Vintage - Elephant Stew

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Yes, you read that correctly this is a recipe for Elephant Stew. This is another fun tongue-and-cheek recipe from the 1964 Farmers' Almanac I recently discovered.

Ingredients -

• 1 elephant (medium size)
• 2 rabbits (optional)
• salt and pepper

Cut the elephant into small bite-sized pieces. This should take about two months. Add enough brown gravy to cover. Cook over kerosene fire for about four weeks at 465 degrees. This will serve thirty-eight hundred people. If more expected, two rabbits may be added, but do this only if necessary as most people do not like to find hare in their stew.

 

[donna]

So funny. You made my day.

 

[Blessmag]

Would this be the side?

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Would this be the side?

Yep, that's the perfect side!

 

[FarawayFriend]

This here is an illustration to another fun recipe, "Hippopotamus in Burgundy Sauce", by the greatest German comedian ever, Loriot, but I think it fits in here, too

 

[Mike Serpa]

"The Wonderful Soup Stone." I like Dr. Hook's version more than Bobby Bare's.

 

[nitrofd]

This brought a smile to my face today on this dismal,drab day.

 

[MRB1863]

Chuckle! Sounds like a perfect recipe for the next CWT battlefield reunion....

 

[JOHN42768]

And you get four drumsticks to boot

 

[donna]

It certainly would feed many.

 

[mofederal]

There used to be a place in Southern Illinois that sold all kinds of exotic animal meat. It's been a few years since I saw the documentary it was on. It was no joke either. But I like this one much better. Thanks for posting @Anna Elizabeth Henry. Not something I'll be trying soon for sure.

 

[E_just_E]

Interesting. Wonder whether there were any political implications since 1964 was an election year that ended in a landslide of an election...

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

I was curious of the recipe's origin and found this funny graphic -



And another with a book entitled the same -

Expired Image Removed

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Interesting. Wonder whether there were any political implications since 1964 was an election year that ended in a landslide of an election...

Ah! Very good point! Another mention of the recipe turned up again in the Farmers' Almanac in 1972

 

[E_just_E]

Ah! Very good point! Another mention of the recipe turned up again in the Farmers' Almanac in 1972

Wonder whether they published a Stracotto d'asino recipe. It is a real thing and an Italian delicacy (supposedly. Never had it; never will.)

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Wonder whether they published a Stracotto d'asino recipe. It is a real thing and an Italian delicacy (supposedly. Never had it; never will.)

Oh my! My Italian is very rusty, but there's a donkey stew, too?! I recently saw the cutest donkey video on Twitter this week, so this makes me more sick than usual. A little information about the stew...

In the nineteenth century the stew was the Sunday meat dish in the winter . It was also the dish that, for its particular cooking methods, it was possible to always find ready in the taverns of Lombardy . Generally it was made with beef , but also the most fibrous cuts obtained from the slaughter of the donkey or the horse were used . The stewing (or the brazing , obtained by placing the lit embers on top of the pan lid) lasted for 8-10 hours and made a not particularly tender meat soft and juicy. In fact, the stew is part of the category of "overcooked" meat, typical of the lower Po plain .

Close the meat with garlic and lard . Tie it and lightly flour it. In a saucepan, fry the extra virgin olive oil with some butter and add the meat. Cook it well on the sides and sprinkle with the wine . Combine vegetables and spices.Dip the meat with the stock and cook slowly for about 4 hours. When cooked, remove the meat and sift the vegetables. Leave the broth to dry, making it creamy. Cut the meat into small pieces, cover it with its sauce and place it on the table with polenta or potatoes. In Veneto culture, it is served with homemade bread called "schissotto". In Este, in the province of Padua, Fabio Veronese is a master of this tradition. - Source Italian Wikipedia translated by Google​

 

[donna]

Oh dear. I thought serving elephant was bad but cute donkeys. These are not for me.

 

[nitrofd]

I am looking for a recipe of how to make tea from the large stone heads on Easter Island,but I am having no sucess.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Oh dear. I thought serving elephant was bad but cute donkeys. These are not for me.

I know, makes me SO sad thinking about those cute, fuzzy donkeys As it was just Christmas, I thought immediately of the song Dominic the Christmas Donkey

 

[Blessmag]