Raccoon at Moto 2008

I just heard Monica Eng on Nick DiGilio (WGN 720), and in addition to talking about the salt caves / spas around the area, she mentioned she attended a Raccoon Lunch at Moto today. There was no explicit citation of Cathy2 or LTH, and I hadn't heard about this anywhere on the site, but she did mention a "friend" who got her into the spirit (and acquired her a raccoon), and this sounds like too much of a coincidence to be tracked to any other source.

So what's the scoop? Monica mentioned this will be going into print (with accompanying video online) tomorrow.

Funny. Both C2 and I talked to the Tribune in the past week or so re: raccoon and our '05 raccoon dinner at Moto. Glad to see Moto is (also) getting some mileage out of it.

Hi,

David Hammond and I were both contacted by a reporter from the Chicago Tribune, though it was not Monica. The reporter was specifically looking for sources of raccoon, which you need a friend to get some through because it is not sold. I did suggest they call the people in Wisconsin who prepare the raccoon dinner I am going to next Saturday (see Events board).

Of course, they learned from us, and certain it was well documented, of the raccoon dinner at Moto. I wonder if she got the roadkill course, beet-related raccoon or something new! I will venture to guess they came up with something new.

While you can trace this back to here, Monica Eng is now taking her own approach to this. Sometimes we trade off walking in each others footsteps.

Regards,

I would never call raccoon + moto anyone's "own" approach except yours, but greatly respect (am awed at, actually) your humility and magnanimity here. As I was fearing over in the Jamon Iberico thread, pretty soon Steve Dolinsky is going to rename the Will Special at Riviera after himself. We're turning into the Reuters, Westlaw, or Lexis Nexis of the food journalism world, and I of course believe that the mining organizations should remunerate the site (at least with consistent shout-outs).

But hopefully, when the article and video are out tomorrow, there will be gracious recognition. Right, Tribune?

Wow, as a new member here, I thought I was imagining the coincidences.

I see now, said the blind man.

Somewhat off subject, but our gal, Ms. Eng has a VERY nice feature in this month's Gourmet. Very big congrats to Monica!

Rob

Hi,

I just found the raccoon story online at the Chicago Tribune.

Low and behold I just learned you can buy fresh raccoon meat. Oh the joy of newly learned information!

Regards,

C2, what is this "online community of foodies" we're hearing so much about?

David “Weaned on McDonald’s instead of raccoons” Hammond

Good quotes, C2!

Cathy2 wrote:I just found the raccoon story online at the Chicago Tribune.

Cathy,

Monica Eng is one of the more intrepid culinary adventurers, but to my mind few, if any, have done more to encourage the raccoon than you, with the possible exception of Bullwinkle.

Cathy2 LTHForum Raccoon Links
1, 2, 3, 4, 5

One of these days I think I'll compile a Cathy2 Urban Culinary Adventurer links post, consisting of high points such as SonofaBitch Stew, rotten shark, cicadas and many (many) more.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:One of these days I think I'll compile a Cathy2 Urban Culinary Adventurer links post, consisting of high points such as SonofaBitch Stew, rotten shark, cicadas and many (many) more.

Among the many (many) more: Joys of Eating the Road Less Traveled at Sticky Rice

Thanks for keeping the food boundaries wide open, Cathy2!

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I just found the raccoon story online at the Chicago Tribune.

Wow, I can't believe that this story is below the fold on the front page.
As interesting as it is, I can't see why this is front page material and not
well placed in the Tempo section.

mhill95149 wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I just found the raccoon story online at the Chicago Tribune.

Wow, I can't believe that this story is below the fold on the front page.
As interesting as it is, I can't see why this is front page material and not
well placed in the Tempo section.

I haven't seen it in print yet. I just learned it was on the front page a few minutes ago, too. I was sure it would have been placed in Tempo or buried in the Entertainment features, too.

I must admit David Hammond has been an excellent keeper of the flame when it comes to raccoon and cicadas, too!

Regards,

Last I looked, Rocky was a flying squirrel not a raccoon. Probably would taste pretty much the same, except for the aviators hat.

She's done more for racoons than the Beatles?

Cathy2 wrote:I wonder if she got the roadkill course, beet-related raccoon or something new! I will venture to guess they came up with something new.

Same old roadkill. The comments to this piece are especially entertaining.

Kristen

Originality simply reigns in this article.

I'll try to track down the audio tomorrow, but this story made it across the desk of Rush Limbaugh today. (I heard the mention sometime after 1ish.) All politics aside, he's on over 600 affiliates. Nationwide raccoon eating coverage is awesome.

kl5 wrote:Same old roadkill.

Actually, not quite the same old roadkill. The original presentation was not as dramatic and looked less like American Psycho(e.g., no splash of red "blood"). It also used a cute image of a cartoon raccoon in place of the tire treads. Also, the article indicates moto started with uncooked raccoon and brined it overnight; Cathy brought already-cooked raccoon in a Tupperware container to our dinner in '05. And now that it's been pictured on the internet, maybe others will attempt to make it. Seventy years from now, our descendents will argue over the origins of Raccoon Roadkill the way we now do over Chicken Vesuvio ("Although the name 'raccoon roadkill' was coined in Chicago in the mid-2000s, multiple sources clearly show the dish originated in the Ozarks in 1923, when a motorist decided to stop and figure out what caused a thump under his Model A ...")

hey foodies
monica eng here.

thanks for your interest and kinds words.

i just wanted you to know that megan really wanted to give props to the lth racoon dinner as the origin of this and we even asked homaro to talk about that dinner as the inspiration for this dish but it all got cut for space.

as of 7:30 this evening we finally got video on the web site of the chefs actually talking about this twisted plating. its worth a look--not for my nervous mug--but to hear these gifted dudes talking about their dish.

sorry i forgot to give you the url for the new racoon eating video and chef canto and jones explanation
here it is. hope it works

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertain ... l=chi_mezz

you can see homaro talking about the lth dinner in a video taken by the pastry chef posted on you tube and the Chicagoist.com today.

Welcome to the board, and thank you for the clarification and link on the raccoon saga. I loved your caves conversation with Nick yesterday, and hope you'll join us for an event or two in '08.

thanks. hope to make it to some events. they sound a lot more fun than much of the stuff i cover.