Friday, June 19, 2009

It's Not a Roast, but it is a CROC!

I owe everyone who visited during the Virtual Road Trip a humble apology. I forgot a very important delicacy, a very special treat for all of my guests. I don't understand how I missed this opportunity:

Thank you Star-Telegram for the photo!

Recently, a few miles outside of downtown Cowtown, this poor fella did not make it across a busy street. Yes, I know that it's an alligator not a crocodile. Silly thing. He must have thought the creek was deeper on the other side of the street. Sheesh! I guess when you're 10 feet long, you'd want to find the biggest creek.
This unfortunate creature's demise is my good luck. Coming soon, updates to ReformingGeek's Roadkill cookbook, on sale now for only $1.99. Check out unique but delicious recipes for alligator strips, alligator dumplings, alligator rings, and a special Father's Day recipe for grilled alligator. Oh yeah. It doesn't get much better than this!

But wait. There's more.


I pulled out my spy scope and the GOOGLE and tracked down Guido. Guido has some special....um....talents (NO, NOT THAT!) and he helped me with some items I now have for sale on an Etsy site. Yep. Don't miss out on a pair of alligator roper boots, a couple of belts, and....

Uh, ReformingGeek?


Yes?

Shut up. You're not supposed to let people know about OUR secrets, OK?

Oh, well, OK. Sorry. I got carried away.


In other news, I noticed that a few of you were not familiar with the very tasty dessert sopapillas that we have here in Texas and that I referenced in our tour of Cowtown. If I thought they would keep, I would make you some and send them to you but since they're fried and with this heat, they would be a gooey, stinky mess by the time they got to you. You might be able to use them to throw at an unsuspecting co-worker.

Basically, it's fried bread. They are similar to Indian bread but a little lighter in texture. The basic ingredients are flour, baking powder, shortening, and evaporated milk. They are rolled out, cut into squares and then fried in hot oil. In Texas, they are served as dessert usually with butter and honey and sometimes with a strawberry or other fruit sauce on top. Sprinkling with cinnamon and sugar is also common.


Hum... It looks like a scoop of ice cream and some whipped cream is on that plate in the picture. WHEW! SUGAR HIGH! I have a recipe but I'm not that great with my Fry Daddy but I'll gladly let you try. Let me know if you would like the recipe.

In New Mexico, they are served with the meal (I originally wrote mail???) without any sprucing up with cinnamon/sugar or fruit sauces. Honey and butter are available and the purpose is to offset the spicy New Mexico chiles used in their dishes. These are actually my favorites. We make quite a few trips to Santa Fe so if you need restaurant suggestions, I've got them!

Last and probably least, for those of you that don't know what calf-fries are, I hope you have a strong stomach. Click here if you dare. Ha! Chickens! Wimps! Now did you look?

Anyone hungry yet?


Have a great weekend and
Happy Father's Day to all you dads and yes, you're a dad even if you only have a pup, kitty, or alligator.

19 comments:

Hit 40 said...

I was hungry until I clicked on your balls link!! GROSS!!

Oh... I can eat that picture of ice cream is very powerful.

United Studies said...

Now I am hungry for something sweet....but those cow balls? GROSS!

Poor little alligator...how could people not avoid hitting him? He's huge.

Anonymous said...

You gotta stop makin' me hungry every time I come here, Carol Jean! :)

LOL - hey I LOVE alligator, too.

The Old Silly From Free Spirit Blog

Nooter said...

is that what thats called- 'alligator'? saw another picture of one once and thought it was a really old, really big squirrel

SplitRock Dozer said...

I had the "fries" at Reata. They're smothered with gravy and actually very good.

ReformingGeek said...

@Hit 40 - Sorry about that. I have not had the balls....er...guts to eat them yet.

@Jacki - It was on a dark road at night. ;-(

@Marvin - I love to cook! Poor wittle gator.

@Nooter - Yeah. That's right. Giant squirrels...taste like chicken.

@SplitRock Dozer - Hum....maybe one of these days.

Anonymous said...

I have to admit I did not click and look.

AND yes, I am a major wimp!!

I'll trust the opinion of others that the calf fries are, um, tasty.

Ha!

Da Old Man said...

Thanks for the calf fries explanation.

It is officially on my "never will get drunk enough to try" list.

ReformingGeek said...

@Quirky - It's OK. You really don't want to know.

@Da Old Man - Absolutely.

Jean Knee said...

I'm not sure if I've ever eaten calf fries. My uncle batter fries all kinds of stuff, rattlesnakes, calf fries,etc etc. so I probably have.

alligator is yum

Tracy Rambles On And On said...

Now I want both!
I want that gosh dern crock to eat my pop-ining neighbor and I want that gosh dern fried bread!
Send them UPS overnight!

Mary@Holy Mackerel said...

That dessert looks and sounds amazing. The alligator, not so much. Poor thang.

ReformingGeek said...

@Tracy - I know you hate pets but maybe a guard dog is in order.

@Mary - I know. It's sad that it didn't survive. ;-(

Suzanne said...

I blogged about balls today too!
Great minds think alike.

Marvin D Wilson said...

Ah - I found you. Good. Had to remember enuff of the url to do a google search. Speaking of that evil wicked spiteful outfit, since they yanked my blogs off the e-waves a couple days ago, I've had to start all over on Wordpress. Still under construction so nothin fancy yet, but stop in when ya can?

Pwetty Pweeeese?

The Old Silly

Bee said...

Mmmmmm balls.

ReformingGeek said...

@Sue - Yes, balls are a great topic.

@Marvin - I'm glad you're back.

@Bee - Absolutely.

Unknown said...

ugh.. now i can't eat my bagel rocky mountain oysters blech

I LOVE gator tail though.. yummy

The Constant Complainer said...

That croc/alligator pic was nuts.


"1.00s, 1.50s, 1.75s for the short arms. If you know what I'm talking about, you're probably old, too."

"Boomer brain fog: What was the last, middle, and first part of what you just said to me?"