@big e - I will donate my $50 dollars towards: 'Animals Australia' - today - I decided: no more lavish drinks this X-mas but donate instead - thanks for your courage to publish on here! . . . . as a thankyou for all the loving pets I have had the pleasure of being my friends over a lifetime.
Here is the number to call: 1800 888 584
Meat is still something I cannot do without - but have always been careful to make the most of it. Learnt from my Mum who used absolutely everything from everything she bought or traded etc. I even remember a delicious dish made from lung tissue (yes, sounds revolting, but delicious if cleaned well and pre-cooked and a lot of frothing happening, which gets skimmed off ) - I never liked brains, but crumbed I can eat a small amount with a plain salad. Tripe is also a great dish for the farm- home-cook in my country - I tend to eat liver as 'liver wurst' (a spread) but if cooked, then very quickly in onions and finished with a dash of paprika and a spoonful of tomato concentrate, dash of lemon, dust some flour over it, a spritzer of water or red wine - done - homemade gnocchi (or rice or mashed potato, or just bread), salad - yummmms - best liver is calf or pork - but I use chicken liver mostly (and not that often). One should eat liver once a week.
I always wash any meat - quickly - in acidulated water, dry immediately, then use or marinate.
Talking of respecting animals: I remember a book I have loved over the years, but have somehow lost or mislaid it - it was by Laurens van der Post - a South African (or maybe Namibian) who wrote lovingly in a book called 'The Heart of the Hunter' about the little bush people of the Kalahari who live or rather lived by hunting mostly (and digging for plants and roots, berries etc. as well) - when the hunters - had followed and brought down an animal, they would first of all thank it for its life, before calling their tribe round for a feast. I have never forgotten that - we have life, because something else has given its life for us - not willingly - but it is an exchange just the same and we should be grateful.
(P.S. the Bushmen of the Kalahari became famous in the 'West' through a film called 'The Gods must be crazy' - well worth digging out, lots of fun!
If anyone knows where (or what brand to look for) one can purchase beef fat, pls. let me know - I have a doughnut recipe which requires frying in a mix of fats and a touch of beef fat is essential - the fat should be from the inner parts of the animal (Kernfett - core fat) - I used to make doughnuts for New Years Eve and plan to revive 'my traditions' this year.
'Back home' for the "Fasching" (Mardi Gras season), which is the traditional ball season beef fat is added to lard to fry the doughnuts, but sunflower oil is o.k. too (I like sunflower oil, because one can use higher temperatures for frying and it doesn't burn).
I am still a little 'under the weather' still a bit grumpy, still taking anti-biotics and painkillers, but the swelling has gone down.
Covid still active in Victoria- so sorry for all affected - I am suffering a bit from cabin fever and get grumpy, because I have been so unwell and have kept away from people - it must be awful to have to do this for months!
New Variant of Covid does seem more infectious but less virulent than the original - there is hoping !!!! - my booster (and 3rd) shot is due in Feb next year.
Take care
Taurisk
