Tonya Harding on Inside Edition!!

[Karina1974]

That was Roy Blakey. He has an amazing archive of skating stuff.

I'm interviewing him soon for the podcast.

Thanks for the link. I was looking at the Ice Capades section; I actually have two of the program books pictured: the one with the skaters in blue outfits (that was a Gershwin tribute from the 1980-1981 tour), and the red one with the woman holding the boa (1989-1990 IIRC - the Kitty and Peter Carruthers were the head-liners that year). My parents also had one from the 1976 tour ( the cover pic was from a Bicentennial number).

[FunnyBut]

. I wanted to see her feeding her family Velveeta and Ritz crackers for dinner, her Richard Petty DVD collection, and her liquor cabinet full of Mad Dog..

Stop it!

[ewdot2480]

I have neighbors a block away who are into air conditioning and heating -- and they are mega rich. It's a lucrative business.

[DORISPULASKI]

For that matter, AFAIR, don't Charlie White's parents own and manage a heating oil company in Detroit?

Heating and cooling is generally a good business to be in in the US.

[my little pony]

Is there that much money in air conditioning repair? After they had to move in with his sister last year?

my AC guy does pretty well, but considering they were homeless last yr and she already had that tv gig at the time, i'm guessing they are in a different boat

[Japanfan]

Since the interview was supposed to be about her family life, I wanted to see that. I wanted to see her feeding her family Velveeta and Ritz crackers for dinner, her Richard Petty DVD collection, and her liquor cabinet full of Mad Dog. This interview was too sanitized.

It is possible that Tonya could be a good mom, you know. She's been through a lot, and put a lot behind her. And it's fairly common for mothers to turn a new leaf/get a new lease on life. I have friend who suffered from a drug addiction for many years and the unexpected birth of a daughter when she was 48 caused her to totally clean up and turn her life around. She wouldn't do anything to compromise the well-being of her child.

And Tonya will have learned the basics of good nutrition as a figure skater and boxer. I think she's fully capable of ensuring that her son has a healthy diet.

IMO it's time to put the Tonya bashing to rest and wish her well.

[heckles]

I have friend who suffered from a drug addiction for many years and the unexpected birth of a daughter when she was 48 caused her to totally clean up and turn her life around.

Unexpected birth at 48? Talk about a miracle from Pfizer.

Harding's boxing career was as lackluster as her taste in men, so I don't see her five minutes in that sport as evidence that she knows about pediatric nutrition.

[Japanfan]

Unexpected birth at 48? Talk about a miracle from Pfizer.

She was struck dumb when she found out and considered aborting, but then changed her mind when she realized it was her last chance (she has no other children), in more ways than one.

Harding's boxing career was as lackluster as her taste in men, so I don't see her five minutes in that sport as evidence that she knows about pediatric nutrition.

Basic nutrition isn't rocket science. Even lackluster athletes learn the basics. And pediatricians can give moms advice as well, if fact I'm sure there is an abundance of information on it.

Assuming that Tonya is too stupid or ignorant to know anything about nutrition is pretty harsh and reinforces the white trash stereotype that she is associated with. When in fact no one knows what she eats herself or feeds her son.

[heckles]

Assuming that Tonya is too stupid or ignorant to know anything about nutrition is pretty harsh and reinforces the white trash stereotype that she is associated with.

I doubt that someone who hunts squirrels does so for their nutritional content.

[Japanfan]

I doubt that someone who hunts squirrels does so for their nutritional content.

Why else would someone hunt squirrels? For the value of their fur?

For fun? They are more fun than hunting deer or quail?

If for fun, can you assume that people who hunt have poor eating habits?

[DORISPULASKI]

Perhaps she likes Brunswick stew?

[heckles]

Why else would someone hunt squirrels?

I don't know, maybe she has a taste for rodents? Would explain Jeff Gillooly.

[Japanfan]

Rodents - squirrels - do have nutritional value, however. It's as viable a protein source as anything else. The reason they are not bred as a food source or eaten more is that there isn't a whole lot of meat on them. And they don't have the gourmet status of other small animals, like quails or frogs.

But they are definitely a viable protein option and probably taste okay as well.

[DORISPULASKI]

There are quite a lot of people who like Brunswick Stew with squirrel.

They do not live in NYC or Washington DC however:

http://www.fieldandstream.com/forums...brunswick-stew

ELMER FUDD'S BRUNSWICK STEW
Uploaded on September 26, 2009



ELMER FUDD'S BRUNSWICK STEW

In my opinion an authentic Brunswick Stew must include three things: Squirrel, lima beans, and okra. Yet if you go online, you will find plenty of recipes that do not include *any* of these items.

I suspect those recipes come from New York City or something (get a rope?). This incredible development is what happens when we let Yankees dicker with things that should be left to Southerners. Another example is the use of sugar Up North in Corn Bread, which abomination actually is an unacknowledged cause of the Civil War. Ha Ha, all tongue-in-cheek (I think)!

So here is my recipe:

BRUNSWICK STEW

3-4 plump squirrels
Flour to dredge
Salt, black pepper
Bacon Grease
6 onions, chopped
3 cups water
2 large cans whole tomatoes
Generous pinch thyme
1 qt lima beans
1 qt cut okra
1 cup yellow corn
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Multiple dashes of Tobasco Sauce.

Older squirrels that would be a bit tough to fry are perfect, this process will make them tender. Cut the squirrels for frying. Dredge them with the flour, salt, and pepper, and brown them nicely in bacon fat in an iron skillet (it is not desirable to do more than just brown them). If browning any young squirrels, keep them separate. Put the meat in a large pot, but leave out for now any young squirrel. After pouring off most of the grease from the skillet, add some of the water to the skillet and stir up all the drippings with a wisk. Add this and the other water, onions, one can of tomatoes, and thyme to the pot, and let this mixture simmer for an hour. Then add all remaining ingredients, including any young squirrel, to the stew *except the okra* and let simmer, covered, till the meat and vegetables are tender. Now as a final step add the okra and heat again to a simmer; it’ll be ready to serve after just a 10 minute or so final simmer.

My first attempts at this stew were OK but not as good as I had been served. With the advice of my wife I finally realized I couldn’t skip the step of browning the squirrels. I had thought I could, since the simmering will tenderize the meat anyway, but there is something essential to the end product that is accomplished by browning and it cannot be skipped.

I also found I liked to do things in stages more than the original recipe called for. For one thing, I often have plenty of young squirrel and if you add them at the beginning they will disintegrate. I also like the okra to keep somewhat intact and I like to use cut okra.

I find cornbread, especially cornpone, to be the perfect accompaniment

[heckles]

Okay, but the important question is: do squirrels taste just like chicken?

[DORISPULASKI]

I have no clue, never having eaten squirrel

But I don't like chicken; it tastes just like alligator.

http://www.quora.com/What-does-squirrel-meat-taste-like

Apparently, it is considered a delicacy in the UK, and is sold in some kind of grocery or meat market.

[Grannyfan]

My daddy hunted squirrels when I was a kid, and we ate it often. My mother fixed it like fried chicken, which is not to say it tasted just like chicken, but I liked it. I've tried to prepare it myself, but it ended up tough as shoe leather. I don't know what she did to it. Daddy also hunted dove, quail, and duck and we ate them all, along with a ton of crappie he and Mama caught.

[barbk]

The Weight Watchers points book had an entry for squirrel ten or fifteen years ago. (Perhaps it still does.)

[skatingfan5]

The Weight Watchers points book had an entry for squirrel ten or fifteen years ago. (Perhaps it still does.)

Even The Joy of Cooking (1970's edition) an entry on how to prepare squirrel -- including an illustration of how to skin one, which always squicked me out.