The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Wizard on January 13, 2010, 09:43:39 am

Title: Do you really believe me?
Post by: Wizard on January 13, 2010, 09:43:39 am
Hello all There has been quite a lot of snow in parts of Lincolnshire 2" at most in Grimsby.9" or more in some places on the wolds.So,Spring is definitely coming I say so.Yesterday I was in Cabourne and the rooks that live in the rookery in the churchyard were very busy repairing and building their nests.I can remember when the first nest appeared in a tree in John Linegars garden There is almost 50 nests now in his garden and the churchyard.The next time I call at Church Farm I will count the nests.I am looking forward to the time not far away when Somebody rings me up and says "Do you want some rooks I culled them a bit yesterday so nip ower and help your self before I bury them.Mouth is watering at the thought!When its time for rook pie its also time for lamb tail pie but I am not a lover of that its bonier than kippers lol.
Just another thing in passing Did you see Ruth making brawn (souse) last night I did some for Christmas exactly the same way.Read how I did it in recipes.Nice to be right once in a while intit? Best wishes to all George and Kath
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: sandy on January 13, 2010, 10:53:35 am
Never tasted rook, puts me off a bit that they are scavengers, have you every eaten Hedgehog? I am told it's a cross between pork and chicken...I know it was traditionaly cooked in a clay pit so when the clay was pulled off the spikes came off as well......I am too lazy to fuss about for my food, just eat what I see in the shops!!!
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: sheila on January 14, 2010, 12:57:27 am
Yesterday i ate roasted Kangaroo tail for dinner. It was a bit disapointing. I don't know what I was expecting but it was just like oxtail but a bit more gelutinous.
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: Hilarysmum on January 14, 2010, 09:11:12 am
We had ostrich at a friend's and I have some aligator steaks in the freezer.  Not too sure about them yet.
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: sandy on January 14, 2010, 09:22:49 am
Well I will eat almost anything, just pushing myself to try....I wonder if they sell Kangeroo tail, Croc meat or Rooks in Tesco ???Ummm
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: Wizard on January 14, 2010, 09:46:24 am
Hello tnx for replies I don't know if I asked my question wrong I meant spring is on the way with the rooks nest repairing.Now being over 70 yrs old my yesterday memory isn't what it was so please excuse me if I name one of you and it wasn't your reply.There are two Ostrich farms quite near to here one at Moorby near Horncastle and one near Scunthorpe.Both attend the country fairs and of course Kath and I like to taste something different and new We bought a pack of beef burgers made with ostrich meat instead of beef and 4 ostrich steaks.Me I thought emmmm the burger is edible the steak more expensive than beef and in my opinion nothing like as good in taste flavour or texture.Kath liked them all she said they are a lovely change.I cannot comment on kangaroo anything never seen any offered.If the poster that asked me if I had tried Hedgehog the answer is No when I was a boy we had a proper gypsy family come and park the caravan in the green lane and I used to play with their children and was once offered a hedgehog back leg.I declined.Mary Mrs gypsy got some mud from the side of the beck and encased the spiky ball in about an inch maybe a bit thicker layer of the strong clay mud and put it in the fire embers I don't know how long but when she cracked it open the spines were all fast in the mud case and the meat looked beautifully cooked.What else was I asked I will have to close go and look and start a new reply I told you didn't I  :farmer:
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: Wizard on January 14, 2010, 10:04:35 am
Sandy sorry  Rook allow me to make a suggestion to you.Do you make pigeon pie if so how.I make my favorourite pastry and allow it to work in the fridge 1/2 hour While this is dooin I get a bird pull a few feathers off the breast and slit open the skin tear the skin and feathers up the bird exposing the breast meat which I carefully remove and save on a plate the rest of the bird I dump Line the bottom of a casserole dish with some breast and then a little thin layer of sliced onion some more breast and cover with some chopped uncooked ham or bacon not to thick a layer Then finish with another layer of breast meat sprinkle a little salt and pepper on each layer to you taste.Just dampen the meat with a drop of chicken stock and roll on the pastry lid .Bake in a moderate oven 50 - 60 minutes.Now Substitute Rook breast for the pigeon breast.Very good hot or cold. :farmer:
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: sandy on January 14, 2010, 10:12:40 am
Morning WIzard....I love the idea that there are WIzards!! anyway, I have had pigeon pie but years ago, just basic stuff, you recipe sound fantastic, I find, since having the B&B, I only cook simple stuff for us as in the evenings a lot of our guest either chat to us or pay us.....
Shame the Travellers old ways have gone, I doubt very much if any eat Hedghog now, most I used to work with had far more cash than I will ever see!!!
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: Wizard on January 14, 2010, 10:57:04 am
Hello Sandy I am a nice Wizard I think I was going to call myself Nosmo King but I decided against it. I share with all my recipe stories and help where I can Have been trying to help Miri With the OH Landie repair it wont go just when she really needs it.But thats the same with most things there is nothing wrong with the combine harvest while its in the barn this time of year is there?Yes worse luck they seem to be called "Pikies" these days and have a terrible reputation.I wonder how many genuine travellers whose Grand parents or parents had a bow topped wagon and horse and sold clothes pegs and lucky heather or did a job for you like sharpening your knives and scissors.Can you remember those people? G&K :farmer:
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: sandy on January 14, 2010, 11:21:45 am
I worked with lot's of travellers in my post as Youth Worker and enjoyed hearing about their culture, without getting into hot water, there old way of life is changing and they are not all travellers in the way they were, a lot I worked with had houses but did move around to relatives houses...I learnt a lot from my time working with them and alas, the reason they got a bad press is they were 1, an identifyable group of people so all labeled the same and 2 their transient lifestyle landed itself to attracting oddballs and criminals.......nothing is as it were, changes happen and we all move forward, not always good but always inevitable. One day I was walking in my dinner break and a "Gypsy" women came to me and I said I had no time as I was off back to work, she said some very nice things and looked into my eyes and said "soon your pain will be over " and then she left, I had a tear in my eye as for all my life I had been in loads of pain having to take daily fix of painkillers,and was on the waiting list for a hip operation, sure enough the letter arrived 2 day's later and she was so write, after the initial pain of the op, no more pain, I even used to say out load when I walked "NO PAIN"" wish she would have told me the winning lottery numbers as well ;D ;D
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: daniellestocks on January 14, 2010, 02:20:14 pm
We had ostrich at a friend's and I have some aligator steaks in the freezer.  Not too sure about them yet.
Ive had ostrich burgers i think its probably from the farmers where wizard said he had his from, as i got them from the farmers market in grimsby, yum yum! And i also had alligator ribs when i was younger, on a holiday to florida we visited gator world/land? and they had lots of gator on the menu! also yummy!
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: Hilarysmum on January 15, 2010, 12:29:51 pm
I think Tesco does ostrich and alligator.  Still leaving the gator in the freezer for now.  One of my favourite treats is escargot (snails) but still cant stand frogs legs, find it horrifying the way they are prepared, and fois gras.
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: sandy on January 15, 2010, 03:53:43 pm
Just think,an Ostrich or Allegator egg in an eggcup!! you would need some BIG soldiers to dip inthat
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: sandy on January 15, 2010, 06:45:57 pm
Just my  sense of humor...me thinking the thought of different/strange foods notbeing nice but to tell you the truth,I will just about eat anything
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: Fluffywelshsheep on January 15, 2010, 07:57:57 pm
tried croc, shark, and osterich, kagaroo when i was in prague all very nicely done :)
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: sandy on January 16, 2010, 09:56:15 pm
Reading your recipes Wizard you seem a very good and adventurous cook...can I come for dinner??? beats oven chips!
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: Wizard on January 17, 2010, 06:11:26 pm
Hello Sandy I didn't know where Clackmannon is so I wrote it in the Google box The resultant pages are very nice but its a long way from Grimsby.Should you ever venture South and come to see the Humber Bridge and the various other attractions Email me and well set a day and time.Feed you some proper food not this Michelin ? * muck.Some as ull put a linnin on yer tummy as Mother would say.Nothing like HFW at all but I will try any thing edible but not FISH I HATE FISH.I know its good for you its full of Omega 3 and all that rubbish.I have lasted 74 years this year We celebrated our Golden Wedding last December.Living on every thing that is bad for you like fat bacon fried fat roast beef.You can try some Stuffed chine and Lincolnshire haslet I am told they are an acquired taste but we have always eaten them.Same with suet puddings We love em  medium size basin wetted and a nice suet pastry liner filled with chopped bramley apples and a big spoon of golden syrup over then fold the sides over to make a lid cover with grease proof paper and steam a couple of hours.Serve with a good helping of custard.When you find a better pud let me know and I'll try it.(Not Christmas though they are special for use once a year lol ) :farmer:
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: Wizard on January 17, 2010, 06:19:00 pm
Sorry all.Sandy We tried oven chips and micro chips they are revolting I cannot dare not tell you what we thought of them.In the super markets the freezer will be full in the morning and if we have to go in an afternoon there will only be a few bags left so someone must eat them.As I said to Scatty they're like Tibetan Cow :farmer:
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: sandy on January 17, 2010, 06:24:45 pm
My mouth is watering, not made a steamed pudding for years as I am fat enough...my parents bought a house in Barton on the  Humber when the bridge was being built, they sold it millions of years ago then bought one in CLeethorps, lovely fish and chips there!!
Title: Re: Do you really believe me?
Post by: Wizard on January 18, 2010, 01:23:46 pm
Hey up Sandy Yes it does seem a long time ago since HMQ opened the Bridge doesn't it.I don't go far away now but in the past I have called at some of these fish and chip shops but when one is used to Steel's or Ernie Becketts Marklews and the like in Cleethorpes.I oft used to wonder how they sold any.Still if one hasn't tried Marklews one knows no better eh!You cannot be fat a little plump maybe but not fat I have weighed a pound either side of 16stn; (225lbs) since my teens and I shall be 74 this year as I keep saying.I eat fat anything ham, bacon, beef,suet pastry and don't tell anyone the rhubarb under the bucket is knobin nicely Oh! Rhubarb and treacle in a basin with suet pastry  :farmer:uuuummmmm!