A long time ago, commenter Bonnie told me:
In these parts we eat "pon haus" aka scrapple. Where's the hog maw? Where's the souse...it's food and should not be confused with getting "soused." That's all together different, though both are pickled.
Well, Bonnie hit on the one traditional food that I will not eat. (Yes, there are things I don't eat, believe it or not.)
It's like "Green Eggs and Ham." I could not, would not in a box... with a fox... in a house... with a mouse. Nowhere. Nohow.
Hubby, for his part, loves it and likes to tease me about it. But, sorry, even for someone who's as big of a hot dog fan as I am doesn't like meat-scrap-leftover-food.
I will defend our beloved Scrapple to my dying day!! People are 'afraid' of scrapple, because it is assumed that the 'scraps' are swept off the butcher room floor or are taken from the tails, toes or ears of the swine. NOT SO! The 'scraps' are merely the ppieces of meat so small they cannot be sold - so they are salvaged to make an AWESOME product! There are several other types of meats and foods that are created by congealing them from boiling the bones, and internal organs of the animal for superb flavor, not just scrapple. Read on (taken from Habbersett's website which, by the way originated in Media, PA):
Scrapple is typically made of hog offal, such as the head, heart, liver, and other scraps, which are boiled with any bones attached (often the entire head), to make a broth. Once cooked, bones and fat are discarded, the meat is reserved, and (dry) cornmeal is boiled in the broth to make a mush. The meat, finely minced, is returned, and seasonings, typically sage, thyme, savory, and others are added. The mush is cast into loaves and allowed to cool thoroughly until gelled. The proportions and seasoning are very much a matter of the region and the cook's taste.
Hey There Joan,
I would eat some scrapple if it is sliced very thin and fried very crisp and brown. Scrapple's problem is it is UGLY FOOD. Maybe add a little red dye? olives? Oh well.
I was on this site (in Japanese), o-bento.com the other day and I thought of you Joni. Very pretty food. You will like!
Love, Weez