Rutting=Ragout

This time of year is charged with so much energy!  The Autumnal Equinox always breeds exciting change.  This last surge of summer energy (and heat), in preparation for the "slow down" of winter, inspires the last of the outdoor get-togethers. The magical, balmy nights of Indian Summer...
Nature knows~
It's also the beginning of the rut. The other day, I came across 3 bucks (deer) on my way "down the hill," all dazed with the intoxication of hormones!  They didn't know whether to come or go!  It is no different in our barnyard.  Our two old rams, friends most of the time, turn their backs on each other twice a year, in a frenzy to mate with the ewes.

There was no more room for our 6 month old li'l guy, whose sprouting horns indicated he was ready to enter the fray. Three's a crowd, and our freezer was empty!
The advent of the full moon this past Saturday meant perfect timing for the slaughter. Quickly and reverently, we let him know how grateful we were that he would be the source of some memorable holiday meals, shared with only our closest friends.
We carefully seam-butchered him last night.
All day today my house has been full of the most amazing aromas...end of season tomatoes, ample garlic, the remnants of a bottle of bordeaux...and the thick neck...a part that my friend Pat Kuleto taught me to covet when I had my first experiences butchering his estate raised lamb. It was also the part most revered buy Thomas Keller on his visit to Kuleto Estate back when I was the chef, where I had a beautiful server offer it, table-side, as the last accompaniment to a Tudor style feast.   
The lamb's liver, kidneys, and heart...will all find their way into a celebratory terrine, wrapped in the caul lining and served with my friend Shannon's quinces, that I lovingly preserved in spices, honey, and local apple cider vinegar.
The legs, bone in and ready for the spit, with 24 varieties of chilis from the garden will await our Aussie friend's visit, with a bottle of Jasper Hill, Emily's Paddock Shiraz. Post-thanksgiving feast?
The racks, likely will be our Winter Solstice quiet dinner for two...
Just another day in the life of Two Funky Gourmets!