Gastronomy

A little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down your pants.
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Antipatros
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by Antipatros »

Squirrel recipes are starting to look tempting. I have several of those vermin*** continually trying to raid my bird feeders. That offends me.

***I have designated the worst culprits "Black Bastard," "Scruffy Tail," and "Mrs. Scruffy Tail." "Black Bastard" and his schwarzoid kind were introduced from Ottawa in the 1950s. Nothing good comes from Ottawa (with the debatable possibilities of Five Man Electrical Band and Alanis Morissette), so I assume he would be gamier and skankier than his western cousins.

But I'd eat the Scruffy Tail family last, just out of spite.
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
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Marcus
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Location: Alaska

Re: Gastronomy

Post by Marcus »

Growing up in very rural East Texas, squirrel hunting was serious business for my wife's grandpa and serious business when it came to eating them. Nothing wrong with them at all . . have killed and eaten many growing up in Michigan. Here, for your consideration, is a recipe for squirrel from the Cooking Alaskan cookbook.

Roast Squirrel

Dressed squirrels, 2 or 3 depending on size
1/2 cup oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups bread dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Melted butter
Grated onion

Wash the dressed squirrels under running water & wipe dry (be sure to remove scent glands from forelegs); mix the oil & lemon juice, pour over meat & let stand for an hour; stuff the squirrels with dressing, salt & pepper; roast at 350˚ for 2 hours; baste frequently with butter to which a little grated onion has been added.

As Jacques would say, "Happy cooking."
IMG_0238.jpg
IMG_0238.jpg (25.43 KiB) Viewed 3491 times
. . taken from our back deck . .
"The jawbone of an ass is just as dangerous a weapon today as in Sampson's time."
--- Richard Nixon
******************
"I consider looseness with words no less of a defect than looseness of the bowels."
—John Calvin
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Antipatros
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by Antipatros »

Thanks. I'd probably add a healthy dose of cayenne, since they've ignored it at concentrations that violate several international protocols on chemical warfare. So much for expert opinion.

Perhaps squirrel vindaloo, suicide hot....
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
AzariLoveIran

Re: Gastronomy

Post by AzariLoveIran »

Marcus wrote:.

Growing up in very rural East Texas, squirrel hunting was serious business for my wife's grandpa and serious business when it came to eating them. Nothing wrong with them at all . . have killed and eaten many growing up in Michigan. Here, for your consideration, is a recipe for squirrel from the Cooking Alaskan cookbook.

Roast Squirrel

Dressed squirrels, 2 or 3 depending on size
1/2 cup oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups bread dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Melted butter
Grated onion

Wash the dressed squirrels under running water & wipe dry (be sure to remove scent glands from forelegs); mix the oil & lemon juice, pour over meat & let stand for an hour; stuff the squirrels with dressing, salt & pepper; roast at 350˚ for 2 hours; baste frequently with butter to which a little grated onion has been added.

As Jacques would say, "Happy cooking."
IMG_0238.jpg
. . taken from our back deck . .


.

interesting

never heard one would eat squirrel

how does it taste, Marcus ?


.
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Antipatros
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by Antipatros »

There is a fascinating shop here called Utsuwa-No-Yakata, which means, evidently, "House of Pottery." In addition to tablewares (ranging from the most humble to some really stunning pieces) and lacquerware, they sell utilitarian items such as plastic bento boxes, Japanese compartmented lunchboxes.

There are a number of websites specialising in recipes for bento use. Here is one:

Bento Recipes: Index

http://justbento.com/recipes
A sortable index of all recipes and how-tos on Just Bento. Click on the Title or Posted column headers to re-sort!

All the recipes on Just Bento are bento friendly. Most are meant to be eaten cold (at room temperature), and do not need reheating at lunchtime unless specified otherwise. They also hold up well and do not spoil for a few hours. There are a few recipes or bento combinations for which an ice pack, or alternatively a thermal lunch jar or re-heating in a microwave is recommended, but that is clearly stated in the recipe.

You can click on the Categories to get relevant lists. For example: Japanese recipes; Not Japanese recipes; vegan recipes and so on.

You can also click on the following links to go to lists of specific types of recipes:
[*] The main or star part of your bento box - proteins and carbs for the most part
[*] Bento sides and space fillers - mostly vegetables or secondary proteins
[*] Recipes that can be made in advance and stocked in the freezer, refrigerator or pantry - johbisai (staples). These are the standbys of any bento box creator seeking to put together varied, tasty boxes with minimal fuss in the morning or the night before.

Also see:
[*] Lists of all complete bentos, with thumbnails, on Just Bento: Bentos no. 1 to 30; Bentos no. 31 to 60; Bentos no. 61 to current.
[*] Recipe index on Just Hungry, our big sister site, which is mainly dedicated to Japanese cooking. Many recipes there (especially the ones posted prior to October 2007, when Just Bento was born) can be used in bento boxes, especially in the Japanese category.
[*] Index of all entries on Just Bento....
Frugality is an admirable quality, but brown-bagging your lunch need not be boring.
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
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Marcus
Posts: 2409
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 2:23 pm
Location: Alaska

Re: Gastronomy

Post by Marcus »

AzariLoveIran wrote:
Marcus wrote:Growing up in very rural East Texas, squirrel hunting was serious business for my wife's grandpa and serious business when it came to eating them. Nothing wrong with them at all . . have killed and eaten many growing up in Michigan. Here, for your consideration, is a recipe for squirrel from the Cooking Alaskan cookbook.

Roast Squirrel

Dressed squirrels, 2 or 3 depending on size
1/2 cup oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups bread dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Melted butter
Grated onion

Wash the dressed squirrels under running water & wipe dry (be sure to remove scent glands from forelegs); mix the oil & lemon juice, pour over meat & let stand for an hour; stuff the squirrels with dressing, salt & pepper; roast at 350˚ for 2 hours; baste frequently with butter to which a little grated onion has been added.
interesting

never heard one would eat squirrel

how does it taste, Marcus ?
ALI,

Squirrel tastes pretty good . . less gamey than most wild meat . . on the mild side and a bit "sweet" if that makes sense. Young squirrels are tender, old squirrels can be tough and need to be cooked appropriately.

I've killed and eaten fox squirrels in Michigan, grey squirrels in Texas, and red squirrels in Alaska.
"The jawbone of an ass is just as dangerous a weapon today as in Sampson's time."
--- Richard Nixon
******************
"I consider looseness with words no less of a defect than looseness of the bowels."
—John Calvin
AzariLoveIran

Re: Gastronomy

Post by AzariLoveIran »

Marcus wrote:
AzariLoveIran wrote:
Marcus wrote:Growing up in very rural East Texas, squirrel hunting was serious business for my wife's grandpa and serious business when it came to eating them. Nothing wrong with them at all . . have killed and eaten many growing up in Michigan. Here, for your consideration, is a recipe for squirrel from the Cooking Alaskan cookbook.

Roast Squirrel

Dressed squirrels, 2 or 3 depending on size
1/2 cup oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups bread dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Melted butter
Grated onion

Wash the dressed squirrels under running water & wipe dry (be sure to remove scent glands from forelegs); mix the oil & lemon juice, pour over meat & let stand for an hour; stuff the squirrels with dressing, salt & pepper; roast at 350˚ for 2 hours; baste frequently with butter to which a little grated onion has been added.
interesting

never heard one would eat squirrel

how does it taste, Marcus ?
ALI,

Squirrel tastes pretty good . . less gamey than most wild meat . . on the mild side and a bit "sweet" if that makes sense. Young squirrels are tender, old squirrels can be tough and need to be cooked appropriately.

I've killed and eaten fox squirrels in Michigan, grey squirrels in Texas, and red squirrels in Alaska.

.

first time I hear eating squirrels , never thought of it

must taste like rabbit

in France, most restaurants have rabbit on menu .. very common, now everywhere .. not my favorite, though my wife likes it

My favorite is venison


.
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Antipatros
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Vegetable suet

Post by Antipatros »

Canadian Living presents... Cook Britain

Celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with delicious sweet and savoury recipes

http://www.canadianliving.com/food/ente ... ritain.php

My wife picked up a copy of the above as a convenient collection of (primarily) traditional recipes, which we otherwise have scattered through dozens of cookbooks. Unfortunately, many of the recipes call for vegetable suet and warn of dire consequences if one substitutes something else. For example, the pastry in the steak and kidney pudding recipe specifies vegetable suet. Traditionally, of course, one would simply use the suet from coring the kidneys.

I checked the glossary. It says vegetable suet is made from vegetable oil and stabilisers. Then I turned to the internet, which seems to be full of Canadians and Australians asking, "What the devil is vegetable suet? Where can I get it? Can I make my own?"

I learned that vegetable suet first gained prominence in Britain in the wake of the BSE crisis. Atora and Tesco are leading brands. But it is generally made from palm oil and uncooked rice flour, plus unspecified other ingredients. It is thus similar to beurre manié. Some vegans, whom one might think would be the target market for the product, were not at all pleased with the BBC for promoting its use, since demand for palm oil is destroying the rainforests!

I also learned that it is available at extortionate cost at British import shops, or occasionally at a national supermarket chain. I've yet to determine its availability at organic markets, etc.

Many people have had good results substituting other fats. Some simply use the traditional beef suet; others unsalted butter, frozen and grated; still others cophra [coconut oil]; and, my favourite solution, Crisco.

Edit, people, edit! Don't assert that there is no easy substitute when in fact a whole range are available.
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
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Marcus
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Location: Alaska

Re: Gastronomy

Post by Marcus »

AzariLoveIran wrote:first time I hear eating squirrels , never thought of it
must taste like rabbit
in France, most restaurants have rabbit on menu .. very common, now everywhere .. not my favorite, though my wife likes it
My favorite is venison
ALI, first there's no comparing wild rabbit to tame rabbit . . entirely and totally different. Squirrel tastes like neither. Here's another recipe for an animal you may not have considered eating. The recipe is from the wife of a guy with whom I used to trap beaver . . she won a cooking contest with it . . works with any red meat. . just substitute two or three pounds of meat for the beaver.
Beaver recipe.jpg
Beaver recipe.jpg (68.63 KiB) Viewed 3471 times
I made it earlier this year using bison . . had guests for dinner . . everyone liked it . .
"The jawbone of an ass is just as dangerous a weapon today as in Sampson's time."
--- Richard Nixon
******************
"I consider looseness with words no less of a defect than looseness of the bowels."
—John Calvin
AzariLoveIran

Re: Gastronomy

Post by AzariLoveIran »

Marcus wrote:.
AzariLoveIran wrote:.

first time I hear eating squirrels , never thought of it
must taste like rabbit
in France, most restaurants have rabbit on menu .. very common, now everywhere .. not my favorite, though my wife likes it
My favorite is venison

.
ALI, first there's no comparing wild rabbit to tame rabbit . . entirely and totally different. Squirrel tastes like neither. Here's another recipe for an animal you may not have considered eating. The recipe is from the wife of a guy with whom I used to trap beaver . . she won a cooking contest with it . . works with any red meat. . just substitute two or three pounds of meat for the beaver.
Beaver recipe.jpg
I made it earlier this year using bison . . had guests for dinner . . everyone liked it . .

.

interesting

well

theoretically one can eat pretty much all wild meat .. question only is whether it taste good

I have eaten buffalo stake .. like it .. also Cariboo

and

Canadian brown Bear feet .. tastes good

2 yrs ago I was in Portugal, Lisbon .. had Alentejano stake .. tastes excellent


.
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Marcus
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Location: Alaska

Re: Gastronomy

Post by Marcus »

AzariLoveIran wrote:. . one can eat pretty much all wild meat .. question only is whether it taste good

Canadian brown Bear feet .. tastes good

2 yrs ago I was in Portugal, Lisbon .. had Alentejano stake .. tastes excellent
Ninety-nine percent of what gives wild game a bad rep is that it wasn't taken care of properly . . not cooled down quickly, dirt, etc. People will eat a piece of poorly treated game and complain of an off-taste/wild taste that never would have been there had the animal been properly cared for. A few years back, a friend, his wife, and two teen age boys came up to visit. Happened to have some black bear meat in the freezer . . cut it up into a stew . . served it to our guests for supper and afterwards asked them if they knew they had just eaten bear . . they hadn't a clue . . and loved the stew.

One of my wife's friend's husband got a black bear this spring, and the lady gave us a three-pound piece, which my wife corned. We slice it and eat it with eggs for breakfast . . better'n bacon.

Parts of Texas are overrun with feral hogs . . some serious meat-hunting . . :)

I've eaten deer, moose, elk, caribou, bison, rabbit, squirrel, beaver, goat, sheep, and probably a few more that I missed. Head-and-shoulders and by far the best is sheep.

Two wild game meals remain in my memory: the first time I ate morel mushrooms fried with deer steak that my great-uncle had violated . . that was over 60 years ago. The other was pieces of Dall sheep liver and loin roasted on sticks over an alder fire by the Yellowjacket River in Alaska's Talkeetna Mountains.
"The jawbone of an ass is just as dangerous a weapon today as in Sampson's time."
--- Richard Nixon
******************
"I consider looseness with words no less of a defect than looseness of the bowels."
—John Calvin
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Antipatros
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by Antipatros »

Here are some Cajun recipes for critters from The Prudhomme Family Cookbook: Old-Time Louisiana Recipes by the eleven Prudhomme brothers and sisters and Chef Paul Prudhomme.

A rich stock is simply a basic stock reduced to half its original volume.

Calvin and Marie’s recipe:

Smothered Rabbit with Rusty Gravy

(Etouffée de Lapin dans une Sauce Rouillée)

Makes 4 to 6 main-dish servings.

Smothered rabbit is actually rabbit etouffée, and for those of you who think the only good etouffée is a crawfish or shrimp etouffée, we say, "You must try this!" Almost everything that can be cooked can be smothered or etoufféed, according to the Prudhommes, and game and poultry are especially good smothered….

The "rusty gravy" of Calvin and Marie's smothered rabbit is made with the browned sediment that forms while the rabbit is cooking. This dish is extraordinary in that only a few relatively simple ingre-dients produce a strikingly complex and fine taste. It is cooked for fairly long periods of time over high heat. If your gas burner or electric cooking element produces a very high heat, or if your pot is not a heavy one, you will need to adjust the temperature down.


Seasoning mix:
2 teaspoons salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
½ teaspoon black pepper

2 (2-pound) domestic rabbits, cut up
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
½ cup finely chopped green bell peppers
¼ cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons very finely chopped garlic
7 cups, in all, Rich Rabbit or Chicken Stock
Hot Basic Cooked Rice or hot Crusty Houseboat Biscuits

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl and set aside.

Bone just enough rabbit to yield a heaping ½ cup meat (one back thigh should be just right); chop the meat very finely and set aside.

Place the rabbit pieces (but not the chopped meat) in a heavy 8¬-quart saucepan. Sprinkle the seasoning mix on both sides of the meat, working it in with your hands and using it all. Add the oil to the bottom of the pan. Cover pan and cook over high heat about 5 minutes without stirring. Remove lid, turn meat over, and scrape pan bottom well. Re-cover pan and cook until meat is well browned and oil is a rusty color, about 20 minutes, stirring well every 2 to 3 minutes and turning meat occasionally. Be sure to let sediment stick before you stir.

Add the chopped rabbit meat, onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic; cook until chopped meat is browned, about 5 minutes more, stirring and thoroughly scraping pan bottom almost constantly. (This continuous process of letting sediment stick and then scraping pan bottom is what makes the gravy so good.) Now add 2 cups of the stock, stirring and scraping pan bottom clean. Cover pan and cook about 10 minutes, stirring and scraping occasionally. Stir in 1 cup more stock, re-cover pan, and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining 4 cups stock and cook until meat is tender and flavors marry, about 30 minutes more, stirring occa¬sionally.

Remove from heat and serve immediately over rice or with hot biscuits.
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
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Antipatros
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by Antipatros »

Calvin and Marie’s recipe:

Stuffed Rabbit Legs

(Lapin Piqûre à I'Ail)

Makes 4 main-dish servings

Calvin and Marie rarely cook game rabbits now; they prefer do¬mestic rabbit because the meat is much more tender and cooks more quickly. Calvin created this stuffed rabbit especially for the cookbook, calling on all he learned "growing up in a family where wonderful food was served three times a day." It's garlicky and delicious.

You will need to buy two whole rabbits: Cut off the back legs to stuff and use 4 ounces (½ cup) of the remaining meat in the stuffing itself. The leftover rabbit can be cooked in a gumbo or in any other way you would cook chicken. The rabbit tenderloin (that succulent strip of meat on either side of the backbone) is great boned and lightly sautéed in butter. You will need a food injector to inject the vegetable puree into the meat.


1¼ cups, in all, Rich Rabbit or Chicken Stock
¼ cup finely chopped onions
¼ cup finely chopped green bell peppers
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
½ cup ground or very finely chopped rabbit meat (4 ounces)
¼ cup finely chopped green onions (tops only)
2 tablespoons very fine dry bread crumbs
4 back legs of domestic rabbit
Hot Basic Cooked Rice, optional

In a 1-quart saucepan, combine ¼ cup of the stock with the onions, bell peppers, celery, garlic, salt, and black and red peppers. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and immediately transfer mixture to a blender. Blend on highest speed until mixture is a very smooth puree, pushing sides down with a rubber spatula as necessary so that every piece of vegetable gets pureed. (Be sure to make the mixture as smooth as possible so it
won't stop up the food injector.)

In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the puree with the ground rabbit meat, green onions, and bread crumbs, mixing well. Set aside.

Make pockets in each back leg as follows: Place meat flat on a cutting board, with fleshier side up. With a paring knife, cut a slit along the thighbone - down to the bone but no deeper - about 3 inches long. With meat still lying flat, cut a horizontal pocket (that is, parallel to the cutting board) on each side of the thighbone. Make each pocket as large as possible without piercing through to the sur¬face of the meat; this is easier to do if you start with the knife and then use your fingers to enlarge the pockets on either side.

Fill the pockets with the ground-meat mixture, packing it in well and using it all.

Put the remaining puree in a food injector and inject some of the puree into the meatiest part of each leg, making 3 to 5 injections in each side of the meat (don't inject puree into the stuffing) and using as much of the puree as possible. If you have a little left over that won't go through the injector, rub it over the surface of the meat.

Place the legs in a single layer, stuffing side up, in an ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Pour the remaining 1 cup stock around the meat and seal pan well with aluminum foil. Bake at 4500 for about 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until meat is done and browned on top, 30 to 35 minutes more. Remove from oven and serve immediately as is or with rice, spooning some of the pan drippings over the rice and meat.
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
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Antipatros
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by Antipatros »

Enola and Shelton’s recipe:

Super Squirrel

(Ēcureuil dans une Sauce Rouillée)

Game squirrels and rabbits are quite different, in taste and in size. Rabbits are very meaty and can be used in many dishes; they're excellent stewed, smothered, or cooked in gumbo, jambalaya, and sauce piquant. Squirrels are small animals with very little meat and, although they are good in gumbo and jambalaya, they are unquestionably best cooked in a gravy. Nothing makes a better gravy than several fresh squirrels - and squirrels are so small that it does take several to make even a few servings….

Do try to find a source for fresh squirrel during hunting season (usually October and November in most states) to try this fine example of game cooking.


4 squirrels, cleaned and each cut into 6 to 8 pieces (about 2 pounds dressed meat)

Seasoning mix:
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ pound (1 stick) margarine
4 cups finely chopped onions, in all
2 cups finely chopped green bell peppers
2 teaspoons minced garlic
About 3 cups Basic Chicken Stock
¼ cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup finely chopped green onions (tops only)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup finely chopped mushrooms
2 to 3 cups hot Basic Cooked Rice
Smothered Potatoes, optional

Place the squirrel pieces in a large bowl. Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl, mixing well. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mix evenly over the meat, working it in with your hands. Let meat sit about 30 minutes at room tem¬perature.

Sprinkle the meat very lightly and evenly on both sides with the flour, working the flour in well with your hands; set aside.

Heat a very large heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat until very hot, about 4 minutes. Carefully add the margarine to the hot pan and heat until it is half melted. Add the squirrel pieces and cook until well browned, letting some of the pieces stick to the pan bottom before turning, about 4 minutes per side, stirring and scraping pan bottom occasionally. (The browned parts that stick to the pan bottom are essential to the flavor of the gravy.) Add 2 cups of the onions and sauté about 2 minutes, stirring and scraping constantly. Add the bell peppers and garlic; cook about 10 minutes, stirring and scraping occasionally.

Now add ½ cup of the stock, 1 teaspoon seasoning mix, the sherry, Worcestershire, and the remaining 2 cups onions, stirring well. Reduce heat to low and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ½ cup more stock and the green onions and parsley, stirring and scraping pan bottom well; cook about 10 minutes, stirring and scraping occasionally. Add 1 cup more stock and the remaining 1 teaspoon seasoning mix, stirring and scraping pan bottom well. Reduce heat to very low and cook until meat is tender, about 20 minutes more, stirring occasion¬ally. (Meat from older squirrels may require longer cooking; if neces¬sary, add more stock or water to cook meat until tender.) Remove from heat and set aside.

In a 1-quart saucepan, melt the butter over high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

For each serving, spoon a portion of meat and gravy over about ½ cup rice and top the meat with a portion of drained mushrooms. Serve Smothered Potatoes on the side, if desired.

Ralph and Mary Ann’s recipe:

Smothered Potatoes

(Patates Etouffées)

Makes 8 to 10 side-dish servings

Ralph and Mary Ann's smothered potatoes are delicious. He loves to spread them on Mary Ann's homemade yeast rolls to make a potato sandwich.

This dish is cooked for fairly long periods of time over high heat. If your gas burner or electric cooking element produces a very high heat, or if your pot is not a heavy one, you will need to adjust the temperature down.


⅓ cup vegetable oil
3 pounds potatoes, peeled, sliced ¼ inch thick, and cut into about 1-inch squares
1½ cups very finely chopped onions
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon white pepper
1½ cups, in all, Rich Stock (preferred) or water (see NOTE)
½ cup finely chopped green onions (tops only)

NOTE: Use chicken stock if you're serving the potatoes with a chicken dish, beef stock with a beef dish, and so on.

In a very large skillet (preferably cast iron), heat the oil over high heat about 1 minute. Add the potatoes, onions, salt, black pepper, garlic, and white pepper, stirring well. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring and scraping pan bottom well only when mixture is browning and starting to stick excessively, but doing so each time that occurs. (It's this sticking process that makes these potatoes special, so be sure to let the mixture stick before you stir!)

Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture is mottled brown throughout, about 20 minutes, stirring and scraping only occasionally. Add ½ cup of the stock and scrape pan bottom well; cook about 5 minutes, stirring only once or twice. Add ½ cup more stock and cook about 5 minutes, stirring and scraping well and breaking up half of the potato pieces, if not already broken up, so the potatoes are half creamed, half lumpy. Add the remaining ½ cup stock and the green onions, stirring well. Cook about 5 minutes more, stirring and scraping occasionally. Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
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Antipatros
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by Antipatros »

Turtle meat: In Louisiana, turtle meat (both fresh and frozen) is available in many seafood markets and specialty food stores. If it’s scarce in your area, try Chinatown markets before you give up looking for it. In South Louisiana, turtle meat is sold boned or bone-in, and often the meat is repacked in the shell.
Calvin and Marie’s recipe:

Turtle Sauce Piquant

(Sauce Piquante de Tortue)

Makes 4 to 6 main-dish servings

Calvin enjoys cooking his recipe for turtle sauce piquant because it reminds him of Mom's good turtle dishes. It is cooked for fairly long periods of time over high heat. If your gas burner or electric cooking element produces a very high heat, or if your pot is not a heavy one, you will need to adjust the temperature down.

About 4 pounds bone-in turtle meat, or 3 pounds boneless turtle meat, or bone-in meat from a 6¬ to B-pound whole turtle, including shell (see NOTE)

¾ cup vegetable oil
2 cups finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped green bell peppers
1 cup finely chopped celery
2 teaspoons minced garlic
4 cups Rich Turtle or Beef Stock
2 (B-ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
1¾ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ cup finely chopped green onions ( tops only)
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Hot Basic Cooked Rice

NOTE: It's better to select one large turtle instead of more than one small turtle; otherwise, you will have a lot of small bones to deal with and you'll probably end up with less meat.

Trim any black skin, gristle, or anything else that doesn't look like meat or fat (the fat is yellowish-orange) from the turtle meat. Cut meat into about 1½ inch pieces.

Place the oil and meat in a 5½-quart saucepan or large Dutch oven over high heat. Cover pan and cook about 25 minutes, stirring only occasionally and scraping pan bottom well each time. Remove cover, stir well, and cook uncovered until all the meat is well browned and crisp, about 15 minutes, stirring only when sediment builds up on pan bottom, then scraping pan bottom well as you stir. Remove pieces of meat and browned particles as they finish browning. (NOTE: This sediment build-up enhances the flavor of the dish significantly. If the mixture begins sticking so much that you feel you are losing control of it, remove the pan from heat as needed and scrape well, then continue cooking.) Remove the pan from heat and, with a slotted spoon, transfer meat and any large pieces of fat or dark brown sediment to a bowl.

Stir pan bottom well to loosen any remaining browned sediment, then add to the pan the onions, bell peppers, celery, and garlic. Place pan over high heat and cook about 10 minutes, stirring and scraping pan bottom frequently. Stir in the stock, tomato sauce, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Add the turtle meat and drippings, stirring well; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 1½ hours, stirring occasionally.

Now skim off any fat from the surface, then stir in the green onions and parsley. Re-cover pan and cook until meat is tender and starting to fall off the bone, about 10 minutes more. (NOTE: You may need to add more stock or water if the meat requires longer cooking; the finished gravy should be fairly thick and rich.) Remove from heat and skim off any fat. Serve immediately over rice.

If you have leftovers, don't be surprised if the heat of the pepper is toned down; if that happens, simply add more red pepper when you reheat. Simmer a few extra minutes to let the pepper cook into the sauce.
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by Antipatros »

Elden and Odelia Mae’s recipe:

Rabbit, Squirrel, Andouille Smoked Sausage and Tasso Gumbo

(Gombo de Lapin, Ēcureuil, Saucisse et Tasso)

Makes 10 main-dish servings

Making gumbo is an excellent way to stretch a finite amount of meat to serve many people, so the family had it when there were extra people to feed, but it certainly was not a daily dish.

Nowadays, Elden and Odelia Mae make their gumbos with plenty of meat or seafood. This gumbo made with fresh game is really exceptional, and it improves with age. All meat gumbos we are familiar with that don't have okra, or gumbo file, or seafood in them are better the next day -- and even better the day after that. The problem with this gumbo is that you're not likely to get a chance to taste it on the second or third day. It'll all be eaten up the first day!

Elden and Odelia Mae like game, and she cooks rabbits, squirrels, and wild ducks fairly often. You can substitute other game meats, but try to find both rabbit and squirrel to see how good the combination is. If you use other game meats, you may need to cook the gumbo longer to get the meat tender. She makes this gumbo in large quantity to have - you just have to have - leftovers.

Odelia Mae advises that with game squirrel and game rabbit, you must be sure to remove the glands located on each shoulder (each looks like a small lung) and on each leg behind the knee (darker brown). Many people don't know to remove these glands; they make the meat taste too strong and gamy.

Elden and Odelia Mae serve baked sweet potatoes and potato salad with this gumbo. All the family like to put potato salad in the bowl with gumbo - especially this type made without okra. We like to add Ground Hot Pepper Vinegar to each bowl. Everyone in the Prudhomme family serves gumbo in extra-large soup bowls plus unlimited refills….


Seasoning mix:
2 teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
¾ teaspoon black pepper

1 (2- to 2½-pound) rabbit, cut up
2 squirrels, about 1½ pounds dressed, each cut in 6 pieces
4 cups very finely chopped onions
1 cup very finely chopped green bell peppers
1¼ cups vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons very finely chopped garlic
About 4 quarts hot Rich Chicken Stock
1 pint Cajun Home-Canned Spicy Tomatoes
1 tablespoon Ground Hot Pepper Vinegar, peppers only, plus more for a condiment (see NOTE)

1 pound andouille smoked sausage (preferred) or any other good smoked pure pork sausage, such as Polish sausage (kielbasa), cut into 1-inch pieces
½ pound tasso (preferred) or other smoked ham (preferably Cure 81), cut into ½-inch cubes
1½ teaspoons salt
2½ cups finely chopped green onions ( tops only)
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Scant 1 tablespoon gumbo filé (filé powder), optional, plus more for a condiment
About 3½ cups hot Basic Cooked Rice

NOTE: If your vinegar peppers are very hot, use your judgment on how much to put in. If in doubt, add less, since you can always mix in more at the table.

Thoroughly combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mix evenly over the rabbit and squirrel pieces, working it in with your hands and using it all. Set aside.

Combine the onions and bell peppers in a large bowl and set aside.

In a very large heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) or a 3-quart cast-iron (preferred) or other heavy Dutch oven with flared sides (this is important to keep roux from scorching), heat the oil over high heat until hot and just short of smoking, about 7 minutes. Using a long-handled metal whisk or wooden spoon, very gradually stir the flour into the hot oil. Cook, whisking constantly or stirring briskly, for about 6 minutes, being careful not to let it scorch or splash on your skin. Reduce heat to low and cook until roux is dark red-brown, 2 to 3 minutes more, whisking or stirring constantly. Remove from heat and immediately add about half the onion and bell pepper mixture; stir constantly with a wooden spoon until roux stops turning dark, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and set aside.

Place 3 quarts plus 3½ cups stock in a 10-quart saucepan or large Dutch oven; cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the roux by spoonfuls to the boiling stock, stirring until roux is blended in thoroughly before adding more. Add the tomatoes, Ground Hot Pep¬per Vinegar peppers, the rabbit and squirrel pieces and their juices, and the andouille and tasso, stirring well; cover pan and return to a boil. Put on the lid askew, reduce heat, and simmer about 30 min¬utes, stirring occasionally.

Now stir in the salt and the remaining onion and bell pepper mixture; return to a boil over high heat, then simmer uncovered until the flavors marry and the meat is tender, about 1 hour, stirring and scraping pan bottom occasionally and skimming any fat from the surface as it develops.

At the end, stir in the green onions and parsley and cook about 5 minutes more (see Lagniappe). Stir in the gumbo filé, if desired, or have it available as a condiment on the table to sprinkle on top of the gumbo. Remove from heat and skim. Serve immediately.

To serve, mound about ⅓ cup rice in the center of a large soup bowl; ladle about 1½ cups gumbo broth around the rice and add an assortment of the meats on top. Serve additional Ground Hot Pepper Vinegar and gumbo filé as condiments.

This is super with potato salad on the side or in the gumbo itself.

Lagniappe: At the end of the cooking time, try this experi¬ment, which is a good method to use with any rich soup: Ladle up a cup of gumbo broth and add a little stock or water to the cup with the gumbo. Taste, then compare the taste of it with the broth in the pot. We find that broths can sometimes cook down to be so rich that they actually "lock off' the wonderful flavors you're after. If your sample tastes better than what's in the pot, "open" the broth back up by simply adding stock or water.
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by AzariLoveIran »

fK26lrshseE
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by Typhoon »

Demon of Undoing wrote:Just went to a locally owned and actually Japanese, not Vietnamese or Chinese, steak house. Appetizer was a Gyozo dumpling, fried but good.
Had a strip, thought of getting Kobe beef, but at $50 for an 8 oz cut, decided against it. Two large Kirin Ichiban and bribed our chef to cook my steak illegally rare. A good night out with the family, it's been a long time.

Col Sun, thoughts on Kobe beef?
Well, it's good but a bit on the expensive side.

I've eaten it back in the day when the company rep guy was hosting and picking up the bill :wink:

Kobe beef is one type of wagyu. It's distinctive feature is the marbling - fat content and distribution:

Image

I've read that in the US, Kobe beef cattle have been interbreed with lean Angus cattle to reduce the marbling for American palates.

Which brings us to decidedly different perceptions about what is good beef

In the US, the emphasis, I think, is on lean very low fat meat - lean beef.

In Japan, the emphasis is on marbling: the more marbled the meat and the finer the marbling, the higher the quality [along with the grading for the protein part].

I have to say I don't understand the fear of fat in food perception, the "low fat" movement, as fat is as essential for nutrition as protein and carbohydrates.

I also like my steaks rare. Slightly seared on the surface, but raw and bloody throughout.
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by Typhoon »

Marcus wrote: . . .
Ninety-nine percent of what gives wild game a bad rep is that it wasn't taken care of properly . . not cooled down quickly, dirt, etc. People will eat a piece of poorly treated game and complain of an off-taste/wild taste that never would have been there had the animal been properly cared for. A few years back, a friend, his wife, and two teen age boys came up to visit. Happened to have some black bear meat in the freezer . . cut it up into a stew . . served it to our guests for supper and afterwards asked them if they knew they had just eaten bear . . they hadn't a clue . . and loved the stew.

. . .
Interesting point. In terms of game meat I've eaten bison burgers, emu and kangaroo steaks, and crocodile sausages. Liked the bison burgers best.
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by Antipatros »

Typhoon wrote:
In the US, the emphasis, I think, is on lean very low fat meat - lean beef.
A significant portion of "American" beef is from Canadian-bred cattle, raised on grass then fattened on corn in American feedlots. Canadian beef is considerably leaner. When American tourists rave about our beef, as they traditionally do at Stampede time, I point out that it's the same as the difference between a free-range roasting hen and a basic, cage-raised commercial bird.
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
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Better than fillet, and cheap

Post by Antipatros »

Beef tongue is a traditional element in British and Jewish cuisine. It used to be much more popular in Canada than at present. For one thing, offal was never rationed during the Second World War: if you could find it, you could buy it.

Tongue is, if cooked correctly, very flavourful and supremely tender – better than filet mignon, which is tender but not the best tasting cut.

Anyway, in an endeavour to rescue tongue from its present indecent obscurity, here are two recipes from a classic Canadian cookbook, Five Roses Flour, A Guide to Good Cooking (16th ed. revised 1957):

Tongue

Tongue may be from beef, veal, lamb or pork, and may be fresh, pickled, corned, or smoked. Tongue should be washed thoroughly in warm water. Smoked or pickled tongue may need soaking for several hours before cooking. Tongue should be cooked at a simmering temperature. After the tongue is tender remove skin and cut away roots. Plunging the tongue into cold water after cooking helps to loosen the skin. If the tongue is to be served cold, it should be cooled in the water in which it was cooked, then it will be juicy.

Tongue with Raisin Sauce

1 fresh beef tongue

Sauce:
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup raisins
1 lemon sliced thin
2 dozen whole cloves

Simmer tongue in water almost to cover, for 4 hours. Remove skin while hot. If not to be used at once, tongue may then be returned to liquid until ready for use. Place in baking pan, pour over it the sauce made by combining the remaining ingredients. Bake at 375⁰F for about 40 minutes, basting several times. Serves 8.

Spiced Fresh Tongue

Cook a fresh tongue in water for 2 hours, remove skin, and rub with a mixture of 2 teaspoons each of salt, ground mace and nutmeg. Return to kettle; add:

1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. each of peppercorn, allspice berries
½ cup raisins
½ cup vinegar

Simmer slowly for an hour, cool in liquid, and serve cold in thin slices.
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by Antipatros »

Possum, anyone? ;) From Leon E. Soniat, Jr., La Bouche Creole (1981):


Roast Possum with Stuffing

I could not resist the temptation to include a recipe for roast possum with stuffing. To be sure, you will not find possum at your supermarket, but maybe a hunter in your family might bag one of the little critters. In that case, you will find this dish surprisingly tasty. You will need the following:

1 possum
3 or 4 slices salt pork
1 cup salt

Stuffing:
4 tbsp. butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
½ bell pepper, chopped
2 cups crumbled cornbread
½ cup chopped pecans

First, you have to dress the possum. Remove the head, tail, entrails, and skin. Also, remove the glands in the small of the back and under the front legs. Hang the possum outdoors for 2 days.

Wash the dressed possum thoroughly and place in a non-metallic bowl. Sprinkle 1 cup salt over it, cover with water, and let stand overnight. The next morning, drain and wash to remove the salt. Place in a large pot, cover with fresh water, and boil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Drain.

Fill a deep roasting pan with about 2 inches of water. Add the possum and cover the breast with strips of salt pork. Place the pan in a preheated 350-degree oven and bake for 1 hour, basting often with the juice in the bottom of the pan.

While the possum bakes, melt the butter in a frying pan and add the onions, celery, and green pepper. Cook until the vegetables are soft. Pour in the crumbled cornbread and add the pecans and sufficient liquid from the roasting pan to make a moist dressing. Take the possum from the oven and stuff it with the dressing. Return to the oven and roast for about 40 minutes, or until tender. Serve with baked sweet potatoes and mixed greens cooked with salt pork. Serves four.
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
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Re: Gastronomy

Post by Antipatros »

Here is a less exotic recipe from Mr. Soniat, a cooking teacher, columnist for The Times Picayune and native of New Orleans:

Chicken Creole

3½ Ibs. frying chicken
¼ cup olive oil
1 16-oz. can tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
few grains pepper
few grains cayenne
½ tsp. powdered thyme
1 tbsp. minced parsley
2 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. flour
6 shallots, chopped
½ cup minced onion
½ cup chopped green pepper
½ cup dry white wine
2 10½-oz. cans beef consommé

Cut the chicken into pieces; wipe pieces with clean damp cloth. Sauté in olive oil, turning to brown both sides. Remove the chicken and add to the pot the onion, shallots, and green pepper; sauté slowly for 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir constantly over a low heat for another 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, pepper, salt, wine, and consommé. Let this simmer for 10 minutes, then add the chicken. Cover and slowly simmer for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is tender.

Serve over hot cooked rice garnished with avocado slices and parsley sprigs. Serves four to six.
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
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Re: Better than fillet, and cheap

Post by Typhoon »

Antipatros wrote:Beef tongue is a traditional element in British and Jewish cuisine. It used to be much more popular in Canada than at present. For one thing, offal was never rationed during the Second World War: if you could find it, you could buy it.

Tongue is, if cooked correctly, very flavourful and supremely tender – better than filet mignon, which is tender but not the best tasting cut.

. . .
Have to agree re beef tongue. One of the tastiest cuts.
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Re: Better than fillet, and cheap

Post by Antipatros »

Typhoon wrote: Have to agree re beef tongue. One of the tastiest cuts.
And to think that so much of it ends up as "beef byproducts' in dog food. It really is a dog's life!

Hadassah-WIZO Organization of Edmonton, Great Hadassah-WIZO Cookbook (1985):

Corned Beef or Tongue

5 lb. brisket of beef, or tongue
6 tbsp. coarse salt
3 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. saltpeter
dash of pepper
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tbsp. pickling spices

Wash brisket or tongue. Combine remaining in¬gredients and rub well into meat. Place in a rustproof dish, uncovered. Set aside at room temperature for 1 day. Next day, cover dish and refrigerate for 10 days, turning meat every day. To cook: Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Pour off liquid, again cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 to 4 hours until tender. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve with glaze.

Corned beef glaze

½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup bread crumbs
½ tsp. dry mustard
¼ cup orange juice
1 tbsp. orange rind, grated
1 cup sherry or cider

Remove meat from boiling liquid. Combine glaze ingredients and spread over meat. Wrap meat in foil and bake at 350°F (I80°C) for 30 minutes. Serves 6 - 8.

Pickled Brisket or Tongue

5 lb. brisket of beef, or tongue
3 cloves garlic
5 tbsp. coarse salt
2 tsp. saltpetre
3 tbsp. brown sugar
3½ tbsp. mixed pickling spices
garlic powder
1 small onion

Slice garlic cloves in half and place on the bottom of a roasting pan. Combine coarse salt, saltpetre, brown sugar, and 3 tbsp. mixed pickling spices. Rub over both sides of meat. Sprinkle garlic powder over meat. Place in roasting pan, cover, and refrigerate for 5 days, turning meat each day. Then wash off old spices and rinse out roasting pan with cold water. Return meat to roasting pan with enough cold water to cover. Add 2 tsp. mixed pickling spices and the whole onion. Cover and cook at medium heat on top of stove or in oven, until tender (approxi¬mately 3 hours). Check occasionally if additional water is needed. Serve hot or cold. Serves 6 - 8.

Pastrami

5 lb. corned brisket of beef
1 clove garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
4 small hot red peppers
liquid smoke
1½ tsp. pepper
¾ tsp. allspice
¼ tsp. coriander

Simmer brisket, garlic, bay leaves, and red pep¬pers in water to cover, for approximately 2112 hours until tender but still firm. Remove from liquid and cool. Brush lightly with liquid smoke. Mix seasonings and spread over meat. Bake un¬covered at 375°F (190°C) for about 30 minutes. Serves 6 - 8.
Be not too curious of Good and Evil;
Seek not to count the future waves of Time;
But be ye satisfied that you have light
Enough to take your step and find your foothold.

--T.S. Eliot
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