+ELEGENT CHICKENS+ >note: if you look carefully at the zimple map of the verloin degruy +1840 PLANTATION+ >you will find the very important +C H I C K E N + H O U S E+ +VERLOIN & DUFOUCHARD deGRUY+ families posessed a proufound +ORGANIC VIEW OF LIFE+ >france is a very agrarian flavored wholistic country with a taste +FOR FROG LEGS+ >which tastes like, yes... +C H I C K E N+ +HORSES AND CATTLE+ >were of course the major focus for animals on a french colonial +P L A N T A T I O N+ +GOATS AND CHICKENS+ >were also important on those degruy plantations. (i discovered fabulous +FRENCH FOOD PASSION+ >goat cheese in france in addition to our GRUYERE on my 1st trip +SUMMER, 1969+ +LOU deGRUY'S FAMILY+ >were following in the footsteps of +(PLANTERS=FARMERS)+ (landed gentry, prince >charles likes pigs) >our planter ancestors by raising +SPECIALTY CHICKENS+ +(not all chickens are created equal)+ >IT IS CLEAR THAT LOU'S FAMILY HAD A PASSION FOR CHICKENS >and i am impressed with the +KNOWLEDGE AND FOCUS+ >it is obvious that devoted +S C H O L A R S H I P+ >into pure bred poultry was LOU'S GRANDFATHER'S +VERY FRENCH TALENT+ +CHICKEN FRICASSEE WAS THE JOY OF MY SUNDAY CHILDHOOD AS MY MOTHER'S FRENCH TALENT FOR COOKING FLOWERED & >put a few pounds on my otherwise puny body. "+EUGENE & LLOYD RAY & CHICKEN+" is one of my favorite photographs (GRANDFATHER & UNCLE) >in the ray/degruy album that i inherited from my ray aunt. +ROOSTERS AT DAWN+ >photo of my grandfather in his 3 piece urban attire, not a hair out of place, trying to hand +A SPECIALTY CHICKEN+ >to my not very interestd uncle at their summer home in +1917 COVINGTON+ > MY GRANDPARENTS ON BOTH THE RAY/deGRUY & STAIGG/CAVAROC (plantation genetic memory) >SIDES LOVED SUMMERS IN THE +TRANQUIL COVINGTON OZONE+ +1930s SUMMER BOYHOOD+ >it was a very healthy yellow fever & +PINEY FRESH AIR+ >asthma refuge and in those early >LIGHTNING FIRE FLIES< >days of my life provided me with the chalenge of running in a >+CHICKENYARD BAREFOOTED+< +(AGILITY REQUIRED)+ >and if you haven't experienced that +PLEASE READ NO FURTHER+ +BATON ROUGE, 1940s+ >my father, randolph (degruy) ray was greatly influenced by his covington childhood and its agrarian feeling +(PLANTATION MEMORIES)+ >he loved his victory garden during the 2nd w.w. and, yes, he raised chickens primarily for eggs but +OH, THAT CHICKEN FRICASEE+ (french cooking heaven) "+COQ AU VIN+" >was a favorite with claude monet (WITH EMPHASIS ON VIN) >his secret was to refrigerate and then reheat it before +S E R V I N G+ +COLONIAL CHICKENS+ >thanks to renee for bringing this +FASCINATING ORGANIC+ >reference to our attention. gene ray, san diego, california