aem wrote:
> These little birds have always disappointed me. I look at their
> convenient, even cute, size and I think gee, I ought to be able to do
> something special with these.

Will the real gentlemen please stand up; as opposed to those appointed
by Congress.

In the late sixties, the U.S. Navy Officer's Mess in Philadelphia over
purchased these little birds, prepared them and tried to serve us
burley warriors. Of course we were all in dinner dress.The service was
formal so we gentlemen had to eat properly with the proper silverware.
Zip. Whiz. Bang. Those hens were flying everywhere, jumping off plates,
onto other tables and the floor. Never heard so much muttered
cursing--vile Navy lingo you didn't even hear shipboard. And grown men
cried. Had Philadelphia been attacked at that moment, the U.S. Navy was
inoperable. We would have surrendered.

And in sugsequent days, faced with the over purchase of those hens the
mess tried to disguise the menu marquis with names like Broiled Pullet,
Succulent Poussin, Young Chicken--anything to lure us gentlemen back
into the battle of the bird. Oh for a simple plate of SOS.