Hunting, Gathering and Eating

This Post was written by Jonathan from Foodari

Recently there has been a lot of discussion about free-range chicken, the state of our intensively farmed produce and the need for us all to get closer to food production. The cause for quality food of provenance is a key theme and a major concern to Foodari.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of enjoying perhaps the freest range meat possible, in the freshest way and with more than a touch of enjoyment.

Shooting has long been debated as a cruel sport for a bunch of toffs, who, when not on horses chasing poor foxes, are blasting birds out of the sky.

The shooting season came to an end for us yesterday without any toff behaviour but with an illustration of how ancient county ways can, not only preserve our countryside but produce brilliant food.

There were 6 friends wandering through woodland with guns and three dogs. Baggins the insatiable springer who worked tirelessly all day, Millie the older yellow lab to retrieve supper, and Georgie, her daughter, looking pretty.

Many yards were covered in the pursuit of the pot and dare I say an extremely enjoyable day of rough shooting, man against beast under the winter sun. Some would say that the bird won but at least we shot enough for the pot that evening.

So the next stage in in enjoying this wonderful free-range meat of the most proven provenance was for me to retreat to my life in the smoke and prepare supper.

It tool all but 5 minutes to remove the plump breasts from the birds and decide that pan frying with mash would be the perfect end to a fine day.

I was not disappointed. Admittedly the meat may have benefited from hanging for a day but to experience true hunting, gathering and eating in one day is a privilege that should not be restricted.