Friday, July 25, 2008

why sunshine chicken?... the decision.

the original plan was to raise native chickens for meat and eggs. and of course for their organic poopoo. =)

i searched for some scientific information regarding the breeding, raising and layering of native chickens but had a hard time. even scientifically classifying native chickens was difficult as most of whom i have talked to, only classified them as plain and simple... "native chicken!"

yes, there were some classifications like macau, bantress, etc. but i met no MR. NATIVECHICKS who could provide expert advise or opinion on "native chicks" (not the type that you find in small cabarets/ videoke bars along the highways up north or down south. =) hehehe.)

so what's the problem with this?...

first, it would be challenging to sell, or even grow, something that i do not know and have a hard time getting scientific facts about. i am sure there are tons of information out there, but based on what i have researched on, our so called "native chicken" is a forest fowl that has been informally or backyard bred with other colored chicken fowls brought here by different settlers through history. it would be impossible for a neophyte like me to identify genetic flaws, much less, improve it.

HONESTLY, ALL I WANT IS ORGANICALLY GROWN, NUTRITIOUS CHICKENS FOR MY BABY ALAINE'S SOUP AND OUR WHOLE FAMILY.

AND, i would be happy if i successfully raise healthy, organic, free range chickens, so please... for the love of god, let us leave the breeding to the breeders!

second, as we all all have tasted, native chicken soup is the one the best tasting and nutritious soup especially for babies where salt is a big NO NO! even for us, adults, nothing beats a hot and steamy "tinola" ( filipino chicken soup with chili leaves, ginger, black pepper, salt to taste and unripe papaya) when we are down with flu or would want to avoid salt (for hypertension)... problem is eating the meat.... or may i say.... chewing the gummy native chicken meat... Wrigley's would make a fortune if they made "native chicken gums" out of it!... =) tinola flavor may i suggest? hehehe

third, before i made the decision, i went to corithian hills, last july 5, 2008, where i first met tita sandy and bought 3 dressed sunshines (around 1.6 kilo each! impressive).

the next day, july 6, 2008, i attended the seminar of dr. sunshine, (dr. rey), on raising sunshines.
back to the 3 dressed chicken... i gave one to my dear mom, made soup from the other one for my dear baby alaine and lovely wife, yvette... and served the last chicken at an intimate dinner with some very close childhood friends at home... i marinated it with lemongrass, onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, black pepper and salt. nothing more, and nothing less.

turbo broiled it...



and wwhhhala...


before it was devoured...

i gave it some competition just to make sure that the taste test would be fair. i cooked biryani rice and curry beef masala. both dishes have strong flavors and a lot of spices.

they came...
they ate...


they were happy... see the smiles?...

you guessed it right... only the sunshine was eaten to the bones... the meat was tasteful, firm but not gummy and the skin was thin, juicy, slightly crispy and very delicious!

we divided what was left of the the beef masala and biryani rice for them to take home, but the sunshine would just remain as a blissful memory that passed them until their next sunshine dinner. =)

of course, i told them after dinner that it was part of my research and i am planning to raise sunshines... they immediately said they will buy sunshines from me... i told them to hold their horses! am still planning for it!... am so happy with their reactions...

and so the decision was made....naturally, or "organically" may i say, it was ...sunshines over native chickens...sunshines... my sunshine.

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