Friday 29 August 2014

FFHT August: I can't believe I ate….


Really, I don't know why Gail is protesting about my desire to participate in Murphy and Stanley's  August FFHT on account of the subject matter. She claims that this month's phrase "I can't believe I ate…", will encourage glorification of the baser side of our natures.

Does she not realise that the urge to break the boundaries of the conventional 'approved' diet is not confined to non-human species but has a distinguished lineage including some of this country's most illustrious scientists.

No less than Charles Darwin, top of my (and Gail's) list for 'Greatest Ever Briton' had an adventurous appetite in more ways than are usually recognised.

At Cambridge Darwin was a member of a dining club which met weekly in order to eat, basically, roadkill. He enjoyed hawk and bittern, but balked at a dish of old Brown Owl, describing it as 'indescribable'. On the Beagle voyage he ate armadilloes ('taste like duck'), puma ('veal'), iguana and Giant Tortoise. A Phylum Feast is a shared meal containing as many different species as possible, eaten by biologists on February 12th to celebrate Darwin’s birthday.

Before Darwin, the noted English geologist William Buckland, who wrote the first full scientific description of a dinosaur and later in his life promoted the notion that glaciation explains many of the landscape features formerly ascribed to the biblical flood, took exotic eating to another level (you may have to click on the image below to enlarge and read):



One suspects that "I can't believe I ate…" was not a phrase much heard in the celebrated Reverend Buckland's Oxford household...

18 comments:

  1. So are ya gonna tell us what ya are Bertie?

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  2. Hari Om
    A perfect 'spread' for the theme Bertie lad! Hugs and wags, YAM-aunty xxx

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  3. what a gourmet! I would like a toast of mice. To eat the heart of a king is like to eat "courage" what this cowardly lion of Oz did once, right? Great hairy tail, Bertie!

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  4. Nice one Bertie. Have a fabulous Friday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  5. We hope he didn't eat scotties....or WFTs or Westies...

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  6. "Missing a delicate toast of mice"... that would upset me!

    Dear Bertie and Gail,

    Thank you so much for thinking of us. We passed your hugs on to Grandpa.

    Wags,
    Tootsie
    Your wee Alpiniste friend

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  7. Ewwww, Bertie, you nearly made mum spew up. We're glad we didn't live with Mr Buckland. He might have served up Delicious Dane or Spiced Spaniel on his menu! Have a good weekend.
    No worries, and love, Stella and Rory

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  8. OMD Bertie those guys really did like to eat some WILD thingys.

    PeeS...our mom ate Fresh killed Rattle Snake once.

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  9. Bertie
    OMWFT....he ate anything not fast enough to escape.
    Iguana...I wonder how long it took to get thru that tough hide to the tender meat.
    MOL Hugs madi your bfff

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  10. I don't think I would like to go to dinner with the late Charles Darwin! BOL!

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  11. I've never eaten mice, but I'd sure like to try tree rat!!

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  12. Wow, we never knew this about Darwin. You'd think he would be smarter than to eat that stuffs. I bet it all tasted like chicken anyway. Great job & thanks for pawticipating!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley
    Mayorz For All Paws
    "Use Your Noodle & Vote For a Doodle!"

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  13. Oh my! Mom says her tummy is doing some flip flops. Butt we think it all sounds pretty good
    hugs
    Mr Bailey, Hazel & Greta

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  14. My mum is busy sayin' YUCK ... I don't know why she is so unadventurous with what she eats. I'm keen to try anything!!

    Tail Wuggles, Rubie xxx

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  15. Ewwww Yucky.
    You are supposed to just roll on it, not eat it!

    Wyatt and Stanzie

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  16. Oh i could never eat like that Bertie.just saying..

    Wags
    Addi

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  17. Not sure if that is our preferred diet, but to each his/her own!

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  18. WFT Fuzzy, inspired by Bertie's post this morning, almost had a filet of squirrel that dared pass over our deck.

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