Franch Memory #545.43

Just before Christmas, our neighbor brought us a big bag full of venison. I was perusing the most awesome book ever, looking for recipes when I found one for 'Stuffed Porcupine.' Now that's not something you see every day. It got me reminiscing about the different types of meat I've had. I remember my dad used to go hunting on occasion and I have vague memories of brown paper stretched across the table, and birds being plucked. Pheasant or chicken, maybe. I distinctly remember the smell. I have another fun memory of the time my dad spent all day fishing with some guys from church. They caught bucketfuls of fish and took them back to Farley's house. I remember seeing a kitchen full of fish, in all stages of gutted-ness, and a big ol' pile of fish eggs. Dad dissected a fish for us so we could see the guts. Maybe that's where I developed my curiosity with dissection in Biology class. It was fun times, I tell ya. One dinner I remember with particular amusement was when Dad served up dove. He had been hunting and got a few doves, which he fried up in a pan. Since doves aren't very big, they are not very meaty. Dad told us to be very careful as we chewed, since someone would almost certainly get a pellet. What a novelty for a little kid! Now eat carefully, kiddies, I don't want any dental bills as a result of this meal. Whoever gets the pellet wins! That's how we felt. I don't remember if we found any, but it was quite exciting anyway. I don't think my kids will be experiencing that type of meal anytime soon, unless we stoop to shooting disease-carrying tree rats (AKA Squirrels....a treat according to some) from our backyard. And that just ain't gonna happen.