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To whom it may concern:
Please be advised that Mr. Moonriver will be on werewolf mode starting tonight up to Thursday afternoon, and will not be available for routine transactions. Full moon warrants absolute focus on panda bear hunt. All intruders will be decapitated and disemboweled without further ado. Thank you for your kind consideration.
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I had wanted to just post this standard warning sign at the entrance to my cave tonight, and be done with it -- no more blogging until I come back on Thursday from my monthly prowl for panda bear meat.
But then, I realized that this is a blue moon, and I'm in an extraordinarily good mood tonight. Also, it stopped raining, the sun shone a bit this morning, even though the sky is covered again with thick rainclouds, covering the full resplendent moon.
Hence, I've decided to forego my prowl at least for today. My favorite bamboo forest is so far away anyway. I don't think my hunt will be successful tonight. Instead, I'll just get a great fire going in my cave hearth, make myself some nice and thick fruitbat stew, and be friendly to visitors who want to admire my kitchen. I remember I promised last year to post the recipe here. This seems a good time to do exactly that.
So no ranting and growling and howling at the moon tonight, folks. No crying and sobbing for lost loves and past pains. For once, just clean home-grown fun. Here it is -- my werewolf recipe for fruitbat stew.
- Trap 5 adult, medium-sized fruit bats of any Pteropus species. Usually found in dipterocarp and mangrove forests and adjacent caves. Keep them alive until ready to cook.
- Bring to camp. Build great fire. Prepare condiments.
- Fill cauldron with 2 litres of river water, a handful of salt, crushed black pepper, sliced onions, and crushed ginger root. Bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, pull out a bat from the gunny sack, hold firmly by the wings, and smash head solidly against a sharp rock to kill it. Chop into four pieces -- head, body, left wing, and right wing. Do the same procedure for all 5 bats. (Note: No washing or cleaning needed. Fruit bat blood and urine-soaked fur are clean and give off a distinctly pleasant aroma when cooked. Optionally, you could singe each bat over open fire for about 30 seconds to burn off the hair and impart a slightly roasted taste.)
- Optional: 1 medium pc peeled papaya fruit, or 3 pcs chayote fruit. Chop into 2x2 inch cubes.
- Put the chopped bat meat (and optionally, the cubed vegetables) into the boiling water. Simmer over low fire for 30 minutes. Bat meat is cooked if skin on wings start to tear off easily from bones.
Best served piping hot with boiled rice, banana, taro root or sweet potato. Good for 5 servings.
Yummy. The wings are my favorite. Come on, join my sumptuous meal. I love having friends for dinner...lol.
Rrrrowwwlllhhhnggrrr!
