February 15, 2014

Disfigure that Peacock!

Now that you have the whole "murder of crows," "parliament of owls," etc. in your vocabulary — expressions probably never used by persons who actually dealt with crows and owls, but which, to use great-grandpa's expression, "smell of the lamp"* — let us move on to the culinary.

Just remember this: pigeons are "thighed," but quails are "winged," while hens are "spoiled." 

Or people teleporting in from the late seventeenth century will think that you are uncultured.

This reminds me, I think there is one grouse in the freezer. What do I do? Allay it?

* Odd expression? Well, dip a wick in some whale oil, light it, and smell for yourself.

1 comment:

Peculiar said...

To splat a pike is an idiom of which I've always been fond.