Anybody Know Where They're Selling Muscrat?

[gnome]

The coonman story got me thinking about Musrat dinners. During Lent you use to see them advertsied at VFW, Am Legion and Parish Halls. Didn't the Pope grant special status on the Muscrat declaring it a fish so it could be eaten during Lent?

Haven't seen a muscrat dinner lately and am wondering if anyone can recommend a good Muscrat place.

[jams]

\quote{ Muskrat love: Friday Lent delight for some OKed as fish alternative
By Kristin Lukowski
3/8/2007
Catholic News Service [[www.catholicnews.com)

RIVERVIEW, Mich. [[CNS) – There's an alternative to fish for some Michigan Catholics abstaining from meat on Fridays in Lent – muskrat.

The custom of eating muskrat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays in Lent apparently goes back to the early 1800s, the time of Father Gabriel Richard, an early missionary in Michigan whose flock included French-Canadian trappers. Legend has it that because trappers and their families were going hungry not eating flesh during Lent, he allowed them to eat muskrat, with the reasoning that the mammal lives in the water.

The story varies on just where in Michigan the dispensation extends. Among areas mentioned are along the Raisin River, along the Rouge River, both of which flow into Lake Erie south of Detroit, Monroe County in the southeast corner of Michigan, or all of southeast Michigan.

The Detroit Archdiocese communications department said there is a standing dispensation for Catholics downriver – in Detroit's southern suburbs and below – to eat muskrat on Fridays, although no documentation of the original dispensation could be found.}

http://www.catholic.org/national/nat...y.php?id=23328

[Maof]

has anyone eaten it before? what does it taste like? ewww

[jams]

As Johnny says somewhat like duck, a bit greasy.

[Alley]

There's a truckstop cafe somewhere Downriver that advertises muskrat dinners. Definitely not for us, but my husband passes it on the way to work, so I'll ask him the details when he wakes up.

[Maof]

oops, didn't see the mich. cath. link but come to think of it, i did see something on the food network [[bizarre foods) a while back. i think it's quite common down south.