With the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, various auction items are being offered to the highest bidder. Last week, an admission ticket for the voyage fetched $56,250 while a menu on the ship sold for $31,250. There is one item on the menu however that caught my eye and curiosity.
The menu reportedly offered well-healed travelers various dishes including “tongue of castrated rooster.” This is a new for me. I have certainly seen various tongue dishes around the world, but was it necessary to castrate the rooster?
Castrated roosters are called capons. Romans began the practice in the belief that castration improves the taste of the bird. But how does that affect the tongue?
What is clear is that roosters were probably not rooting for the passengers on April 15, 1912.
Source: Yahoo
I love history. It fascinates me about the Titanic and what happened. But why are they auctioning the items from the people that didn’t survive. Our country is in debt and people bought items that they will or will not keep or be worth anything to them when they die.
I am sick of all this hooopla about the Titanic. It seems we don’t know the history of that ships construction in Belfast where Catholic workers were
prohibited from work By Harlan and Wolfe, the British Ship builders. Many
Catholic workers were killed in the construction of the ship by being thrown
off, stabbed with welding rods and other misdeeds by the Brits whose sectarian policies favored the Protestants Elizabeth 1st sent to colonize the
Island.
I have heard Belfasters in years past say when the Titanic sank, “WE
cheared” so ugly was this period. Just to remember, in 4 years there
would be a rising against hated British rule on the Island in April 1916.
We are just now 4 years away from that 100 year celebration which saw
the Brits execute James Connolly, a Belfast man.
pete,
Chuckle But some of us are standing around looking at butterflies so we miss the ball.
this is like t-ball
(pun intended)
if they were eating dog tongue i could understand it, but i don’t know if roosters are that flexible.
As far as the 1% vs. the 99% …the builders followed government policy that stated the requirements for lifeboats…and even went so far as to query the government as to whether they needed more…the answer was ‘no, you have enough for the Norht Atlantic route’ …which was the busiest route in the world. The Titanic was an example of government bureaucracy and individual hubris.
From One Hundred Years of Solitude, Garcia-Marquez —
When the village was struck with the insomnia plague, the folks would sit up all night playing “capon.” The game consisted of one person asking, “Do you know the story of the capon?” and if the answer was “yes” the questioner would say, “I did not ask you to say yes, I asked you if you knew the story of the capon,” and if the person said “no,” the questioner would say, “I did not ask you to say no, I asked you if you knew the story of the capon” — or perhaps I have the original question a bit mis-phrased, but basically, that was the game. And it went on and on and on and on…because nobody could sleep. [editor, insert quizzicle-looking smily-wily faces or something like that, with mustaches please]
The story of the capon. I have never understood any person who, while being literate, had read but could not appreciate One Hundred Years of Solitude. Athough GABO is clearly not a god, if I were ever to be moved to worship, he would be the one! MAESTRO, thank you for the story of the capon!
I wont ride an airline that has First Class.
Castration makes the bird grow quite a bit larger and with a lot more fat. While the tounge is not large to start with a capons would be slightly larger and the base would be much fattier. That fat adds a lot of flavor and a great ‘mouth feel’.
Anyone know all of the lyrics to “The Tennessee Birdwalk” by Jack Blanchard and Misty Morgan?
“Take away their wings and the birds will have to walk to get around.”
…
“Take away their feathers and they’ll have to walk around in underwear”
Etc.
It winds up,
“Remember me my darling when Spring is in the air, and the bald-headed birds are whispering everywhere. You can see them walking southward in the dirty underwear. That’s the Tennessee birdwalk.”
Why do I think pete is going to have a ball with this one? (no pun intended)
Gene H:
” And all apologies to mespo, but those crazy Romans would eat anything.”
***************
They dined quite well and in luxurious fashion on all manner of barbarians and the occasional Carthaginian. 😀
Well . . .
I’ve certainly added to the list of what I do not want to go with my coffee this morning. And all apologies to mespo, but those crazy Romans would eat anything. 😉
There is new Titanic historical evidence that is a metaphor for our current foreign policy as well as our domestic policy.
There were two incompatible steering systems on the Titanic. We have the 1% steering system and the 99% steering system.
The commander in chief of the ill-fated Titanic doubled down on his company’s bad policy, even after they had already hit their icy Waterloo.
They arrogantly ordered “full steam ahead”, which took them down sooner rather than later.
” a capon is less aggressive than a rooster and is easier to handle”
I guess castration makes one so.
Uth oh…. Don’t tell Tennessee…… They will outlaw this too……