treated the family (or should I say subjected the family) to some of these dishes. Oppossum, racoon, even turtle. Rabbit was okay. Can't say that I like the other. Maybe it was just the thought. Lol. We always called white potatoes "Irish potatoes." I wonder if the term was passed down. I have Irish in my genealogy. Laurean Brookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06242693739806417138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-5628392497518976362018-04-30T09:52:26.460-05:002018-04-30T09:52:26.460-05:00Cayenne pepper overrides all sorts of things.... I...Cayenne pepper overrides all sorts of things.... I guess if I was starving, I could make myself eat anything. :) Vicky Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06351058753278492695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-18420919935577747232018-04-30T09:49:48.862-05:002018-04-30T09:49:48.862-05:00I don't think she tested every recipe, she jus...I don't think she tested every recipe, she just collected them. Sort of like me! Vicky Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06351058753278492695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-16074181683850431502018-04-30T09:48:44.060-05:002018-04-30T09:48:44.060-05:00You're welcome, Doris. Glad to assist in bring...You're welcome, Doris. Glad to assist in bringing up those old memories.Vicky Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06351058753278492695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-75634435402397443372018-04-30T08:52:42.073-05:002018-04-30T08:52:42.073-05:00I jut returned from the family ranch in Mexico. Th...I jut returned from the family ranch in Mexico. The vaqueros used to cook up armadillo, not so much any day, but occasionally. I never paid much attention to details, but the removed the head and legs and carefully gutted it,. Not sure of other prepare, but they laid it on its back and cooked it in the shell. I recall they used Cayenne pepper. Its not too bad if you were hungry. Good informative article.Gordohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17411491669023091364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-2189855326246839872018-04-29T23:53:23.918-05:002018-04-29T23:53:23.918-05:00I have a 1950's edition of "Joy of Cookin...I have a 1950's edition of "Joy of Cooking" that lists in the index oppossum (right after opera creams).Shayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16527241089629026268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-46905768574000189722018-04-29T23:11:42.964-05:002018-04-29T23:11:42.964-05:00Very useful. I've dined on rabbit and squirrel...Very useful. I've dined on rabbit and squirrel, but really never cared for them. One elderly lady had a couple of us over when we were younger and our feast was rabbit. She was so proud of her meal. <br /><br />I hadn't thought of that in some time. Thanks for the memory nudge. DorisRenaissance Womenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09045401344374224512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-55376610650610876642018-04-29T21:40:18.745-05:002018-04-29T21:40:18.745-05:00Wow, what a great story. I didn't know that ab...Wow, what a great story. I didn't know that about the Mustang grape jelly, or about the bear. It's so great what you are teaching the scouts. I've met grown women who didn't believe me when I said bacon came from hogs. :) Vicky Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06351058753278492695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-78639470343990036742018-04-29T19:58:28.456-05:002018-04-29T19:58:28.456-05:00Great essay, Vicky. It brought back a lot of memor...Great essay, Vicky. It brought back a lot of memories. Mustang grape jelly is pretty good so long as you let the juice stand in a glass bowl or crock for a few hours to let the tartaric acid settle out. Otherwise, it's pretty gritty and tends to burn my mouth. We found a jar of jelly recently from grapes picked by our 33 year old son back when he was seven. It's become something of a conversation piece about how tough we were on him as a kid to make him pick those itchy grapes when we lived in Texas... <br /><br />Here in Alaska we don't eat grizzly bear (though some Natives do) but spring black bear is really tasty, especially when marinated it in milk. I know a Yup'ik woman who makes the best donuts, frying them in bear grease. <br />I help out the local Boy Scout troop with their spring campout each year. We give every two boys a live chicken that they dispatch and prepare for their evening meal after the hike into camp. They learn a lot of skills along with the fact that meat doesn't always come wrapped in plastic, and, if they're gonna be meat eaters, not to let others always do their killin' for them. Marc Cameronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14652887133889558701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-75707226452311577412018-04-29T18:38:45.928-05:002018-04-29T18:38:45.928-05:00No, I think the muscadines have a musky taste. Mus...No, I think the muscadines have a musky taste. Mustang grapes are really too bitter to eat even when ripe; they have to have sugar added. When I think of all those snakes probably lurking about in among all those dewberries we picked when we were kids....Vicky Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06351058753278492695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-80317853217172924162018-04-29T18:34:24.891-05:002018-04-29T18:34:24.891-05:00Yes, if we were hungry enough, I guess we would. T...Yes, if we were hungry enough, I guess we would. There is an armadillo in my yard right now, but I have no plans to catch him! Vicky Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06351058753278492695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-81849972749598797622018-04-29T18:13:17.957-05:002018-04-29T18:13:17.957-05:00Vicky, I grew up picking dewberries, as I'm su...Vicky, I grew up picking dewberries, as I'm sure you did too. Do you think mustang grapes are the same as muscadines? We had those aplenty as well. Thanks for the recipes. I'll, um, be watching the roadside for some prime armadillo/possum carcasses. (not)Vonn McKeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02271500340284234767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-63798555012672551502018-04-29T18:12:49.707-05:002018-04-29T18:12:49.707-05:00Thanks for an informative post -- I agree with mos...Thanks for an informative post -- I agree with most everybody else -- I'd only try some of that stuff if I were truly starving!J.E.S. Hayshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04040717916141732624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-60715238362428306462018-04-29T18:05:45.404-05:002018-04-29T18:05:45.404-05:00I agree! Even though I had one woman tell me possu...I agree! Even though I had one woman tell me possum was really good, I don't think I want to try it!Vicky Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06351058753278492695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-63703483645147589852018-04-29T18:04:31.046-05:002018-04-29T18:04:31.046-05:00Thank you, Cheryl. I tried to eat fresh killed chi...Thank you, Cheryl. I tried to eat fresh killed chicken from the farmer's market, and it was so strong, I couldn't stand it. Too used to those bland supermarket chickens.Vicky Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06351058753278492695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-91158052950054450982018-04-29T18:03:15.034-05:002018-04-29T18:03:15.034-05:00Probably, Kay. I'm watching the grapes around ...Probably, Kay. I'm watching the grapes around here so I can try it. I've only eaten squirrel, and it was good. Vicky Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06351058753278492695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-29146124400379806912018-04-29T17:46:09.912-05:002018-04-29T17:46:09.912-05:00This is in the category of "you do what you&#...This is in the category of "you do what you've gotta do." LOL. But it's sure interesting. I didn't know about the scent glands on raccoons. Muskrats--our cat used to think they made a tasty meal but we sure never ate them. I guess if we'd been hungry enough, we would've. Our pioneer antecedents were sure resourceful and hearty.Jacquie Rogershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17361793932364487636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-66201234828540647082018-04-29T15:06:03.428-05:002018-04-29T15:06:03.428-05:00Oh, Vicky...I would have starved to death. LOL Thi...Oh, Vicky...I would have starved to death. LOL This is really interesting! I admit, I would not know where to begin to cook any of these but maybe if I lived "back in the day" and had grown up eating it I would feel differently. LOL Your book looks wonderful, too! Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-86627493624265117912018-04-29T14:40:13.512-05:002018-04-29T14:40:13.512-05:00Vicky,
The one time I attempted to make a batch o...Vicky,<br /><br />The one time I attempted to make a batch of Hard Tack was a disaster. I swear it came out harder than concrete. lol I've eaten rabbit many times. Muskrat once... ewww. The Mustang Green Grape Pie recipe reminds me of gooseberry pie. I wonder if mustang green grapes are as tart as gooseberries? <br />Kaye Spencerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13530735658588595790noreply@blogger.com