SC - Fw: [SCA-U] Unsual Foods

[Alderton, Philippa]

>Well, things are a bit slow, and I've been going thru really old posts.
>This was one of mine in Atlantia:
>
>Re: Medieval diseases, or never touch plague rats
>        Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 15:30:59 -0500
>        From: rmhowe <magnusm at ncsu.edu>
>Organization: Windmaster's Hill, Atlantia, and the GDH
>          To: Merryrose <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>
>
>> Poster: carl christianson <einar at cvn.net>
>> Elen Prydydd  wrote:
>> The prof I had for population history was really keen on McNeill:  he
>> drilled it into us pretty unmercifully  ;->  He even told us about
>> Mongolian folkways that prevented the spread of the damn disease:  never
>> touch a dead rodent (unless of course you just shot it) -- it's probably
>> diseased and has disease-carrying fleas on it!
>>
>> Elen
>
>Actually, this is still a current practice in Mongolia. I am reading
>a book on Women of Mongolia by Martha Avery, 1996, where it states
>that it is forbidden to carry marmot into the cities, but they do it
>anyway, because of the threat of spreading plague. Problem is that
>Marmot is a delicacy there and they are addicted to it. Marmot plague
>is called tarvagan takhal. It seems to be seasonal though, worst in
>from June to middle of August when the animals are weakest. Hunting
>season is August 15 to October 15, after that they hibernate.
>
>There are a number of ways to cook it. One involves making sure it is
>shot in the head, reaching down the throat to pull out the insides,
>placing hot river stones inside, and throwing the whole marmot on the
>coals of a fire. After about two hours he gets really big and one
>removes the stones, which can be used to rub oneself with, then pours
>out the soup which has gathered inside the animal into two or three
>cups. Then you eat the rest of the animal.
>
>Magnus, just chock full of extraneous information. Enjoy your marmot. ;)

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