Rocky Mountain Oysters, Yum!

 

 Lately my thoughts and blogs have circled around food, normal and a little off-market-type.  I once wrote about the roasted hog’s head on the kitchen table.  

Another food item was Rocky Mountain Oysters, also called nuts. This meant that the product was actually castrated testicles from steers and hogs. Information can be found at Castle Farm services

 

 This video is an in-depth explanation and demonstration of castration of hogs. Don't watch it, unless you have farm animal experience. I put this up for some bloggers to enjoy.

I know, it sounds brutal, but this method of sterilization takes the hormonal urges that a steer would experience. It keeps the breeding limited to the stud bull and boar.

On our hog farm, Dad did castrated pigs when they have "nuts". Once when I was 8, he wanted me to pick up the nuts after he cut and tossed them over his shoulder.  I was okay with the picking up, but the squealing really frightened me. 

At dinner time, Mom and I took those slimy bits, scrubbed them and rinsed in brine.  She breaded and then deep fat fried.  And they were delicious. When he cut the next bunch, I helped and then I discovered what those were, and that we were eating them. My delight in these quickly dissipated.

Life is not so much about what we have eaten, but it is more about the foods we have not yet eaten.  This topic all depends on the spirit of adventure, how much one possesses of that elusive spirit, and whether one responds positively to going with the spirit.

Let’s face it: how many traditional Thanksgiving meals can one take?  How many pot roasts?  How many gallons of homemade mashed potatoes?  Well, on the potatoes, I can still eat more of them, and pumpkin pie. But, as for other normal meals, don’t you ever get tired of them? 

 

 

A family friend had caught a snapping turtle, and knew Mom could cook about anything.  He cleaned it (nasty job, I tell you), and Mom made a stew. It was delicious, but I quietly noted that the bones were not beef bones. She gave me a look and a smile, as she served it up. My brothers, being dim even on good days, enjoyed it until the end when they could see that those bones were different.  Mom shrugged her shoulders, and I smiled.

 

Other unusual food products are:

 

Here are some bizarre foods that have made their way into people's plates you may have never heard of.

 

Fried Alligator on a Stick. ...Not available at that time.

Road Kill. ...not on my plate

Provel Cheese. ...St. Louis MO, product

Poop on a Shingle. ..This is ground beef or turkey on a roll, covered with gravy..
 

Frog Legs. ...bad texture, made me gag.

Fried Rattlesnake. ...had some in Phoenix, AZ. Over cooked, it was like eat balls of rubber.
 

Chocolate-Covered Grasshoppers. ...Who hasn't enjoyed this product??

Beef Tongue...Dad liked it, but I wasn't starving enough to try it.
 

Calf brains, also called "sweetbread"

What have you eaten or tried to eat? Go ahead, be bold. List those unusual foods!

Really Unususal Foods

 

 Nuts

Lately my thoughts and blogs have circled around food, normal and a little off-market-type.  I wrote about the roasted hog head on the kitchen table sometime last year.

Life is not so much about what we have eaten, but it is more about the foods we have not yet eaten.  This topic all depends on the spirit of adventure, how much one possesses of that elusive spirit, and whether one responds positively to going with the spirit.

Let’s face it: how many traditional Thanksgiving meals can one take?  How many pot roasts?  How many gallons of homemade mashed potatoes?  Well, on the potatoes, I can still eat more of them.  But, as for other normal meals, don’t you ever get tired of them? 

I mean, what about…say…roast snapping turtle…fried frog legs :}…sautéed sweetmeats (calf brains)…venison chili?  This only covers the main entrée, not the side dishes or desserts.

 

 

What I would love to hear from anyone is a recipe they have tried or eaten, something that surprised them.  Please, please, share the recipe with this truly adventurous blogging community. 

If you are running dry on ideas for blog posts, this is like a free-bee! Call an elderly relative who most likely has access to some really interesting recipes.  Post it on your blog. 

I am just curious what you might come up with, if allowed to rumble and ransack through some old recipes.recipes 

 

  Mom could cook anything, including wild game.  In a way, I am relieved that I am not tempted to cook something. I am known for being feisty.

 

A Crazy Goose Story

There must a universal crazy goose theme to merit a bronze statuette.

This is a crazy goose story.  Apparently there are many of these stories around the world, which scares me a little.  Geese are universally crazy.

My brother Don was driving the tractor from one field down the road to our house.  As he passed Neighbor Jim’s field, he saw a drama developing.  Turning off the tractor, Don watched.

Holiday Ranch

The field was spotted with grazing cows and a bull.  This bull was quite full of himself, with all those breeding cows.

Also in the field was a Canadian goose, injured with a shotgun pellet in its wing.  Not a serious injury, it could still fly across the field, but not all the way to South America.  At least for a few weeks when another “V” of geese flew overhead, crazy goose found shelter with the herd.

One thing about geese is that they eat grain, corn, and its relatives in any form they find it.  Cow patties are full of partially digesting grains, so the crazy goose followed the cows around and happily filled up on what was literally left behind.

The bull was offended.  He chased the goose away from his cows, strutting in triumph.  This happened again and again.  Crazy goose clearly had to do something.

Do not trust a goose.

As the bull grazed, crazy goose waddled up behind the bull.  Going between the hind legs, crazy goose positioned itself beneath the bull’s reason for living: his testicles.  With a well-placed nip, crazy goose hit those testicles spot on, right where it hurt the most.

The bull bellowed, reared and jumped, while crazy goose flew to the end of the field.

Gaining his composure, the bull settled down.  Crazy goose moved in for another strike.  This went on for a good thirty minutes. 

After numerous successful hits, crazy goose ventured up to a warm cow patty, finding some corn right on top.  The bull snorted and moved a good distance away from crazy goose.

An acceptable peace had been reached.  My brother Don started up the tractor and chuckled all the way home.

Don't mess with geese. Seriously.

YouTube:  DO NOT

turn your back on them.  Face them, hit them with something solid. Yell at them loudly, start chasing them.  Suggestions from those who have been attacked.

We are on a break and have turned off the comment section. But I hope you will still enjoy!