How can one eat a little bird whole, 'bones and all'?

[No Wikipedia Cites]

In the bizarrely titled (but academic press published) book Unmentionable Cuisine, by Calvin Schwab, it mentions that there is a modern day prejudice in America against eating 'little birds' like Starlings and Sparrows.

But historically it happened, and still does in other countries. He also reports that little birds are usually eaten 'bones and all' including 'viscera'.

Ok, is that possible? Good for you? They might be little but it's still bones, which ain't that soft right? And what about the stomach contents and such of the bird? People are crunching down some sparrow gall bladder and skull too? Wouldn't it be horrible and damaging?

Explain

[ShelliBean]

I'm interested I'm hearing about this as well. The closest I've ever come is reading about Anthony Bourdain describing eating ortolans. It sounded gross to me, but perhaps it's my unsophisticated palate? I don't care, I'd still rather eat spaghetti-os than bird guts.

I'm willing to be schooled, though.

[Ethilrist]

Those wacky, wacky French. They'll try anything. Snails. Frog legs. Whole birds.

[sitchensis]

In the cases I have heard of, the ones eaten whole are first captured and fed a straight grain diet.

[Gagundathar]

When I was an exchange student in Brazil back in the 1970s, I was exposed to all manner of strange victuals. Among these delicacies were braised songbirds. They had been cooked in such a manner that the delicate bones were merely 'crunchy' (as in Crunchy Frog). I don't quite recall the actual flavor of the dish as I was too busy trying to appear sophisticated to a young Brazilian lass at the time.

[Stink Fish Pot]

Originally Posted by ShelliBean

I'm interested I'm hearing about this as well. The closest I've ever come is reading about Anthony Bourdain describing eating ortolans.

bolding mine.

I hate that guy, so I hope he choked on ortolans. Or baby birdie bones.


I think I saw something about this once, although I remember something about the birds being pickled. I also remember a delicacy of developed bird embryos being eaten out of the shell.

How hungry do you have to be to eat a bird embryo?

[Alan Smithee]

Just a tiny bit peckish.

[heathen earthling]

Do you eat the feathers?

[Lancia]

There's always balut, which is eaten in large quantities in parts of Asia.

[alphaboi867]

Originally Posted by Stink Fish Pot

bolding mine.

I hate that guy, so I hope he choked on ortolans. Or baby birdie bones.


I think I saw something about this once, although I remember something about the birds being pickled. I also remember a delicacy of developed bird embryos being eaten out of the shell.

How hungry do you have to be to eat a bird embryo?

Isn't that a Filipino delicacy?

[Yorikke]

Originally Posted by Lancia

There's always balut, which is eaten in large quantities in parts of Asia.

Repulsive as well, but a little less so. I passed on balut several times when I worked with lots of Philippinos.

Joe

[Wile E]

"Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette, je te plumerai
Je te plumerai la tête
(Je te plumerai la tête)"

[BrainGlutton]

I eat fish bones every time I eat sardines or anchovies. They won't choke you. I could imagine tiny-birds' bones are edible.

[Toxylon]

The bones of 'thumb-sized' critters - songbirds, mice etc. - are so tiny and delicate, especially after cooking, that they present no problem whatsoever to the eater. Same applies to the viscera. Ask me how I know...

Eating small animals whole is the only way to get some nutrition out of them, and was the way to do it the world over until modern times.

[Lazlo Hapsburg]

I've heard that in many cultures, people eat small animals whole. In fact, I recall some woman who appeared on Celebrity Apprentice several years ago. Her husband was a French Chef and he opened a restaurant that served a famous French delicacy that was a small bird eaten whole. I think it was deep-fried first and that softened the bones to where the diner couldn't recognize them as bones.

But you can Google for a French delicacy. For some strange reason, I'm pretty sure the name started with the letter "O".

The various message boards were very busy discussing this. It was perhaps about ten years ago.

Here you go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ortolan_Bunting

[Lazlo Hapsburg]

Originally Posted by Wile E

"Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette, je te plumerai
Je te plumerai la tête
(Je te plumerai la tête)"

A lovely little children's song.

The French have different ideas when it comes to food and I love French food. I'm not trying to criticize or make fun of them whatsoever.

By the way, the translation for "Je te plumerai la tete" follows. Do not look if you are squeamish or if there are young children present:

SPOILER:

I will pluck your head

[WhyNot]

Originally Posted by Lazlo Hapsburg

A lovely little children's song.

My French teacher told us (and so it might be utter bullocks) that it used to be a very literal song - something you'd sing to keep up the rhythm to get the birds plucked by dinnertime.

As I've never plucked a bird, I can't tell how suitable the song would be for this purpose, but I can verify that small children love it, whether or not they can speak French.

[Cicero]

Mitterand, shortly before his death had a meal of ortolan bunting. The sale is (and was) illegal as it is a protected species.

[Lazlo Hapsburg]

By the way, I should say that I found the English translation from some French -> English translation site after I Googled "French English Translation".

http://translation.babylon.com/french/to-english/

[Lemur866]

You can eat the ribs and wingtips and other small bones of a chicken if it's cooked extra-crispy. If the bones are cooked hard they just crunch up into nothing.

[ArmenE]

You catch the ortolan with a net spread up in the forest canopy. Take it alive. Take it home. Poke out its eyes and put it in a small cage. Force-feed it oats and millet and figs until it has swollen to four times its normal size. Drown it in brandy. Roast it whole, in an oven at high heat, for six to eight minutes. Bring it to the table. Place a cloth—a napkin will do—over your head to hide your cruelty from the sight of God. Put the whole bird into your mouth, with only the beak protruding from your lips. Bite. Put the beak on your plate and begin chewing, gently. You will taste three things: First, the sweetness of the flesh and fat. This is God. Then, the bitterness of the guts will begin to overwhelm you. This is the suffering of Jesus. Finally, as your teeth break the small, delicate bones and they begin to lacerate your gums, you will taste the salt of your own blood, mingling with the richness of the fat and the bitterness of the organs. This is the Holy Spirit, the mystery of the Trinity—three united as one. It is cruel. And beautiful.

[Kimstu]

Well played, Alan Smithee.

[Gagundathar]

Originally Posted by ArmenE

You catch the ortolan with a net spread up in the forest canopy. Take it alive. Take it home. Poke out its eyes and put it in a small cage. Force-feed it oats and millet and figs until it has swollen to four times its normal size. Drown it in brandy. Roast it whole, in an oven at high heat, for six to eight minutes. Bring it to the table. Place a cloth—a napkin will do—over your head to hide your cruelty from the sight of God. Put the whole bird into your mouth, with only the beak protruding from your lips. Bite. Put the beak on your plate and begin chewing, gently. You will taste three things: First, the sweetness of the flesh and fat. This is God. Then, the bitterness of the guts will begin to overwhelm you. This is the suffering of Jesus. Finally, as your teeth break the small, delicate bones and they begin to lacerate your gums, you will taste the salt of your own blood, mingling with the richness of the fat and the bitterness of the organs. This is the Holy Spirit, the mystery of the Trinity—three united as one. It is cruel. And beautiful.

How interesting!
The commentary of its possible origin is even more bizarre... http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=297191

That description does not belong in an encyclopedia. It's my paraphrase of a monologue delivered by a weird guy on a tipsy night a decade ago—many details of which (our dessert, for example) I don't remember.

[well he's back]

polenta e uccelli (polenta with songbirds) is a food speciality in the area of Bergamo in Northern Italy. Imagine my surprise when it was served at a restaurant I was at during a visit there.

[Lazlo Hapsburg]

Originally Posted by well he's back

polenta e uccelli (polenta with songbirds) is a food speciality in the area of Bergamo in Northern Italy. Imagine my surprise when it was served at a restaurant I was at during a visit there.

What is the point of removing its eyes while it is still alive?

Does it have something to do with the God/Jesus metaphor?

[Alan Smithee]

Maybe that's so it can't ID you when you show up at the pearly gates.

[Bryan Ekers]

The point, of course, is to swallow the bird to catch the spider.

[well he's back]

The birds were roasted whole at the restaurant I was at in Bergamo. I doubt they acted esp cruelly w/regard to their eyes. don't know where that came from.