JP's thread about Chow Chow started me thinking of my Paternal Grandmother because she made Chow Chow. She was a lady like so many who lived through the depression and had to make the most of everything. She and my Mother in Law, another depression era lady could make a gourmet meal out of about whatever they could get their hands on.
Both of them could make a great meal out of almost any fish or game you can imagine: Venison(really eating good when there's venison to serve,) squirrel(not bad as long as the harvester used a .22 instead of a shotgun,) quail(another delicacy if you don't mind spitting shot,) duck(they're greasy, but if someone knows how to cook them, they are good,) Frog legs, rabbit(only in the Winter time in Texas, they're wormy in the Summer,) dove(more shot spitting and there's not much there.)
Luckily I never had to endure a life of nothing besides the above as meats on the table, but both my parents did. Maybe that's why I enjoyed all these dishes, because they were occasional, so it was sort of a big deal.
Now to the Delicacy of ALL my Grandma's delicacies!
WATERMELON RIND PRESERVES!
If you've never eaten them they sound horrible don't they? BELIEVE ME, there is NOTHING I've ever eaten that is any better! If only I had gotten the recipe from Grandma while she was alive.
Taking what is normally thrown away or fed to the hogs or cows and making a delicacy out of it, HAS TO BE the epitome of being poor and making the most of it.
Anyone ever have them?