Free Range Friday Saturday...and some other bits

This came in late but...you never know when you are going to be really hungry.

Python Catcher Of Africa

 

So I sent this to my friend LC and the following is what he sent back. LC is one of my personal life heroes...for real.  I can't begin to give tribute to his amazingness. Thanks, LC (he gave me permission to use this, though I don't think he reads my blog - I'm just saying it anyway)...I expect to have this for lunch when I finally get back to NC. I'll bring the wine, but it won't be as good as your Dad's muscadine...

I have never cooked a python but I guess they would probably taste as good as rattlers.  First  gut and skin them(be careful around the head about the fangs), then steak up the meat (all white) , roll in cornmeal flour and a little salt & pepper, then fry to a nice brown.  Usually , after a rattler catching expedition, one is likely to be somewhat into the vine, so it is usually a good idea just to put the sac of snakes into the freezer for a few weeks. That way they offer no further resistance and you can then pull them out as needed , let them thaw and clean them.

Instead of reaching into holes (a bad idea), carry a piece of garden hose that you push into their hole.  Agitate a little and listen to the hose.  When you hear them, just put a dropper full of gasoline into the hose and blow it down to them.  It knocks them out almost instantly.  Then you blow down a small treble hook fastened to strong fishing string.  Twist around until you hook one and pull out the hose, string and snake.  Have the sac ready because sometimes they will start waking up  in a really  bad mood.

A nice thing about LC is that he actually believes I'd do this, and do it right. And if he were right next to me, I would. Hoping, of course, that he would clean it...and then we'd cook it and eat it. And drink a lot of wine, while he tells me stories. 'Cause that's what we do in the mountains. With or without rattlesnake on the menu...

And then, last night, far away from the mountains of North Carolina and much farther from the beaches of Culebra, there was POCO! You may or may not be a Poco fan. You may have never even heard of Poco. But to a certain person, Poco's simple, sweet music had an appeal and even in a mammoth, and quite beautifully appointed (for being a casino - the Mohegan Sun) place, there was a nice intimacy going on. If you think you 'sort of' remember Poco, maybe this will help.Older, imperfect shadows of younger selves...sort of like...me! Go figure the draw.

May the only Snake in your life today be Culebra. Do something simple.