The Cow’s Tongue

10/22/07

Some people were fined a cow today for drunkenness and not showing up to work on the road. In Samoan fashion, a cow was butchered for the fine and divided among the villagers. No one wanted the head which was being carted away to the sea to be gleaned by the crabs so as to make a nice cow head ornament.

I asked about the tongue. It is the best part of the cow. I was looked at with disgust. I said you eat pig’s tongue; why not cow’s?

We retrieved the cows head from the sea and proceeded to crudely cut out the tongue. Bringing it back to cook, I let hang near my mouth scaring most of the village kids, some running away in tears.

I tried to describe that you cook it just like Samoan chicken, by stewing it for a long time. Well, I got a pot and cooked it over the wood fire. When done, I offered samples. Those who didn’t know what it was really liked it; those who did carefully chewed their morsel. The remaining tongue was fried in grease along with the liver which fit more into the Samoan cuisine of fat and lard.

It was fun to have our Samoan family try a food they had never had before. Maybe they might have a better understanding of what it means to eat Moray eel and seaweed.

Sorry, no pictures for you tongue lovers to savor.