Skinning a Pheasant - A photo essay

Some family friends stopped by yesterday and in a nice gesture brought a pheasant! 

A lady pheasant!

So today Tom and I learned the fine art of skinning a pheasant. 

With particular thanks to a lovely Brit's YouTube video

Chop off the wings and pull out the tail...

Remove the legs...

If done right, the legs come off with the tendons attached. 

Like this!

That was the leg Tom did. Beautifully done. The leg I was responsible for gave me some troubles. I cut it in the wrong spot so instead of coming off and pulling tendons with it I cut the skin while leaving muscles attached. My attempt to pull dislocated the thigh and nearly pulled the leg off the bird. When re-cut the leg come off with tendons as it was supposed to. Sorry pheasant...

Next, chop off the head...

 Some of the poor girl's last meal fell out...

Cut a slice in the skin above the breast and "peel it off like an overcoat" 

-British Man From YouTube

Cut of the last few pesky tail feathers...

Small slice below the rib cage then dig fingers in to get the gooey bits

Rinse and cook...

Dobrou chuť!

Good taste!

Český Krumlov

From the evening of December 27th to the afternoon of January 1st Tom and I had our base of operations in the Jihočeský (southern czech) town of Český Krumlov. Tom's aunt was kind enough to give us the use of her apartment while she stayed with her parents, where we celebrated Christmas, for a few more days.

Český Krumlov is situated around a bend in the Vltava river. The town first began in the 1200s due to efficient trade routes created by the river and easy access to raw materials in the surrounding forests.  The past century caused many political changes in Český Krumlov and the rest of the Czech Republic. Before WWI Czechoslovakia was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Český Krumlov was briefly a part of the Czechoslovakian Republic before being annexed by Nazi Germany as a part of Sudetenland in 1938. After WWII Czechoslovakia was a puppet republic of the Soviet Union. In 1968 Czechoslovakia was invaded by the Soviet Union, the borders were closed, and the country was forced to become communist.  The Velvet Revolution in 1989 kicked the Soviets out to once again allow Czechoslovakia to be a republic. And finally, in 1993, the peaceful split of Czechoslovakia into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. (*Please note this is a simplified history of a long and complex issue*)

Through all the political upheaval Český Krumlov remained. The castle complex and old town are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

View of the castle's tower from an inner courtyard

The castle complex is the largest in the Czech Republic outside of Hradčany Castle in Prague. At the towers base and to the left (from this orientation) lies a moat. A standard addition to any self respecting castle, yes? No. This is no ordinary moat, it is a bear moat. Beginning in the 1500s brown bears were kept at the castle to act as guards and symbols of the Rosenberg family lineage. Today the bears act less as guards and more as tourist attractions. When the bears eventually perish they will join their ancestors in the castle as part of the decor. Three days Tom and I tried to see them but no luck. 

No bears but beautiful views!

Photo Contest

Happy New Year!
I went to a new years celebration in Protivín on January 1st. It was fifteen minutes of some of the best fireworks I have ever seen! One of the photos I took turned out pretty well (in my opinion) and I have entered it in a photo contest. By adding the link below I get a few extra points and you get an easy way to vote for my photo!

Vote Here! 

Vote for my submission on FYAS, the best way to search 320+ video game design colleges. See more.