It's not my game

This week I've had a completely new experience of game and would like share it with you. On Wednesday evening Adrian brought home two male pheasants (don't worry he didn't shoot them). They were dead so just had to be plucked, cleaned out and cooked. I thought to myself  'No problem plucking and cleaning them out. Sure I've often helped Mum to do that with turkeys and chickens. But how do I cook them?' Well, Mum got a phone call for some advice on that. Use orange, onion and herbs.

Dead Pheasants

After dinnertime I went to start preparing them. As I looked at them lying there on the floor I felt sorry for these beautiful creatures God had made. It seemed such a shame to strip them of those beautiful feathers. I started to pluck but the feathers didn't want to come away from those cold lifeless bodies. The hot water didn't seem to saturate their feathers to make them come away easily. No turkey or chicken was ever as hard to pluck! It took me ages to get all the feathers plucked off....and I did accidentally tear some of their skin. Then, it was off with the heads, feet and wings. Thankfully cleaning them out didn't take long for I'd spent all evening by this stage! Washed and cleaned, they were popped into the fridge for the night. Now it was over to Adrian to dispose of the feathers and internals.

Next day Jemima came in from college, looked in the fridge and asked, 'Did Granny give us those little chickens?' I replied, 'No, your Dad brought them home,' but didn't want to tell her they were pheasants in case she wouldn't eat them. However, she wasn't easily fooled. She could see they looked different. And when they started to cook in the oven she said, 'Mum, they smell off.' So I told her I'd put onions and herbs on them and poured lots of pure orange juice over them. 'Ugh, what did you do that for?' Now it was the moment for truth. I had to tell her they were pheasants....and I'd used pure orange juice as I didn't have any oranges.

So, how did they taste? Well everyone seemed to think they were OK but me. They tasted a bit like leg of chicken. I had the pickiest little bit for I just don't like the dark flesh of fowl....I prefer the breast. Adrian tells me that pheasants are the food of lords. Well the lords are welcome to them.....and I don't think any lord would employ me to prepare and cook pheasants! Needless to say, I don't plan to make a habit of having pheasant for dinner!

And what's my point? Well, God created those beautiful birds and allows man to eat them. But He's given us all talents. And as I certainly wouldn't win Chef of the Year for cooking game....I think I'll stick with using the talents God has given me!