If the reader of this post feels sorry for the rabbit on my plate, just remember that little rabbit foo foo was not a very nice rabbit. As the song goes, “Little rabbit foo foo, hopping through the forest, scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head!” (See all lyrics here.)
Sarah, my neighbour up the hill, invited Alexis and I for dinner with her three little girls. “Is there anything you don’t want to eat?” she asked me that morning.
“Nope. We’re up for anything, Sarah.”
The meal started in true Sarah form. The dinner table was decorated with martini glasses, adorned with white and blue swirl straws. Soon, they were filled with apple cider for the kids. A sprinkled, chocolate covered marshmallow on a stick sat patiently on everybody’s plate. Alluring pheromones whispered, “You know you want me” and the marshmallow was right.
Then came the big bowl of rabbit meat pasta. I looked behind me and noticed a sticker on one of the picture frames that read, “Try something new today.”
It’s not the first time I’ve eaten rabbit. I went to school for Food and Beverage Management at George Brown College. In the second year of that program, the students ran the fine dining restaurant on campus. One of the meals we prepared was rabbit. I remember that because the meat was muscular, it had to cook in oil for hours to tenderize it. I asked Sarah how long it took her to cook foo foo. “Twelve hours” she said.
This might seem cruel to some, but I’ve got to say, it was good. It took on the taste of the sauce, so the rabbit itself was not overpowering. Best of all, was my peace of mind that rabbit had not yet been industrialized like chicken or beef. That gave me hope that perhaps there were less chemicals and hormones in the rabbit on my plate, than in the status quo choices that could have been its replacement.
The night went on with funny faces, dress up and dancing, and ended with dessert and story time.
Best of all was the one on one conversation I got to enjoy with my friend. My friend who has given us almost every thread of clothing Alexis has ever worn. My friend whose creativity astounds, and inspires me. My friend, who also happens to be a professional massage therapist, and I can vouch first hand, she is amazing at her profession.
I am in love with the neighbourhood in which I live. For friends who are like family, for new experiences, and great memories, here’s to rabbit pasta, and a great night out with the girls!
