The Tradition of the Wishbone Ever wonder where the wishbone breaking contest came from? It's a tradition dating back to Etruscans in 322 B.C. And it started with a hen, not a turkey. Back then, when someone wanted an egg he waited for the hen to announce the coming of her product. This led to the belief that the hen could tell the future. If a man wanted to receive an answer to a question, he would draw a circle on the ground and divide it into the 24 letters of the alphabet. Grains of corn were placed in each section, and the cock or hen was led into the circle and then set free. It was believed that the fowl would spell out words or symbols by picking up kernels of corn from the different sections. After writing the message, the fowl was sacrificed to a special diety and its collarbone was hung out to dry. Then, you'd get to make a wish on the bone. Once dry, two other people got a chance to make a wish by snapping the dried bone with each one pulling on an end. The person with the larger end of the bone got the wish--and it became known as a "lucky break."

Not so lucky for the fowl.

Lucky for the foul...

I had to look at that twice. I'm glad I did. You are so right.

That happens sometimes! ha-ha!

That happens quite a lot of the time.

to some, I suppose...

Not me!

Said the little red hen.

shoudn't that be, "Said the little Ree hen."???

Indeed it should.

(*cough*) I think that's, "Not I"...

ha-ha!!! Okay, okay.....�clearing throat importantly� 'Not I, said the fat, ugly, Ree hen.' (She's having her period....)

Oh oh, she's on the rag.

and what a tradition THAT is! (attempting to return to topic, don't ya know...)

In that vein, let's share our traditions for the upcoming Easter holiday. It's a fact, Easter can't come without Peeps.

YES!!!

It seems Easter came AND went without Peeps.

I had some

and you know I did!

Anyone interested in Hawaiian and/or local food traditions? That should not be farther OT than some of the above, and I am afraid I bore them with my Luau on Drool 113.

sure!

Souds fascinating, please proceed.

oh, puhleeze proceed!

Uh...sure! (you wrote your request for me to proceed last night my time and I am just seeing it now at 7:30 am...Puhleeze indeed!) Kinda out of the season for this, but one of the most tradition-bound ethnic groups here are Japanese-Americans. In preparation for the New Year (when everyone becomes a year older, no matter when their birthday is), they boil up huge vats of mochi rice which is very high in gluten. They then put it into what appears to be a hollowed-out tree trunk and pound it for hours and hours with a wooden mallet until it is a thick uniform mass. This is rolled into dome-shaped "cakes" and decorated with red veggi dye and tangerine leaves. It is left on the house altar for several days for good luck then eaten either plain or with cream and sugar. It is an acquired taste. Baby luau next

I love mochi rice, especially in amazake shakes, yummy!!!

You, indeed, know of what you speak! But, there are very few places who even know what you are asking for let alone have the makings!

It all comes from the organic/natural foods co-op, pre-made (Grainnassance is the best).

BTW, Autumn, I found the recipe for the peanut-chili oil sauce for the jellyfish salad just in case you wanted it. I'd be delighted to post it. I asked three local ladies this morning if they ever had jellyfish, and they looked at me like I was offering them something illicit and nasty. Still hunting for the person who can tell me what they taste/feel like when you are eating them!

Thanks, Marcia, I'd better stick to amazake. :-)

okay... I had an electronic request for my gravalox receipe today (via email), I gave it willingly but received a rapid response asking for measurements... for those of you who do not know me well... learn this... I don't measure A DAMN thing! I use what 'looks good' I gave a valiant effort and guesstimated for her but... for the rest of you... you get ingredients and descriptors like... a handful of this and a little of that and... well... that's all

Huh, guess what I read? " I gave it willingly, but received a rapid response asking for my measurements..." Geeeeeez, is that a one-track mind, or what? "That German kid Alexander, a reasonable enuff chap most days, but hey - girls and pumpkin-recipes's all's on his mind!" Gimme a break, willya? There's also records, and music, and more girls, and more pumpkin-stuff, ok?

*laugh* certainly one track thinking about those pumpkin-headed girls all day! (I had to log in via browser so I could read the pumpkin posts... too much info while telnetting gives me a headache!)