A Break in the Action

During our trip to the archive in Mdina there was a brief period when our host at the archive had to take a lunch break, so we decided to take the opportunity to walk around the beautiful Silent City and get a quick snack. We cruised into one of the local restaurants for some cake and drinks. Each one of us chose a different cake, trading bites of our slice for others that also looked delicious. I also tried a local soft drink called Kinnie that a few of us decided tastes like a cross between ginger ale and root beer.

Afterwards, we headed to the Eastern wall of Mdina to overlook the far side of the island. Mdina is on the West side of Malta, but seeing to the Eastern coast was no trouble from our vantage point. We also took the opportunity to snap a group photo before heading back to finish up with the archive.

Mmm... Rabbit Season!

After hearing of some of the local dishes, some of the group were very excited to try one in particular: Rabbit. Figuring this is an opportunity that very few Americans will have in their lifetime Jeff, Tyler, Jane, and I all decided to try it while in Valletta yesterday for lunch. Not knowing what to really expect, we were served almost an entire rabbit cut into several pieces (including the lungs, heart, and liver) in a thick, brown sauce. Jeff immediately dug in with both hands and cleaned the bones like he hadn't eaten in months (and might have eaten a couple of the bones as well). Tyler joined suit. I held out for a little while, but my knife and fork did not handle the small frame of the rabbit very well, so I caved in and started using my fingers for eating like my companions had. At first the rabbit seemed rather meatless, but once passed the ribs I realized my mistake. It took a few bites for me figure out the taste, but I eventually got it. The rabbit actually tasted a lot like pork to me. It was a very tasty lunch, and although I was not a fan of the organs I would definitely try it again.

I once heard of an ancient legend that long ago Timmy Gambin smuggled rabbits to Malta in his beard in order to feed the island.