lemon chicken’s loss is another’s meaty gain

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck… whoops, wrong corollary.

If it cooks like a burger, is dressed like a burger and eaten like a burger, it’s probably a burger.

Or not.

My boss put something new on the menu last night.

Something that I’ve come across plenty of times.

Something I can’t believe I’d not yet tried during my recentish roadtrips through the western states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Montana.

‘Specially Montana! The reason for denying my curiosity: money. It’s more expensive than the hamburger.

The bison burger.

(pics from the job) All I can say is it’s about time I had one! Paaast time!

What can I say but mmmmmm-mmmmmm good! The meat’s leaner than hamburger and the flavor gamey. The grass-fed quality comes through. Not overly so. Pleasantly so. I took a fantastic and immediate liking to bison! We groove to each other.

I passed on the bun and burger set so to taste the meat directly. Oooooh yeah! Reckon I like it even more than beef!

A hearty compliment to bison indeed ’cause I am one big burger aficionada! My favorite meal on roadtrips, hand’s down! Nuthin’ beats pullin’ into a town where I’ve never been, sittin’ at the counter of a joint where I’ve never been — dives welcomed!! — with a coupla cold brews and a burger! Nuthin’ fancy, just your good solid American burger. Perhaps cheese. Usually not. Keep it pure, simple, classic. Preserve the essence. Mmmmmmmm, that’s my idea of paradise!

What’s the difference between bison and buffalo, each of the bovidae family? Glad you asked.

* Bison have fur coats that thicken in wintry environments; buffaloes don’t.
* Bison have very sharp horns used for defense; buffalo horns are comparatively dull and longer.
* Bison have a huge hump; buffaloes do not.
* Bison also thick beards encircling rib cages; buffaloes don’t.
* Bison grow up to 6 feet; buffaloes to 5.
* Bison run faster than buffaloes.
* Bison weigh 1,870 to 2640 lbs. (depending on breed); buffaloes a lightweight 700 to 2,200 lbs.
* Bison are undomesticated, endure extremely rugged environments and attack when threatened; buffaloes comparatively are domesticated (raised for meat), from mild climates and placid.

Mmmmm-mmmmm, love me that bison! I’m gonna beg the boss to put it on the menu again and soon!

How’d they go over with the senior residents? Like hotcakes!!! We exhausted an entire case. Pretty impressive for the first {ahem} bison run through The Gardens.*

{*workplace name}

Meanwhile, poor lemon chicken went largely untouched. Its loss is the mammal’s meaty gain, eh.