THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 7, 1994 TAG: 9412070012
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: LARRY MADDRY
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Christmas on the Road. Well it's that time of year again and time to check in with Tom Squier, the Paul Prudhomme of the pavement.
Squier, who lives in Aberdeen, N.C. is the author of the ``Living Off the Land Cookbook,'' and one of last year's column subjects.
``Whether you get it with a gun or a Goodyear it's still the same meat,'' Squier says. While it is true that Squier serves road kills to friends who drop by for holiday meals - along with toasted beetle grubs - he's picky about the meat.
``I prefer a possum or squirrel that has been swiped by a car and kinda limps to the side of the road, rather than one that's been squashed flat,'' he said.
He has a few hints for Christmas which I'd like to pass along.
Ever tried Christmas tree tea? Just save your tree needles and pour boiling water over them and let the concoction steep. ``Has a nice fruity taste,'' he said. You can make a nice jelly by blending the tea with sugar and pectin. Makes a fine Christmas tree jelly, Squier claimed.
And if you are having friends and family over for a holiday meal, remember this is the safest time of year for preparing road kills such as possum, squirrel, or raccoon. ``When the temperature drops the meat stays safe longer,'' Squier reminded. And make sure you use all of your road kill.
``Squirrel heads are delicious,'' the Goodyear gourmet advises, particularly ``the cheek meat and tongue.''
Right. And for a nice seasonal presentation with holiday colors simply put a holly sprig on the squirrel's tongue. Who said good taste has to be expensive?
OH, TREE FOR two and two for tree. . . .
Maybe Pete Hamill is right. He's the author who penned a piece in the current issue of Esquire bemoaning the lack of civility in our country.
Wait until Pete gets a load of this:
GRACE CHAPEL, N.C. (AP) - Two motorists spied a Christmas tree lying along the roadside Wednesday night, but the spirit of Christmas was nowhere to be found.
The two men ended up fighting over the tree. One wound up in the emergency room; the other got the tree.
William Hamby, 46, of Taylorsville was driving home with his wife around 11:30 p.m. when he saw the tree lying along the shoulder of the road, according to a report filed by sheriff's deputy David Anderson. He backed up to where the tree was and got out of his car to load it and take it home, hoping to save the cost of buying a tree this year.
Just after Hamby stopped, another man pulled his car over, walked up to Hamby and asked for directions to Lenoir. After receiving directions, the other man stated that the real reason he was there was because he had seen the tree too, the report stated.
After the two men began arguing, Hamby was hit in the mouth. The blow broke his false teeth and cut his lips, the Lenoir News-Topic reported.
The other man grabbed the Christmas tree, loaded it into his car and drove away, leaving Hamby with bleeding lips and looking for his teeth.
Hamby was treated at Caldwell Memorial Hospital and released.
No arrests have been made.
Eastern Shore Guide. Before taking a trip to see our neighbors on the Eastern Shore of Virginia many moons ago, I got a letter from Candy Farlow. In it she told me all I needed to know about the Eastern Shore in just a few lines:
1. Any resident not a native of either Accomack or Northampton Counties is known as a Comehere.
2. Comeheres are welcome as long as they don't come here and try to change everything.
3. Everyone (except Comeheres) is related in some way so watch what you say about folks.
4. When providing directions, any native will say ``bayside'' or ``seaside'' rather than ``west'' or ``east.''
5. Hayman potatoes are supposed to turn green when cooked. (I actually had Comeheres throw away my welcome gift of baked haymans when they peeled them because they thought they were rotten.)
Candy's suggestions were, uh, shore helpful. by CNB