[Wizard]

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

[sandy]

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!!!

[sheila]

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.

[Hilarysmum]

We had ostrich at a friend's and I have some aligator steaks in the freezer.  Not too sure about them yet.

[sandy]

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

[Wizard]

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 

[Wizard]

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.

[sandy]

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!!!

[Wizard]

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

[sandy]

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

[daniellestocks]

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!

[Hilarysmum]

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.

[sandy]

Just think,an Ostrich or Allegator egg in an eggcup!! you would need some BIG soldiers to dip inthat

[sandy]

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

[Fluffywelshsheep]

tried croc, shark, and osterich, kagaroo when i was in prague all very nicely done