[chalkdust]

Originally Posted by siduri

In my family it was called "il bocconcino del prete" - the priest's tidbit. My parents were born in Tuscany, though they grew up in the states. They were rather conservatively catholic in many ways, but like most italians and even more most tuscans they were anti-clerical. So i presume it was considered a sign that this was not a particularly attractive part of the chicken, and there was always a sense of snickering when they said it. (Though in my family my father would eat it, but he would eat anything at all, even the cheese with the live worms and snakemeat and chocolate covered ants and anything else you might want to present him.)

In my husband's family, from central italy, they cut it off before cooking. (And they rarely wasted any part of any animal so it must have been considered particularly repulsive.) They never roasted chicken, though, and never cooked it in any way that it would be crispy, so maybe that explains it.

your dad is the man!

[ChrisLehrer]

In Japanese yakitori places, I've ordered a skewer of the things many, many times. They split them to remove the bone, then skewer four or five halves on a stick, salt them, and grill them. Eat plain or with a small squeeze of lemon. Fabulous!

At least in Kyoto, they're called bonbochi, but I believe that may be a local or Kansai-regional term.

Now that I'm in the US, I treat it as a cook's snack. Who's to know? (Except my weight....)

[boar_d_laze]

Ahhh, sizzling skewers of kushiyaki. Mmmm.

BDL

[ChrisLehrer]

Originally Posted by boar_d_laze

Ahhh, sizzling skewers of kushiyaki. Mmmm.

BDL

You sure that's not tushi-yaki?

[ndesign33]

Besides calling it the Parson's Nose, my English mother referred to it as "the last piece that went over the fence." My father and I always fought forit. Even now I sneak the crispy tail before the turley is carved, when no one is looking. BTW, as was mentioned, the oyster is definitely the best part of the bird.

[ChefRay]

Originally Posted by ChrisLehrer

In Japanese yakitori places, I've ordered a skewer of the things many, many times. They split them to remove the bone, then skewer four or five halves on a stick, salt them, and grill them. Eat plain or with a small squeeze of lemon. Fabulous!

At least in Kyoto, they're called bonbochi, but I believe that may be a local or Kansai-regional term.

Now that I'm in the US, I treat it as a cook's snack. Who's to know? (Except my weight....)

I've never had anything from a yakitori place that wasn't fabulous. Grilled stuff on a stick is, pretty much, always awesome.

[teamfat]

Oddly enough I was reminded of this thread a couple of hours ago, as I'm making some chicken stock. On the birds I spatchcock the tail is kept attached to the spine and just goes into the stockpot, like tonight. On birds I roast whole and crisp up, like the one last week, I consider the tail a tasty treat.

mjb.

[shroomgirl]

wow, there are places in the world where you can get a whole bunch of tails grilled on a skewer?
Wonder if butchers collect them.....you've opened up a whole new world.
oysters & tails are darn good reasons to be in the kitchen roasting birds.....well and the second wing joint....