Cuisine's Catered Curation

         Just a few catered moments           

The Japanese were not satisfied with ordinary beef and had to take it to greater heights with Kobe beef, a trademarked breed of Wagyu cattle, raised according to strict tradition only in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and considered a delicacy.  What they did for beef, the Japanese have also done for chicken, even though chicken was not even eaten in Japan until the 19th century. 

“Jidori” is a Japanese term usually translated as “chicken of the earth” or “from the ground” thanks to the birds' free range lifestyle.  Like Kobe beef and French champagne, jidori chicken is region specific, with the real thing coming only from the town of Hinai (now Odate) in the Akita region of Japan.  American grown versions are not technically jidori.  It is said that true Hinai-jidori chickens come from a “handful of farmers who raise the birds on pastures of clover, slaking their thirst with ‘thawing waters’ from the Ou Mountains,” and are fed vegetables, tomatoes and apples.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Jidori: the Kobe of chicken - Philadelphia Nutrition | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/article/jidori-the-kobe-of-chicken#ixzz1sqmbabVc

Benin Rooster

                               West African Cock

Happy Thanksgiving........

Autumn's Fowl Predictions

             No Spring chicken

When Blackberries Were Fruit

Select plump, well-colored blackberries. They should not have stem caps attached. If hulls are still attached, the berries are immature and were picked too early. Avoid berries showing any signs of decay. When buying berries, shop with your nose. Always pick the plumpest and most fragrant berries. They should be firm, bright, and fresh looking with no mold or bruises. If possible, buy locally grown berries. They're likely to be sweeter and juicier than those that are bred for shipment. Select berries that are in dry, unstained containers. (Stained containers may indicate over soft berries that are not freshly picked.) Mold on berries spreads quickly. Never leave a moldy berry next to a good one.

Do not wash or hull berries until you're ready to use them, and refrigerate unwashed berries as soon as possible. Store them in a colander in the refrigerator. This allows the cold air to circulate around them. Tip: Remove berries from refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before serving. Berries are at their fullest flavor at room temperature.