Back With a Sack of Turtle Snack!

After a few weeks on a blogging hiatus, I'm finally back and with so much to share! Most recently, Roanne & I had dinner with a student, Emossa (which I thought the most unique but beautiful English name I have heard a student choose). We took her to a restaurant nearby campus in hopes of having their turtle soup. Unfortunately, the kitchen was out of turtles so Roanne & I would not eat turtle for the first time that night. But there was no need to be sad because Emossa claimed that her father's speciality was turtle soup and that she would have us try it that coming Saturday!

When I opened my door, Emossa was standing there with a bag. When I asked her why she would have soup in bag, she replied, "I brought you turtles!"

Literally, a bag of turtles.

Here's the conversation that then ensued:

Emossa: "Do you know how to cook?"

Me: "Uh no, I wouldn't say so."

Emossa: "Didn't Roanne say she is a good cook?"

Me: "Well, yes, but she also said that she's never eaten turtle."

Emossa gives me a confused look.

Me: "So what you're saying it that you just brought live animals to my apartment with no idea how to cook them?"

Emossa: "I'm not sure how you kill them."

Me: "Well do you have any idea about how to prepare them and what ingredients we should get?"

Emossa: I've watched my parents once before."

Me: "I guess we're cooking turtles!"

I immediately thought about my debate dilemma that I had encountered in my classes. This was another example of many of the student's lack of deductive reasoning. Regardless, it could work out well so we had some cooking to do....

I told Emossa that she would have to handle the turtles as I am used to only seeing the food I am going to eat after it is dead and pre-packaged. I told her the best method for mass turtle murder would probably be boiling. I know the following picture is rather morbid, but it pretty much sums up the night:

Emossa took over the entire kitchen and refused any assistance with prepping the vegetables or cooking the rice. We forwent attempting turtle soup and thought it'd be best just to cook it with veges and rice how other meats are commonly served up in China.

Turtle Sandwich

After nearly two hours, dinner was served. Frankly, it was absolutely disgusting. I am pretty sure that not ony had Emossa never cooked turtle, but she has never cooked once in her entire life. I am also pretty sure that she unknowingly threw away most of the actual meat because we were mostly served cartilage from under the shell - and the feet. My pic of the final dish is blurry but I think you've seen enough....

I asked Emossa to take the remaining turtles with her, but she left them. I quickly placed the bag on the balcony because I was running late to meet someone. When I returned home late that evening, I thought it cruel that I had just left the turtles in the bag, especially after their friends had been futilely sacrificed. So I filled a tray with water and lettuce and brought it to the porch so that they would be more comfortable. But there was only one turtle in the bag and I could have sworn there should have been three! Not thinking too much of it because it was late and I was tired, I went to bed.

The next morning I set the one remaining turtle free in the river. Then the following night, I had three friends over with whom I was sharing this story. As we were leaving, I suddenly shrieked and pointed at the turtle I saw in the corner of my doorway. I knew there were three turtles!! We soon found the third one under my couch. How they lived in my living room for nearly two days without being noticed is beyond me. But we finally set them free to go find their buddy.

I am currently unsure if I am still willing to try turtle again - at a restaurant, of course! I imagine I will, but I will need some recovery time before the second attempt.