If you use method one, you'll need to pick out the little pieces of gravel before you cook it. With methods two and three we recommend that you keep the possum in a cage and feed it on sweet potatoes and ripe persimmons for a couple of weeks. This makes for a much finer tasting Possum Puddin.

You' will find that possums are a little harder to kill than rabbits which are a snap to kill with a sharp blow behind the neck with a stick or the side of the hand. But I let you do the killing in whatever is your favorite method. Possum tossing has proven not to be effective as many wanna-be chefs have gone back several hours later to fetch their possum and found that it was only "playin possum."**

Once dead, remove head, tail, and feet at the knees. Then skin just like you did the rabbits. The skin will be a little harder to take off than rabbit skin, but it will not tear and will come off in one piece just in case you want to save it as a trophy.

Then you clean it and cut it up just like you did the rabbit. Soak it over night in salt water and lime, then freeze it for at least 3 days to kill whatever critters may still be crawling around inside. If it is a young possum - 1 1/2 to 3 lbs, cook it with any rabbit recipe. If it is larger, and make Possum Puddin or chunk it up in a stew or some dish that allows you to cook it until it gets real tender.

Some men, they buy chocolate, for Valentine's Day;
They git it at Wal-Mart; it's romantic that way.
Some men git roses on that special day
From the cooler at Kroger; "That's impressive," I say.

Some men buy fine diamonds, from a flea market booth.
"Diamonds are forever," they explain, suave and couth.
But for this man, honey, these will not do.
For you are too special, you sweet thang you.

I got you a gift, without taste nor odor,
Better than diamonds; It's a new possum cooker!

Possum Puddin & Other Esoterica Paperback $8.00