Company seeks frozen sparrows
1978: The Taiei Company of Japan contacted the U.S. State Department seeking an American company willing to provide it with frozen sparrows "at regular intervals". The company was ready to "give guidance on how to catch small birds and how to process them".
According to the British Food History site, sparrows used to be a common part of the British diet.
Bangor Daily News - Jan 14, 1978
According to the British Food History site, sparrows used to be a common part of the British diet.
Comments
I sounds like the Japanese were buying sparrows for meals in a high end restaurant. In the time of the earlier centuries, sparrows would not have been eaten as a delicacy, but as a necessity. They were numerous and easily caught. Also, you weren't in danger of being apprehended and prosecuted by the King's Men, unlike if you were to hunt something with more meat on its bones.
I'm also reminded of the child's ditty of "Sing a song of sixpence..."
I'm also reminded of the child's ditty of "Sing a song of sixpence..."
Posted by KDP on 06/28/21 at 09:23 AM
I wonder if anyone thought they could make a little money on the side in such an operation by cutting out the tongues and selling them to the Brits on the black market as lark's tongues.
iirc (which isn't actually very likely) sparrows are the largest bird you can, in a survival situation, gut, behead, wrap in clay, bake under your campfire, and eat without taking out the bones (the feathers/skin come off when you break it out of the clay).
iirc (which isn't actually very likely) sparrows are the largest bird you can, in a survival situation, gut, behead, wrap in clay, bake under your campfire, and eat without taking out the bones (the feathers/skin come off when you break it out of the clay).
Posted by Phideaux on 06/28/21 at 02:43 PM
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Category: Animals | Food | 1970s