Mixed messages

Like many people, I've been trying to keep an eye on the family grocery budget. And every once in awhile, I'll buy something just because it's cheap. Like eggplant. Or cauliflower. And I generally feel doubly virtuous because it's good for us AND it's saving us money. Except when my family won't eat it. Like the eggplant. Or the cauliflower.

Anyway, a couple weeks ago, whole chickens were on special. Really cheap. I mean, super duper really cheap. I have to explain that I don't roast whole poultry very often. My sister and I have a family tradition of phoning my mom on Thanksgiving to ask her why the turkey isn't cooked yet. And then we got smart and started letting my brother-in-law cook the bird. He's very good.

But this chicken was cheap. So I bought three. My thinking ran something like this, "This is super cheap. And even if we don't eat them, I could cook one and take it to the neighbors." I don't usually inflict untried recipes on neighbors, just so you know. But there's been someone in hospital, etc ...

Well, the ironic thing is that once I bought them, these chickens took up space in the freezer. So I had to cook one. And it turned out pretty good. A little dry but that's because I had to put it in a smidge early because I wasn't going to be home and SG was in a meeting so he couldn't baste it. But we got our rosemary-roasted chicken out of the oven and sat down to eat supper.

It was a beautiful moment. Practically Norman Rockwell.

And then it occurred to me that my children hadn't seen a chicken that actually looked like a chicken come out of the oven in, like, forever. Oh, well. A little to late to worry about that now. We're farm stock, after all, and they'll have to recognize the realities of life at some point. "Children, I have to tell you something - not all meat grows up wrapped in cellophane."

We all dished up and I asked the usual question, "How was school today?"

"It was great. We had a lady come and talk to us about not being cruel to animals."

Oh, well.