Cane Liquor Christmas

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Recipe: 1 Christmas Turkey

Preheat water over open fire.
Chase after and catch 1 medium sized turkey.
Pour 1 cup cane alcohol down caught turkey's throat.
Once turkey is sufficiently intoxicated have two helpers hold the turkey as you snap its neck (with a twisting of both hands).
Once turkey is dead put it in preheated water and remove feathers. Burn the remaining feathers off over the kitchen fire.
Open the turkey and remove it's organs.
Rinse the turkey in the rain bucket and chop it into portions.
Grill and serve.
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When Jose said we were going to spend some time with the farming community up the road and that we would be back by 7:30 I thought he meant PM not AM.

It was a really lovely Christmas Eve. The few remaining at Yanayacu, Jose, Maria, Inka and I, went to Augustin's family home for dinner. We helped prepare the meal, picking the stones out of the rice, and making the salad (the women stood and stared as I stooped over and cut up vegetables ). We picked out one of the three turkeys running around the muddy yard and then saw it prepared in front of our eyes (see above for recipe).

Around 7PM more of the dairy farmers from the area showed up. We ate and danced and drank.

In Ecuador drinking a beer involves one glass and a dozen people. The buyer of the bottle pours a few glugs of beer into the glass and hands it to you. Your supposed to take it down in two quick gulps.

Jose made a toast over boxed wine after the meal and then we all went back to dancing salsa and reggaeton.

Around midnight most of the farmers went home and there were only a few of us left. That's when Augustine brought out a gallon jug of his home brewed sugarcane alcohol.

I kind of lost track of time after that. But it was definitely no "not a creature was stirring" kind of night.

Happy Chanukah and a Próspero Año de Felicidad.


-Aaron

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