I have to tell you that haggis is pretty foul smelling, too. My Scottish husband smuggled a couple of them into the US decades ago and, when he cooked them, I had to leave the house. Worse than chitlins, kidney stew, or stinky cheese! -- Melinda C. P. Skinner Writer and Wonderer -------------- Original message ---------------------- From: Sunshine49 <[log in to unmask]> > When it comes to chittlins, I am inclined to agree with... um... the > English on this one... > > But then, there's the traditional Scottish haggis, if you've ever > read an old recipe for it, they didn't waste any part of the animals, > ether. It was even boiled in a sheep's stomach, with the stomach > opening out the side of the pan and out from under the lid, to let > the steam out. But my guess is that sheep are herbivores and > "cleaner", but pigs, being omnivores, are far smellier, and their > intestines were probably also pretty stinky. I lived in Smithfield, > believe me, pig waste can get pretty foul. > > Nancy > > ------- > I was never lost, but I was bewildered once for three days. > > --Daniel Boone > > > > On Jan 13, 2007, at 10:12 AM, Douglas Deal wrote: > > > I would agree wholeheartedly with the posting by Tom (Eastern > > Shore)--the flood of postings about food, cooking, memories, and > > culture > > has been fascinating. We are what we eat, in more ways than one. The > > history of food is a burgeoning specialty. Look at the two fat volumes > > of the recent Cambridge World History of Food if you want confirmation > > of that. > > > > I don't know whether any of the recent postings has mentioned > > "chitlins" > > (I confess I haven't read every word of every posting). I do recall > > some > > discussion of using every part of a pig. Chitlins are made with the > > pig's intestines. I found in the court records of Accomack County what > > may be the first documentary evidence that they were, in fact, > > consumed > > by Virginians of African (and mixed) descent, if not by other > > Virginians > > at the time (1679). A grandson of Anthony and Mary Johnson--Richard > > Johnson Jr.--was working as a hired laborer on a plantation at > > Matomkin > > along with a few English servants. They were busy slaughtering and > > dressing some hogs for their employer. When the Englishmen were > > about to > > dispose of the hogs' guts "a good way from the house for fears of > > stinking," Richard interjected, "I wish I had the... hoggs guts at > > home, > > the fatt and offil would serve me to frey with homine all the winter." > > (You never know what you'll find in county court records....) > > > > Anyway, food is a very important "marker" of culture and object of > > memory, individual and collective. > > > > Doug Deal > > > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the > > instructions > > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html