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Iguanas are one of the best things that ever happened to South Florida. Yet the “Iguana Menace” continues to be a staple of Florida news.

Cartoonist Al Capp presaged the iguana problem with his Shmoo in the 1950s.

They’re cuddly, they’re affectionate, and you can eat them and make pocketbooks out of them. Al Capp foreshadowed them decades ago with “The Shmoos.”

Are we talking about bunny rabbits?

No! Iguanas have been receiving astoundingly bad press in recent years. Just take a look at this thing from the rancid London tabloid. Daily Mail:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5878063/Florida-swarmed-IGUANAS-causing-power-outages-contaminating-swimming-pools.html

And we’re supposed to believe this? Truly? Lizards?

| In Iguanas

Taylor Swift kehrt in ihr Apartment in Tribeca zurück July 18, 2014.

Taylor’s weird cats, Olivia and Meredith, may soon be joined by a green lizard friend, if fans have their way!

Everyone knows there’s something bizarre and reptilian about Taylor Swift’s Scottish fold cats. Particularly Olivia, the white one that performs mind-boggling yoga asanas and stands on its hind legs (like a T-Rex!).

They’re not your everyday alley cats at all. They come from an expensive breeder in Brooklyn, and probably represent a distinct cat subspecies!

Which has many Taylorstans wondering: why not an iguana? Not a baby iguana, which Meredith and Olivia would probably kill and eat, but maybe a two-year-old one, about three feet long, big enough to defend itself and romp and play with the kitties.

We know those weird cats would love to have an iguana friend. So how’s about it, Taylor?

| In Iguanas, music

Your children will love these tasty sausage rolls, especially if you use real meat sausages rather than the vegan sausage in the listing below. Minced iguana may also be substituted.

Be sure to stock up on some Fleet® enemas.

Ingredients

For the sausage rolls

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

  2. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and fry the mushrooms until soft. Transfer to a large bowl.

  3. Add the Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, thyme and sausage meat and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.

  4. Roll the puff pastry out into a large rectangle, then cut into two long rectangles.

  5. Place a layer of sausage meat mixture down the middle of each pastry rectangle, then brush each with honey or syrup on one edge.

  6. Fold the other side of the pastry over onto the edge with the honey or syrup. Press down to seal and trim any excess. Cut each pastry roll into 8-10 small sausage rolls.

  7. Place the sausage rolls onto a baking tray and transfer to the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crisp and golden and the sausage meat is completely cooked through.

| In appetizers

For National Bacon Day, what better introduction to iguana meat than these quick iguana-bacon-jalapeño appetizers? (Note: you can use chicken or rabbit or rattlesnake meat as a substitute for the iguana.)

Leftover jalapeños and meat cubes may be paired with a festive dip.

Ingredients

2 lbs jalapeños
1 lb iguana (or other meat)
1 lb bacon
1 lb cheddar cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp cayenne pepper

 

 

Directions

Fry up the bacon till it’s still fatty. Remove and drain, and pour out most of the grease from the skillet. Cube or mince the iguana meat, and braise a few minutes in the remaining bacon grease. Set aside to drain.

Halve the jalapeños and scoop out most of the seeds.

Grate the cheese.

Mix the breadcrumbs and spices.

Put a layer of grated cheese in each jalapeño half, then stick bits of iguana meat on top. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture generously on each. Wrap each jalapeño half with a strip of bacon.

Place the stuffed jalapeños on a cookie sheet or broiling pan, and broil 5-8 minutes until bacon and breadcrumbs are crispy. Set aside to cool.

Wine pairing suggestion: ice-cold sancerre or room-temperature chianti.

| In appetizers

Just the thing to serve with a plate of brownies!

Ingredients :Iguana

– 1/2 oz vodka
– 1/2 oz tequila
– 1/4 oz coffee liqueur (tia maria,kahlua)
– 1.5 oz sweet and sour mix
– 1/2 slice lime

 Use a “Shaker” for Iguana drink recipe

Shake all ingredients (except lime slice) with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add the lime slice and serve.

Note: Green plastic iguana may also be hung on the side of the glass for a more “festive” look!

| In cocktails

The Cayman Islands are on target to shoot down a million of the green lizards this hunting season, reports the Cayman Compass.

Licensed cullers turned in another 32,301 green iguana carcasses last week.

The ongoing islandwide cull has seen a total of 226,046 iguanas killed in six weeks.

The iguana bodies are being thrown into landfill. It appears no attempt is being made to harvest their meat or hides.

Cayman Compass

| In Iguanas