For several months now my palate has been calling for the taste of tongue.
No, I’m not referring to one of those television scenes of spit swapping.
I’m talking beef tongue; that savory, tender, protein filled, delicious food from cows.
I’ve asked for it at groceries large and small, meat specializing shops, and delis in several counties. I’ve asked them to order it, told them I’d take a case if that’s how it came and offered to pay in advance. No takers.
I’ve put it on my gift lists, asked chefs to get a tongue for me and prayed for it. No, not really prayed. Hopefully, God’s too busy to hear a request like that.
Anyway, on the occasion of my son’s birthday, his wife, Linda gave me a tongue. She found it at Davison Bacon and Sausage Works on Lapeer Road, Davison.
Our mother frequently served us tongue. Not so frequently, Hazel would reward us with this entree. Always, on this occasion, we’d tell our kids to invite their friends over for dinner, just so we could watch their faces as the platter was placed before them.
Some excused themselves, some were curious as to its origin and some just ate it. The tongue skinning was another fascination. Properly cooked, the skin came off rather easily.
Come to think of it, none of our kids? friends ever accepted a second invitation.
Oh, well, their loss. My tongue, last week, was done to perfection. It skinned easily, tasted great and was less filling.
Wanna know how to cook tongue? Good! Put a couple cups of water in a pot, pour in some salt, drop in the tongue and cook it on low through two, hour-long newscasts, a couple cocktails and, walla, tongue’s done.
The only one who likes tongue more than I do is Shayna.
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Before I leave the food subject, explain to me where I got the habit of saving the heel of a loaf of bread until last.
My own conclusion is that I use the heel as a buffer between the other slices and air. I further reason the crust of the heel shields molt-causing bacteria from contaminating the brethren.
Eventually, if Shayna doesn’t get the heel soaked in bacon grease, sardine fluids or tongue sauce, I’ll fold the heel into a bun, drop in a wiener, mustard and relish and enjoy.
Life ain’t that difficult.
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I think we all are intrigued by rare, but interesting facts. Like: The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razor blades. Your thumb is the same length as your nose. Your big toes have two bones while the rest have three. A pair of human feet contains 250,000 sweat glands. A full bladder is roughly the size of a softball.
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Some educators or politicians (non-educators) are pushing for college-bound students to learn a foreign language in high school.
To give these students a head start, I’m going to list some English phrases and their Chinese counterparts. Ready?
That’s not right — Sum Ting Wong
Small horse — TAi Ni Po Ni
Your body odor is offensive — Yu Stin Ki Pu
Are you harboring a fugitive? — Hu Yu Hai Ding?
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Since writing that first item about beef tongue I’ve been wondering where tongue is used when not left whole? We all know little cow meat goes from the slaughterhouse to the dump.
So, where does it go? I know. It becomes an ingredient. As in ‘other ingredients included.? Maybe that’s where Shayna developed a taste for it.