Eating “local” in Newfoundland

Common murre… a food source in northern communities

Local foods sometimes make a tasting experience like you can get nowhere else. When I travel, I always try to find foods from the region. And at home I like to buy foods grown nearby. I find these foods are fresher and tastier than most supermarket stuff. Way more fun!

Watch an awesome video of a couple of guys in Newfoundland doing some home cooking. They got themselves a pair of murres and some local savory, and they’ve cooked up a real scoff ‘o turrs (a large meal of ducks for a party). Bake it like a man!

The video shows how to roast the murres just right. The chef calls the birds “turrs” but says, “Some people call ’em murries!” The Newfoundland accent is a little hard to follow. And whether we call them murres or turrs, I’m not sure the birds look that appetizing… but hey, no accounting for taste.

These are the same kind of birds that lay the blue eggs with the red yolks we talked about in my last post.

The Newfoundland fellow describes his method of cooking these birds and shows us all the steps. He says,  “The bird was soaked in a brine for 3 hours and then put in a roaster with chopped onion, carrot and potatoes. Made a gravy with the liquid/juice from the bird / vegetables and with a roux base. Dressing stuffed in the bird and made from scratch with the special ingredient being the Mount Scio savory. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. Was some friggin’ good, bye!”

The guy says they taste nothing like chicken… quite unique. And for him, delicious. If I ever get a chance, I’d try ’em!

Many thanks to the Audubon Society for the photo and You Tube for the video.

Related

Check out a few other odd but delicious recipes featuring lean meats, some of which can be quite as exotic as turr:

• Hungry enough to eat an ox? Simmer up a rich oxtail stew in Vinny’s ode to dads in the kitchen. This traditional French recipe is based on one published originally in 1943 by “Gourmet Magazine.”
• Hasenpfeffer – a rich rabbity stew from Germany! Rabbit meat is an excellent choice for good health. Try this lean but rich and flavorful stew for a special treat during the cold winter months. Benefits for your heart and men’s health!
• Yakity’s life-ever-lasting Tibetan pie Check out this cool recipe for Sherpa’s pie featuring a lean meat (Yak, perhaps?) and sweet potatoes. The unique biology of the amazing yak helps us discover the benefits of eating lean meats.
• Miss Chicken wears orange for a bolder style Chicken doesn’t have to be dull. Partner her with cara-cara oranges and Asian carrots for an exotic and healthy meal.
• Talking turkey with chili  Spice up some ground turkey and serve it with beans for a quick, nutritious, one pot dinner. Under 500 calories for a BIG serving.