Want to impress someone? Serve ’em quail. Want to not impress someone? Serve ’em quail…

Before we begin this culinary adventure we need to understand a few things. I am a teeny tiny gal  ~ Quail are teeny tiny little birdies. When skiing, I pretend I know how to fly. A quail obviously can fly. Those are two things we kinda have in common.

I eat more than the average bear. I have no idea how much a quail eats. What I’m sure of is, that up until this experience…..after a quail dinner I have been left wanting to eat a bear. Or an elk. Or anything of size.

Amazing how not so good experiences can leave their marks…that is until rays of light strike and revelations are brought to life.

I am forever changed….

So what’s all this change  you wonder. From a little quail birdie? Sure, why not. Life’s biggest changes happen when you least expect ’em. Unexpected, unfathomable life experiences.

Nothing like a chiller winters day, a crackling fire and comfort food like this steaming up the kitchen.

And a drink in a ball jar…

Until now, it was all lost on me…how simply wonderful these birdies taste. I had two experiences with uninspiring restaurant quail fare. Quite the opposite from this dreamlike culinary treat.

So, what happens when you combine oh so delicate quail with maraschino cherries, cranberries and citrus? Oh. OH. You need to taste it to understand. Squeeze some citrus over the top and squeal…let your fingers play a part in this too.

Fork….fingers, fingers….fork.

Sweet, savory….savory, sweet….tangy…..JOY.

In this dish you will be transported to the forest….a flight of flavors that dance in your mouth. Elegance meets rustic charm. Quail is why I need to start hunting asap. I want to be able watch my bird soar in the open skies, to shoot that very bird….and then….I want to enjoy it for dinner.

Flights of Fancy.

Thats the kinda gal I am. A little fancy, obsessed with the outdoors and awestruck by pretty things that fly in the sky.

Remember the Smashed Squash recipe?

Yet again this dish was crafted by my talented outdoorsy pal who hunts & fishes. The quail was a trade for somethin he caught. Maybe it was a brook trout swap. Perhaps sweet honey bee nectar. Not sure what he bartered to score these fine little birdies ~ but obviously somethin’ pretty fabulous.

The best news is that he shared ’em all with yours truly….

A certain kinda magic happens when you combine savory ingredients with sweet ones. Magic like this.

Magic also happens when you share quail with friends. I suggest you try it sometime….

Oh and don’t forget the ball jar.

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Quail Recipe Links

• Asian Style Roasted Quail Jo Cooks
• Fettuccine with Quail Sauce Herbie Likes Spaghetti
• Grilled Quail with Bok Choy Cooking in Sens
• Grilled Quail South Carolina Style Honest Food
• Quail in Rose Petal Sauce Nutmegs, Seven

• Roasted Quail with Grapes Who’s Hungry?