My photo-chronicle of the Great Chicken Plucking seems to have raised a burning question in dozens of minds: what is the proper temperature at which to scald a chicken?
The answer, according to my mother (seen scalding a chicken below, with the help of our neighbor from across the road), is 140-145 degrees (F). Less than that, and the feathers don’t come off. More, and you end up pre-cooking some of the chicken.
The second most popular question is: How can I build my own Whiz Bang Automated Chicken Plucker? The plans we used were from Herrick Kimball’s book, Anyone Can Build a Tub-Style Mechanical Chicken Plucker.
Over in that alternate universe (the one where I write books), my editor has decided that all of the time line designs currently on the table are confusing. So we’re redoing all the time lines vertically.
Which means I get to retype them all. Hurrah.
Meanwhile I’m trying to finish off the outline for Book Two. Will post more as soon as it gets finished…
Oh, I *like* it. Much more helpful for the historically and directionally challenged. (Sorry for the extra work.)
Okay, the timelines may have been visually confusing but vertical timelines??? No, no, no. Especially if it means you get to retype everything. Just hire different graphic designers. Everyone knows that timelines are horizontal! The ones going around the top of the walls in our breakfast room are horizontal. The ones in my oldest son’s notebook is horizontal. If you want to buy one they are all horizontal. Wall Chart History of the World (or whatever it is) is horizontal. Websites by homeschool moms tell you how to do them and they are all HORIZONTAL. Sorry for shouting but now I feel better. Your editor probably doesn’t understand this because he’s not a homeschool mom. Now, if you are in agreement with him, I take everything back and agree with you.
Hey Susan!! Did you know that Herrick Kimball has a blog? It’s called The Deliberate Agrarian and it’s most cool. I very much enjoy reading it!
A link for your reading pleasure…
http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspot.com/
Stumbled on your blog today and it appears we’re doing the same thing about the same time. Only we skinned our chickens with the feathers intact, which was so much quicker and easier than the plucking we’ve done in the past. I don’t think we’ll miss all that skin anyway.
I think a turkey fryer would work excellently to keep your water hot. We use them here on the Gulf Coast for shrimp boils as well as turkey frying, so I know they can heat up water!
I have to say that I agree with Beth. I know that doesn’t help you much, but vertical timelines don’t mesh with my comprehension. (Hmmmm….That says a whole lot about the size of my brain.)
All I have to say is that I am thankful for Safeway.
:+) Kate
A friend pointed me to a cool little timeline AJAX widget from reasearchers at MIT.
Maybe the wbe enhanced version of your book can use this somehow.
http://simile.mit.edu/timeline/