On 6/14/2024 at 10:19 PM, Tropicalsenior said:This makes me kind of sad because growing up on the farm, one of my favorite animals was an old donkey that we had that was his docile as a kitten.
You were lucky. The only donkey I ever got close and personal with was also an old one on my uncle's "farm". It was farmland, but he only bred horses for the riding of; not for eating. I spent a lot of time there from when I was a child until I was 18 and went to university in London. My mother says I could ride a horse before I could walk, but I take that with a pinch of fleur de sel, although I can't remember not being able to ride.
There were about 40 horses and this old donkey. One of my secret talents is that I am a certified. licenced (under British law) horse riding instructor. Haven't used it for over 50 years, though.
Anyway, that donkey was the meanest creature I've ever met (apart from some humans). It played passive then would very carefully stomp on your foot with its hooves. It also bit anything that moved, including children who tried to play with it. Much as I love to eat donkeys now, I'm sure that one's meat would have been tainted by its rancorous nature.
Donkey isn't that popular where I live in the south, but is big in central China, particularly Hebei province. 保定 (bǎo dìng), a city in Hebei is famous for 驴肉火烧 (lǘ ròu huǒ shāo), donkey burgers!
Here, horse is very popular in Guilin, an hour north of me. So tender it defines 'melt in the mouth' but donkey is even more tender. There is a great horse restaurant near my home which has wonderful horse noodles and horse hotpot in the winter months.
That said, I first ate horse in France as a child. My maternal grandmother cooked it regularly. I don't remember any viande d’âne, though. I've only eaten that in China.
