Cookaholics Bulletin Board

being northern Italian, rabbit is featured a lot on my parent's table (they usually raise them - remember my mom is the one who went through airport security with the rabbit in her purse), but I"m not a fan. My kids have had it but think they've eaten chicken. I can get whole rabbits at most grocery stores in my neighbourhood, and most days there's at least 1 in the "sell today at a discount" area. My mom does the long braise and makes a pan sauce at the end with stock and wine.

And another point of view:

Dear Miss Manners: I have two house rabbits as pets. They have the run of my home, are perfectly litter-box trained, as well as trained in general, and are wonderful, loving, intelligent pets whom I love very much.

Unfortunately, rabbit meat is a popular food staple around the world.

It both outrages and amazes me that many people--people whom I would have considered friends--upon learning about my pet rabbits make remarks along the lines of "Aha, hasenpfeffer!" or "Is that what we're having for dinner?"

How can I most tactfully handle the situation while serving notice that these remarks are unappreciated and hurtful?

Gentle Reader: The response that leaps to Miss Manners' mind is, "No, we're having the dog." After that, they are not likely to have the appetite to keep dishing out unpalatable comedy

I've told this story too on TOB, but the above posting brought it to mind. When hubby and I first started dating he wandered into the backyard and saw the shed with the chickens and rabbits. He was enthralled with the rabbits and wanted to know what their names were. Me: "um, we don't name them"

We kept a milk cow when I was a kid. Male offspring were always named "George" even though they were destined to have names like "brisket" once they were big enough.

My parents raised some meat too. We once had a cow named Farrah. Lovely eyes and tenderloin to die for.

Mary

Except for brief interludes, my dad always kept various types of livestock and chickens.
I've told this one on tobb. Nieces and nephews are young and, at that time were living with my dad. Pseudo pet cow(the kids thought so) named Hamburger. Hamburger was dispatched. Dinner is on the table and the kids ask"what's for dinner" My dad deadpan....hamburger.

And y'all wonder where I get it?

I remember eating a hamburger and my dad looks at me and says, "Remember George?"

"Yeah."

"That's George." I start bawling. Big tears down my face. I can barely choke down the rest of my hamburger.

A couple days later, another hamburger. "That's George."

"Uh-huh, I'm over it now."