Primal.

I had the chance a couple of weeks ago to do something that not many cooks have had the opportunity to do: pick out, slaughter, and roast a goat. Seeing a food product all the way through from start to finish is something rarely experienced. Even with produce. How many people plant something, nurture it through it's entire growth, pick it's fruit, and then create something with it? Not many.

An animal is an entirely different story. This thing is a living creature. It has lived a life. To end it, one must be committed to doing it's life justice. Not wasting what is has lived for. I can assure you, it is not a pretty thing. But at least it was real. It wasn't some cheap, far-removed imitation of what food is supposed to be. No price tags or blue aisle specials.

We as human beings have become so far removed from our food sources that we don't even realize where the things we're eating come from. Children can't begin explain where an egg comes from. They have no idea that apples grow on trees, and that they are harvested in the fall. People need to be reconnected with their food sources. Understand where it comes from and how it got to the plate that it's on. That's exactly what we set out to do... A forewarning: some of these pictures are graphic.

Garlic, Thyme, Rosemary, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper. Left to marinate overnight.

Let the festivities and merriment begin!

And deep into the night...

A unique experience I'll never forget and hope to do again soon. It was a very harsh reminder how disconnected we are as an American society from our foods. A rude awakening indeed. Please take an opportunity in the coming days and weeks to reconnect with your food sources. Whether it's as simple as finding out where your chicken is coming from,  or as complex as foraging for your own herbs, it's just a good idea - and it makes sense! Knowledge is power.

Reconnect!

Taylor