Lion Burgers, Anyone?

I don't understand the whole exotic game animal meat for consumption dealio. Buffalo burgers, ostrich burgers, stuff like that. Does it make it any more of a meal because you're eating something that you wouldn't normally eat? I don't know that it does. And does it really taste SO much better than a regular beef burger or a regular turkey burger? Different? I'd buy that. But better? I don't know. But now I'm afraid that the whole exotic burger deal is trying to one-up itself with an item on the menu at a Sacramento establishment. That's right. The Flaming Grill (which sounds like it would be more apt to be a gay bar than it would a bar and grill) is serving up lion burgers. Wait. What now?

Correct. Lion burgers. Well, not just lion burgers. Because that would be weird. No, they're lion AND antelope burgers. Mostly antelope. So, that should help, right? No. No, it kinda doesn't. Look, I'm not saying that they're disgusting or anything like that. I really don't know. I've never had a lion/antelope burger. (What would that be? Like a lintelope? Sounds fuzzy.) I just don't know that it's necessary, you know? According to KTXL in Sacramento "There are rules and regulations for this type of thing, but the Flaming Grill says it's not breaking any. The business tells FOX40 it can't serve a burger with all lion meat, and it's supply is not imported from another country." Wait. What?

It's not imported from another country? Where, exactly, in the United States do we have all of these lions roaming around that are fit for eating? I was unaware of the lion-as-food populace in this country. Not imported? How is that possible? And even if it is possible, when did this start? You know, all of the extra lions.

Upon further investigation of the Flaming Grill (OK, I went to Yelp) I discovered that the lintelope burger is not all that they serve that would be classified under the weird exotic menu. No, they have other things as well. For example, the yak burger. Made just for those of you with a hankerin' for some yak. Lemme guess. Is that meat not imported from another country either? Just a little Yellowstone poaching, perhaps?

Then there's the alligator burger. I want to know what's the difference between alligator meat and crocodile meat. They seem like they're cousins, yet I never hear of crocodile being on a menu anywhere. And if it was going to be anywhere, I'd have to guess that this place would be it.

There's your buffalo burger. Buffalo, the cousin of the yak. Still edible. Still odd. But it's not as odd as, of course, the llama burger. Behold!

Llama? Who would even think of eating a llama? Why would you want to? They're the spitters, right? Yeah, I don't want spit-laden meat. Llamas look like they're half camel, half ostrich. I'm surprised those aren't on the menu at the Flaming Grill as well! But according to the Yelp-sters, there is kangaroo available on some occasions. (Now, I KNOW that isn't from this country! Explain the kangaroo!)

I'm not bagging on the Flaming Grill, but I really take issue with the whole "exotic food" concept. Most of the time, foods that are considered to be "exotic" were only eaten in the first place because the people who were eating them were starving to death at the time! They would have eaten each other if they could have! It's not like they were looking to do the "exotic" thing at the time. They ate what they could. But when you can eat things that are more plentiful (and normal), shouldn't we just stick with those? Do we really need to be eating llamas? I'm not so sure.

A Little Critter In The Backyard Yesterday

We saw this possum running along our backyard neighbor's fence yesterday. I don't like possum's, too much like a large rat. But he's having a good time. Maybe eating our neighbor's figs or out of their vegetable garden on the other side of the fence.

A Day At Riverbanks Zoo, Columbia, SC

I haven't been to the Riverbanks Zoo so when Elaine and Ronnie decided to meet Jenny, Kyle and Brett at the Zoo, I wanted to go too. April is the perfect time to go because Columbia can get very hot and humid during the summer months. It was bright sunshine, a little breeze and not too hot. Elaine, Ronnie and I got there before Jenny, Kyle and Brett. So we looked around. Once they got there we had a picnic that I made. I brought a cold Gazpacho soup that I threw together along with slices of summer sausage and hoop cheese, bananas and seedless grapes and lemon cookies with canned drinks. Not too heavy and yet had all the nutrition you need for a long day on your feet.

Elaine and Ronnie





I caught this penquin swimming.







The Flamingos!





Reptile house





Koalas





Lorakeets



Grizzly bears



I got a good shot of this little meerkat.



This was a very tiny orange monkey.



This black and orange monkey was also so tiny. These would be considered the "tea cup" breeds of monkeys! LOL!





These black monkeys were hilarious! There was a bunch of schoolchildren taunting them. The monkeys with their throats blown up like balloons were hollering, "NO, NO, NO!" and the children were screaming back at them, "NO, NO, NO!" It was just too funny!









This one was sitting all the excitement out. Doesn't he look like a muppet?













The Lions





The zoo has 3 gorillas. There is nothing but a piece of glass that separates you from these huge gorillas. It's a weird feeling to be that close to a gorilla. They are nothing but muscle and are awesome!























When Jenny, Kyle and Brett got there he was wide open and ready to go everywhere. He is walking and running 90 miles a minute so we took turns running with him. We were particularly worried he would fall and hit his head on the pavement so we had him by the shirt a lot to stabilize him.











Jenny, Kyle and Brett





Looking at the monkeys who were still hollering "NO, NO, NO!"



Now Brett wants to play monkey and his Daddy helps him out.







Silver and Gold, Ronnie and Brett













A little hot and tired now so he's taking a rest.



Kyle bought them a chocolate milkshake and he made the mistake of letting Brett have a sip through the straw. He loved it! Then his Daddy tried to give him his cold water back and Brett wouldn't have it and was lunging for that milkshake. I don't know if Jenny and Kyle ever got a sip of their chocolate milkshake.











Finally, Brett sacked out and Ronnie held him while Jenny and Kyle did the rest of the Zoo and I did the Botanical Gardens.













Riverbanks Botanical Gardens










































































































On our way out of the Zoo



We stopped at the Lizard Thicket to eat an early supper. We got the restaurant to ourselves and had a round booth so Brett stood up in the middle of the booth and entertained us all! By the way, the Lizard Thicket makes good home cooking food. We've been to different Lizard Thickets in Columbia and enjoyed it each time.





Here he is touching foreheads with Ronnie. That's one of his ways of "kising" according to Jenny.















Feeding Pickles (Grandfather Ronnie)





Trying to use a fork to feed himself like a big boy!



Hugs!





Oh he loves our cold Southern sweet tea!














Before we left, I gave Brett this little monkey outfit to remember this day by. Kyle wanted to put him in it right away and I got this picture. Boy, it sure was hard to leave him.


(4/14/2010)