with their heads tucked underneath their wings

[ppfuf]

So, about this feast/class I'm trying to put together for collegium. Yesterday, bonacorsi pointed out that in 1480 small birds such as chickens would have been served at table with their heads and feet on. I skimmed through the tiny number of pictures I have where plates of birds are visible on the table, and while feet might be an un-resolvable question, they do seem to have their heads. In one picture, the birds are "sitting up" in the bowl almost like they were placed to resemble a nest. Now I'm wondering, if I tried to serve headed and footed birds at the collegium feast/class would it be too scary? I don't want the feast/class to be too modern, but we're already planning a few things that might be (cumulatively) too weird, even for a willing audience.

Has anybody out there ever been unexpectedly served a bird that still looked like a bird? If yes, what was your first reaction? Did you eat it (eventually)?

Comments

[ppfuf.livejournal.com]

In this feasty instance, the carver at your table would dismember the chicken and place the peices you wanted on your plate. You would not have to personally deal with the chicken, other than having to see it come to your table. Does that make it better or worse?

[catagon3.livejournal.com]

As long as it is dead and cleaned before being brought to the table and someone else dismembers it, I'm happy.