Johnny Otis and his orchestra produced the 1948 album Blues, Bounce, Beat, Boohgie, Bebop & Balads. One title on the album was Alligator Meat.
This song has popped up a few times as I run through my play list on iTunes as we coast along the southern side roads.
Along the Gulf Coast alligator meat frequently appears on the menu in various forms. To date I have enjoyed both fried and blackened. I’m tending to favour the latter.
Does it really taste like chicken? The answer is a qualified yes…It tastes like chicken from Africa; Kenya to be specific. Not the plump, juicy and tender hormone overdosed North American chickens but drier, rubbery and chewy.
I asked a tour guide about this meat and his comment was that alligator meat has only gained popularity in recent years, in part as a result of farming. Wild alligator has a gamey taste. The farmed variety has a controlled diet, including chicken, which softens the taste of the meat.
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