Burgoo (pronounced BURgoo)is a spicy stew that has its roots in the Irish or mulligan stew. Traditionally, the idea was to make a stew using whatever meats and vegetables were available and in good supply. That meant game meats, deer, but also squirrel, possum, meat from game birds or whatever the hunt brought back. The local Kentucky barbecue restaurants use meats left over from their barbecuing - typically, pork, beef or lamb - as the basis for burgoos that change depending on what meats happen to be left over. There are many jokes in Kentucky about collecting "road kill" as meat for making burgoo. Here's a recipe close to what I used...although EVERY recipe is different: 3 lb Ready to Cook Broiler Chicken * 12 c Water 1/4 t Pepper 2 cans chopped, stewed, or 2 1/2 cups quartered, skinned, fresh Tomatoes 2 c Coarsely Chopped Carrots 1 c Chopped Celery 2 T Packed Dark Brown Sugar (did not use, my recipe called for 2 T's of Worcestershire or steak sauce 4 Whole Cloves ( I did not use, see steak sauce above) 1 Bay Leaf ( did not use, I used Oregano) 2 cans Butter Beans (I used white beans) 2 lb Beef Shank Cross-cuts * 1 t Salt 6 Slices Bacon * 1 c Cubed Peeled Potatoes 1 c Chopped Onion 1 c Chopped Green Pepper 1/4 t Crushed Dried Red Pepper ( I used 1/2 of a fresh, grilled habenero) 1 Clove Garlic Minced 4 Ears Of Fresh Corn ( I used 2 cups of frozen corn) 10 oz Frozen Cut Okra Additional salt and pepper to season. * I used chicken breasts, kielbasa and stew meat....adjusted for my recipe which called for 3 1/2 qts of water.

Bird's Eye Chili Pepper, which is also known as Chili padi. This refers to the small size of the chili that reminds people about the small size of paddy (rice), the staple food in the region. It is also known as cili padi (Malay), cabe rawit (Indonesian), phrik khii nuu (??????????, literally "mouse shit chili"), Thai Hot, Thai Dragon (due to its resemblance to claws), Siling Labuyo(Filipino), Lada, and Boonie pepper (the Anglicized name). Of all spicy flavors used in Thai cooking, the most popular comes from the smallest of chillies, prik kee noo. Literally translated, the name means "mouse shit chillies." (See The Word "Kee" in Feature Articles.) Why mouse shit chillies? Mice are playful little creatures and like to hide. (Thai children are taught from the time they can talk to refer to themselves with the personal pronoun "mouse," or noo. We never say "I," but noo did this and noo did that.) Sometimes the only clues that tell us they have been around are the tiny food scraps or droppings they leave behind. Thai chillies are little guys much like mice, and they leave behind unseen evidence in the food they touch – but you definitely know they have been there! Like mice, they like to hide, under cilantro leaves and behind pieces of shrimp and other food particles. When you least suspect, they find their way into your mouth and wow! What a sensation! You may even cuss and swear with the "s" word itself. Prik Kee Noo