Turtle talk
The turtle is to Cayman, what the frog/onion is to Bermuda, the maple leaf is to Canada, the hawk is to Dubai, and the elephant is to India. The turtle graces many local companies logos, but only in Cayman is the turtle a delicacy, a local favourite. Turtle soup is a fixture on the menus of many restaurants here. I was once at the grocery store and was shocked to see Cayman's version of the Jamaican meat patty - it was a turtle patty. Yeah, I know!
Of course, I asked my local friend, Piglet if she eats turtle. She told me that as a child she once walked in on her grandfather 'shelling' a turtle in the kitchen and the sight of it along with the blood turned her off any kind of turtle dish forever. Many ask me if I've tried turtle soup. Seriously? Take one good look at this picture (taken at Cayman's Turtle Farm). Does it look like I would eat turtle? No, I didn't think so. The way I see it, turtles are pretty darn cute. Not to mention they live and are able to survive for a couple of hundred years. That in itself is a major feat. Imagine, there are turtles out there that have swam the oceans through the many different revolutions, WW's I & II, and countless other historical events, not to mention the environmental changes we've wreaked this past century. So, why shorten their amazing feat of a lifespan, by eating them? It seems too cruel. And no, it's not the same as eating chicken or beef. Eating turtle is different. I just know I could never do it. How about you? Would you/ have you?
9 comments:
Turtles are nice creatures that grace the planet. Some turtles live to be over 100 years old. With that they have been around thru a lot of world events like WWI and WWII. Maybe they even assisted the Allies during the war. I will save that discussion for another day. Perhaps we should take a chapter out of the turtles book of wisdom. Maybe we need to slow down and enjoy life as our turtle friends. Perhaps that would prolong our live span.
Getting back to your post I can't imagine having turtle soup. Enjoying a nice glass of Tortuga rum is another story.
Doesn't Bermuda have the onion? Either way I would prefer a turtle over a frog and an onion any day.
Fortify
This is just superb bit of info and I wanna kiss the turtle now.. The saddest part is in our organization they have blocked access to blog sites and I cannot see the pic of the ‘cute turtle’.
I've eaten turtle. Maclean used to cook it and he loved it. When we lived in Ohio a friend of my dads used to trap turtles and sell the meat. We had it several times. He used to make it in a stew and we ate it over rice. You don't get much meat from a turtle so the pieces are small - good for a stew. Even fully cooked the meat was tough and chewy. It didn't taste like chicken, it was a stronger more wild tasting meat. Its not something that I wouldn't east again but been there done that fits the bill.
I have eaten turtle meat, (it is nice and tasty), long time ago when I was around 15 or 16
at Maclean's house, when we were staying there.
I have never eaten Turtle and now after your posting, never will. I had forgotten to remember that these guys can live such long lives. It seems a shame to kill turtles for human consumption. I agree - eating turtle is quite different from say chicken or beef. I think I will stick to my chicken and beef and enjoy turtle viewing from afar.
Maclean had nothing to do with it. My mom brought it, cooked it with lots of coconut. We all enjoyed it.
Oh yes, before putting in hot water we played with it as it moved around the furniture. It was indeed tasty since it was not an adult. About 6 to 9 inches in length.
Hey - If your Mom was 14, I was only 11 at the time.
Was neither my decision nor my choice.
Oh yes I have eaten Rabbit, boar, Goat eyes (mmmmm), venison (tasty).............
I must be the only one that thinks turtles look icky. For that reason alone, I would not (and never have) eat one.
I heard that the meat is tough and rubbery, and it looks so as well.
No,I have never eaten turtle and I just couldn't!!
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