Slog - Comments on The Ortolan: Still Tiny, Still Delicious, Still Illegal http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s The tiny ortolan—which I can't stop writing about—remains endangered and illegal to catch, fatten, drown in liquor, roast whole, and eat in one bite. But that isn't stopping French poachers, who are catching and selling the birds for hundreds of dollars. And the "junior minister in charge of the environment," one Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, is upset about it: "The more you inspect, the more violations you find," Kosciusko-Morizet told The Associated Press. Four hunters were caught red-handed and two seizures were made over the past two weeks, she said. At one hunter's house, inspectors found about 30 live birds being... Copyright 2008 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 11:45:44 -0800 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 22:16:42 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by You_Gotta_Be_Kidding_Me Yummm.

]]> You_Gotta_Be_Kidding_Me http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807159 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807159 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:03:13 -0800 Comment by Matthew I know it lacks the cultural gravitas, but might I experience a similar taste sensation using one of the chickadees that wakes me up every morning at an ungodly hour? Looks to be about the same size...

]]> Matthew http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807161 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807161 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:04:20 -0800 Comment by Michigan Matt Stupid people. LEAVE THE BIRDS ALONE!!

]]> Michigan Matt http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807166 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807166 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:06:54 -0800 Comment by Mr. Poe I only eat endangered species.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807168 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807168 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:07:40 -0800 Comment by josh bomb "satisfyingly crunchy, with a subtle hazelnutty taste"

mmmmm, sounds intriguing. is there any chance of farming these birds rather than hunting the wild ones?

]]> josh bomb http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807173 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807173 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:13:01 -0800 Comment by OR Matt There HAS to be some way to farm these things. If there is a way to legitimize the market, maybe the environment will get a break!

]]> OR Matt http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807174 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807174 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:14:07 -0800 Comment by Mr. Poe I never thought of it that way. I guess I'd feel more inclined to run out and save a species. For the meat, though. Not the species.

What? Birds are dumb.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807186 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807186 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:23:50 -0800 Comment by Westside forever I read somewhere that Francois Mitterand ate a plate of these as one of his last meals. Apparently, the tradition is to drape a handkerchief over your head when you eat them so that God can't see what you're doing.

]]> Westside forever http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807190 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807190 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:26:12 -0800 Comment by keshmeshi @8,

You might have read it in Kiley's article about ortolans, maybe.

]]> keshmeshi http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807198 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807198 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:38:16 -0800 Comment by josh bomb so does anyone have a line on scoring some ortolan? an hour after lunch and i'm STILL thinking about them! mon dieu!

]]> josh bomb http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807256 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807256 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:44:40 -0800 Comment by kinaidos Frozen, alors... je n' mangerais jamais les ortolans gelés!!

]]> kinaidos http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807257 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807257 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:46:22 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle In the old days, the typical American breakfast used to consist of small birds, caught in a net, fried and battered, for breakfast.

Sigh.

Tip to cooks: Bash the heads against the stove first before cooking.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807278 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807278 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 13:58:42 -0800 Comment by christopher I'm the first to defend meat-eating in general, but this specific instance sucks ass. I despise people with no regard for rare species. I'm not christian, so to me rare species are precious on their own merits. But for christians, who comprise the bulk of conservative environment-raping scumfuckers, I think it's about the highest form of hypocrisy. God made that bird, and while according to his laws you have dominion over it, eradicating it from the earth has to be some kind of sin. It's like your father gave you a precious diamond ring that has been in the family for generations, and you pawned it for crack. I would gladly shoot those poachers in their filthy french fucking heads. I ain't even joking.
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]]> christopher http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807322 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807322 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:21:50 -0800 Comment by Mr. Poe You're gonna want that crack, though.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807374 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807374 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:56:31 -0800 Comment by christopher Poe- I think we're in agreement, in a way. Ultimately, I believe these fuckos are all living out their short term desires because they don't care what happens to the rest of the world after they die. You're saying that living for the day is a good thing because it doesn't matter what happens to the world after you die. It's a reasonable point of view to hold, given that you won't be there to see the consequences of your actions. Why should you care? I do care, though. Perhaps irrationally so. And if you kill an ortolan, and I'm in any position to do something about it, I shoot you in the fucking head.
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]]> christopher http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807380 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807380 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:02:36 -0800 Comment by Mr. Poe I just stomped on five of them.

Now I'm preparing to snort them.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807426 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807426 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:37:47 -0800 Comment by christopher Poe- well, if you really did that and it really was at all convenient for me to kill you, i'd be killing you. so if you are saying you really just did that, then I guess I really just killed you. and yet you were able to post from beyond the grave. who am i gonna call? ... Poe-busters.
- :-)

]]> christopher http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807516 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807516 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 17:05:19 -0800 Comment by Mr. Poe Nobody can stop me! Nobody!

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807529 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807529 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 17:19:53 -0800 Comment by ellarosa westside @ 8, they drape the hanky to keep the fat from spurting all over the room. one of the main appeals of the bird is that it "seems to be made of pure fat" according to the french, who think that's a good thing. (yeesh--i've personally witnessed them eat pure fat in paris).

]]> ellarosa http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807678 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/the_ortolan_still_tiny_still_delicious_s#c807678 Chow Wed, 19 Sep 2007 22:16:42 -0800