Introduction to Socialist Cuisine: A Cookbook for Hard Times

There are a large variety of consumable rats; various long-tailed rodents of the genus Rattus.  Not included here are smaller varieties; deer mice, harvest mice and grasshopper mice that are only suitable for snack foods..  Also excluded are varieties like the Chinese Bamboo rat that are not widely available in the U.S. As the United States celebrates its Great Leap Forward many people will be attempting to satisfy their nutritional needs with trial by error means.  This is unnecessary.  Several governments have already blazed a trail in this area.  The mainland Chinese government has been a pioneer in this field.  They have encouraged the breeding of the huge Chinese bamboo rat and created dozens of recipes for their peoples’ enjoyment.  A bamboo rat can produce 1.5 to 2 kilograms of meat.  This endeavor has been temporally banned with the arrival of coronavirus, although there is no evidence to suggest that the bamboo rat is responsible.  

Chinese bamboo rats have been a food source in the country for centuries dating back to the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC).  Experts suggest that the meat can detoxify diners' body and make them 'prettier’.  Farmers were rearing 25 million bamboo rats when China temporally banned the delicacy.  It was a $1.4 billion industry.  According to traditional Chinese medicine, bamboo rat meat can detoxify one's body and improve the functions of one's stomach and spleen.  The apparent health benefits are recorded in the ancient Chinese medical encyclopedia Ben Cao Gang Mu , penned by celebrated pharmacologist and physician Li Shizhen in the 16th century.  The book claims the rodents taste like duck although modern connoisseurs suggest they taste like chicken.  The Cuban government has also promoted the health benefits rodent meat.  The Cuban government asked a group of Cuban chefs to design new recipes for guinea pig which are a similar rodent. 

The more practical varieties include:

Norway Rats (aka Brown Rat) - Norway rats are easily identifiable by their coarse brown fur and large size. Adults can weigh about 200 to 500 grams. From nose to tail, they measure over 40 cm. The brown fur of the Norway rat lightens toward the underside. Despite its large size, its eyes and ears are small. They bear a remarkable resemblance to Congressman Adam Schiff.  They reportedly reach 900 to 1,000 grams.

Roof Rats (aka Ship Rat, Black Rat) - long and thin rodents that have large eyes and ears, a pointed nose, and a scaly tail. Roof rats have soft and smooth fur that is typically brown with intermixed spots of black. Their undersides are often white, gray, or black.  Weighs 75 to 230 grams.

Woodrat (aka Packrat) - males usually weigh 300-600 grams with an average of 405 grams, and adult females usually weigh 250-350 grams with an average of 270 grams with long tails, large ears and large black eyes. 

Marsh Rice Rat - Average weight up to 590 grams.  The marsh rice rat is a medium-sized rodent that looks much like the common black and brown rats but has greater differences in color between the upper- and underparts.  Think Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.

There are many sources of information on the preparation of this delicacy.  Chef Wang teaches the preparation of Sichuan Braised Chinese Bamboo Rat (Rhizomys) on YouTube.  Chef Wang has 1.35 million subscribers and his show on how to cook fried bamboo rats has been viewed for more than six million times.  Chef Wang's recipes can be applied to any of the various types of rat.  Rats can be grilled, roasted, pan-fried, made into meatballs or simmered in a soup.     

 

Satay (sometimes referred to as Rats-on-a-stick) - a Southeast Asian specialty from Indonesian and Malaysian.  A dish of marinated, bite-size pieces of savory meat, skewered, barbecued, and usually served with a peanut-flavored dipping sauce. Possibly the simplest method.  It needs little explanation. Just put those little puppies on a stick above a pleasant campfire and they’re ready to eat in a few minutes. Peanut sauce is optional.

This source of food is here in abundance and only increasing.  The prevalence of rats in the San Francisco area has been attributed to drought.  The drought is naturally is caused by global warming.  A study of the 50 most rat-infested cities showed Chicago to be America’s most rodent-infested city. Various cities have made dramatic jumps in the position on this list of 50.  Portland, Maine, jumped 19 spots in one year.  Charleston, West Virginia rose 17 spots in one year.  Is global warming being selective in its impact on various cities?  Perhaps there are other factors such as the increase in homelessness, drug abuse or even white privilege.  There is no mention of the decline in hygiene. Any excuse will do as long as it does not hold government responsible.  

Marsh Rice Rat - Average weight up to 590 grams.  The marsh rice rat is a medium-sized rodent that looks much like the common black and brown rats, but has greater differences in color between the upper- and underparts.  Think Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.

There are many sources of information on the preparation of this delicacy.  Chef Wang teaches the preparation of Sichuan Braised Chinese Bamboo Rat (Rhizomys) on YouTube.  Chef Wang has 1.35 million subscribers and his show on how to cook  fried bamboo rats has been viewed for more than six million times.  Chef Wang's recipes can be applied to any of the various types of rat.  Rats can be grilled, roasted, pan-fryed, made into meatballs or simmered in a soup.     

Satay (sometimes referred to as Rats-on-a-stick) - a Southeast Asian specialty from Indonesian and Malaysian.  A dish of marinated, bite-size pieces of savory meat, skewered, barbecued, and usually served with a peanut-flavored dipping sauce. Possibly the simplest method.  It needs little explanation. Just put those little puppies on a stick above a pleasant camp fire and they’re ready to eat in a few minutes. Peanut sauce is optional.

This source of food is here in abundance and only increasing.  The prevalence of rats in the San Francisco area has been attributed to drought.  The drought is naturally is caused by global warming.  A study of the 50 most rat infested cities showed  Chicago to be America’s most rodent-infested city. Various cities have made dramatic jumps in the position on this list of 50.  Portland, Maine, jumped 19 spots in one year.  Charleston, West Virginia rose 17 spots in one year.  Is global warming being selective in its impact on various cities?  Perhaps there are other factors such as the increase in homelessness, drug abuse or even white privilege.  There is no mention of the decline in hygiene. Any excuse will do as long as it does not hold government responsible.