"Carl's Lounge" (Off-Topic Discussion, Traditional Knife "Tales & Vignettes")

We’ve had a fairly mild start to winter so far here in Minnesota. Daily highs over the last few weeks have been in the 30s and low 40s, nights dip down below freezing and there have been a few colder days here and there, but as I said, pretty mild. Back a week ago, the cold nights and those few cold days had been enough to leave most (but not all) of Lake Minnetonka with a thin layer of ice, but a few warmer days (mid-40s) toward the end of last week, plus some wind and another sunny day in the 40s today, have left most of the lake in a liquid state once again.

There are, however, a few smaller, sheltered bays that are still covered in ice, and while I can’t imagine it’s very thick, that hasn’t stopped folks from getting out there for some ice fishing. There were probably 20+ folks out on the ice when I drove by on my way home this afternoon. A bit crazy if you ask me, but hey, lakes don’t freeze where I grew up, so what do I know? 😁

ckEU2Ua.jpg


(Sorry the picture quality isn’t the greatest. I snapped it while driving.)
 
The rule of thumb used to be, one inch of black ice was good to skate on. About this time of year we’d lace them up and skate all over Lake of the Isles. Once it snowed, we were off the lake until the ice got thick enough to get a plow out there. Then the park board rinks would open and we would have a whole winter of hockey ahead of us. Until that happened, we would walk the tracks over to the Minneapolis Arena on Dupont for open skating.
 
Will Power said:
Interesting about Polar Bear liver, I assume that Seal liver has equally toxic amounts as they live in the same place and Polar Bears are keen devourers of them ? All about winter blubber maybe. Bear meat , non Polar, was regarded as a rare delicacy here in Tsarist times and subsequently, never had it though and it can be dried too. Hugely expensive no doubt, Goose is a bird I like but that's just off the charts in price, 125€ and more for a bird.

I like to rule liver of any kind out of my food life, there's worse though- kidney horrible stinking stuff :eek: that and bowel, brain, pancreas, hoof, horn and...;) Liver used to be cheap and widely liked, one reason for its decline in popularity might be that with increased industrial type farming, animals are fed growth enhancers, anti biotic, vaccines and various drugs that can accumulate heavily in the organs. If I could, I'd exist on Venison, Elk (Moose), Bison, Rabbit, Hare, Game birds and free range poultry.
Click to expand...
I've never been warned about seal liver, though it certainly makes sense that the polar bear liver would be concentrating what they get out of the seals. Of course, I never much cared for seal meat. Based on the muscle, I would not want to try the liver.

I haven't had bear meat since I was a kid, but I remember loving grizzly meat. It was my number one favorite meat when I was 5 or 6. But I'd never deliberately hunt a bear. My dad didn't either, but he had to kill two in self defense when I was a kid. So that was where we got the meat (my dad never much liked hunting in general, but he also wasn't one to waste meat).

Personally, I love liver. No one else in my family likes it, but I'll get some and cook it up from time to time. My favorite is moose liver, but living in Oregon these days, I doubt I'll have many chances to eat it again in my life.
 
I promised myself I would avoid getting involved in divisive and controversial debates, but I just have to speak my mind here 🤣🙄

Whenever I go slaughter a goat or sheep, I have the guy who butchers it for me cut the heart, liver, and kidneys into small pieces. My wife pan-fries it with onions, garlic, and jalapeños, and we eat it with our hands, African-style, using bits of bread to scoop it off the plate.

I’m generally not a fan of organ meats, but fresh like that, and spicy - It’s pretty good…
 
waynorth said:
Sounds horrible!!!
Click to expand...
Yeah, detail can of stuck with me! :eek; There were other adverse effects too, but I forget them :thumbsup:

Peregrin said:
Oh sure, now I'm craving liver and onions! Haven't had that in years!
Click to expand...
LOL! :D Twenty years ago, if I was in London, and had free time, I would sometimes meet up with an an old acquaintance who lived near King's Cross railway station (where the northbound trains to Leeds depart from). He was a bit down on his luck, and as there was a great cafe nearby, I'd always buy him a meal. He absolutely loved liver and onions, and would always order it. He had done some time in prison, and got a taste for it there.
Just Tom. said:
I promised myself I would avoid getting involved in divisive and controversial debates, but I just have to speak my mind here 🤣🙄

Whenever I go slaughter a goat or sheep, I have the guy who butchers it for me cut the heart, liver, and kidneys into small pieces. My wife pan-fries it with onions, garlic, and jalapeños, and we eat it with our hands, African-style, using bits of bread to scoop it off the plate.

I’m generally not a fan of organ meats, but fresh like that, and spicy - It’s pretty good…
Click to expand...
Sounds good Tom! :) :thumbsup:
 
Jack Black said:
LOL! :D Twenty years ago, if I was in London, and had free time, I would sometimes meet up with an an old acquaintance who lived near King's Cross railway station (where the northbound trains to Leeds depart from). He was a bit down on his luck, and as there was a great cafe nearby, I'd always buy him a meal. He absolutely loved liver and onions, and would always order it. He had done some time in prison, and got a taste for it there.
Click to expand...
That was nice of you to help out and old friend, Jack!
Just to clarify my craving for liver and onions.....
My mom used to make them for my dad. I found I liked them too!
Since I was never in prison, I never developed a taste for any of their cuisine! 😂
 
Peregrin said:
That was nice of you to help out and old friend, Jack!
Just to clarify my craving for liver and onions.....
My mom used to make them for my dad. I found I liked them too!
Since I was never in prison, I never developed a taste for any of their cuisine! 😂
Click to expand...
Someone I went to school with Gary, got married to a Gypsy woman, and ended up caught up in a feud. Sometimes it can just be a roll of the dice I guess :rolleyes: I'm not sure what else they get in prison, but I suspect it isn't very good :eek: :thumbsup:
 
Jack Black said:
Someone I went to school with Gary, got married to a Gypsy woman, and ended up caught up in a feud. Sometimes it can just be a roll of the dice I guess :rolleyes: I'm not sure what else they get in prison, but I suspect it isn't very good :eek: :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Life is a crap shoot, Jack! There but for the grace of God go I.
I suspect the food can't be much worse then the chow hall meals I ate while in the military.
 
Jack Black said:
Someone I went to school with Gary, got married to a Gypsy woman, and ended up caught up in a feud. Sometimes it can just be a roll of the dice I guess :rolleyes: I'm not sure what else they get in prison, but I suspect it isn't very good :eek: :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
JB...do you remember school dinners? Probably the prison leftovers....
In France the Polar Bears are buried up to their neck and spoon fed butter to fatten up the livers...then they have lullabyes crooned to them as their throats are slit...oh no wait on..thats Geese..
 
meako said:
JB...do you remember school dinners? Probably the prison leftovers....
In France the Polar Bears are buried up to their neck and spoon fed butter to fatten up the livers...then they have lullabyes crooned to them as their throats are slit...oh no wait on..thats Geese..
Click to expand...
For some reason, I am reminded of the French delicacy Ortolan Bunting--or maybe it's because I bought some Armagnac today. Having a simple ribeye for dinner, though.
 
I looked up Ortalan Bunting .....something for Roman Empire reenactors.....these days real men ....such as mself....keep an aquarium full of Rakia and in it Ortalan Zambesi Tigerfish....they get sozzled and you go in like applebobbing until you land one...great delicacy...and the microsurgery nowdays is almost undetectable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top