Tue: Black Beans and Rice w/Papaya Salsa 

Wed: Leftovers

Thu: Ultimate Shrimp & Grits

Fri: Leftovers

Sat: Baked Herb Polenta w/Italian Vegetable Sauce

Sun: Leftovers

It's not always easy (or affordable!) for all of us to get to a game, so we do a lot of home "tailgating" parties around our neighbor's big-screen tv. Sometimes we get the grill fired up, other times we like to just order up pizza or big sandwiches and make the side dishes.  Another great football dish that's easy to make is a big crockpot full of chili, or another favorite - buffalo chicken wings. It's fun for the whole family!

By

VIKRAM KARVE

I love tea.

You too love tea but don’t know how to make a good cup?

Let me tell you how to make tea.

Get some good Assam CTC Tea [CTC is an acronym for Crush, Tear and Curl]. CTC teas have a granular appearance and the fact of the matter is that if you are really interested in a Stimulating, Refreshing and Invigorating cup of traditional Indian Tea, Orthodox Leaf Teas [the OPs, the BOPs, et al] just don’t fit the bill – you need CTC tea to brew your strong, bright and full-bodied cup of milky Chai which looks deliciously appetizing – a lively reddish orange colour, not the dull muddy brown colour you get when you add milk to tea made from leaf teas the orthodox “teapot” way.

Take two cups of fresh water [one for you and one for me!] in a stainless steel vessel. Add four teaspoons of sugar. Put on the stove, cover with a lid and boil. Once the water starts boiling, remove the lid and boil for one and a half minutes – yes, exactly one and a half minutes!

Now briskly add two teaspoons of CTC Tea leaves, one teaspoon for each cup – the boiling water will suddenly erupt, and surge up, like a volcano, so smartly switch off the flame before it spills over and quickly cover tightly with the lid. Brew for five minutes till the liquor is full-bodied and the infusion is complete.

Have ready some freshly boiled full cream buffalo milk – yes, fresh creamy buffalo milk is a must – in Pune, I prefer Chitale’s. First pour in some hot milk in the cup, and through a strainer, pour in the rich tea brew and till you get beautiful reddish orange colour. Remember – always pour tea into milk, never milk into tea. This is the secret of the appetizingly attractive bright lively carroty red colour as it facilitates the perfect blending of the strong rich full-bodied intense tea liquor tea brew with the creamy white milk without producing any bitterness.

Now, go ahead, relish every sip, and enjoy your cup of ambrosial divine rejuvenating tea.

And do tell us how you liked it.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2008

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

vikramkarve@sify.com

http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve

I used to be in the actual office, while he spread out all over the dining room table (the man has no concept of the "file.") Now that he's not working, he returned their laptop and took over the main PC in the office. Which moves me to the computer in the kitchen. We haven't used this computer in years. It was originally supposed to be my main computer, but he never really got around to hooking it up.

Now it's mine! Kinda loud and I hate the keyboard. Now I know what I want for my anniversary. A good keyboard!

In any case, I can get my stuff done while he's doing his thing. This is going to work out beautifully.

Speaking of my stuff to be done, this week is going to be nasty.

1. Call in refill for DD's meds

2. Make menu and grocery list. I'll post the week's menu once I'm done planning.

3. Buy milk, grocery shopping (I buy milk at a dairy shop because it's less expensive than getting the same brand in the grocery store. Not to mention, I get points on their loyalty card in their shop.)

4. Library lackey at the middle school

5. Make copies of papers for mom, send from PO

6. Clear off and rearrange both desks so that we each have what we need

7. Pay bills. Re-do budget sheet. Whimper briefly. Put on big girl panties and deal.

And that's just the stuff that keeps the house running. The business of writing is back, so I also have to:

1. Judge 8 entries in 2 different contests. Due by Friday.

2. Start my hellacious edits. I mean, it's bad. I've got motivation issues, some characterization quirks, and two scenes that are just badly blocked. Yikes.

On the plus side, I got up this morning, ran a load of laundry and turned on the dishwasher. Yay me.

We did some research on why the big brand pet food sold in pet stores, grocery stores, and wholesale chains across America is just so bad for our dogs.  Like most other processed foods, the big brands use horrible, no-quality ingredients and unregulated manufacturing methods that result in the poorest, unhealthiest substance that you can feed your pet.  The most atrocious offense by big brand pet food is their source of the "protein".

What is the source of this so-called "meat" that is listed as "crude animal protein" and "by-products"?

1. "Rendered companion animals" - DEAD PETS. They use dead pets as a source of meat. Includes shelter animals (cats/dogs/etc), strays, lab tested animals, etc. Unless cremation is specifically requested by the owner, dead pets are used in rendering plants.

2. "4D animals": dead, dying, diseased, or disabled animals. Includes farm animals.

3. Roadkill.

In Food Pet's Die For, Ann Martin writes on the pet food industry:

Rendering is a cheap, viable means of disposal. Pets are mixed with other material from slaughterhouse facilities that has been condemned for human consumption - rotten meat from supermarket shelves, restaurant grease and garbage, "4-D" (dead, diseased, dying and disabled) animals, roadkill and even zoo animals...

In 1990, John Eckhouse, a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, wrote a two-part exposé on the rendering of companion animals in California. While the pet food companies vehemently denied that this was happening, a rendering plant employee told Eckhouse that "it was common practice for his company to process dead pets into products sold to pet food manufacturers.

Animal slaughterhouses strip the flesh and send the remains - heads, feet, skin, toenails, hair, feathers, carpal and tarsal joints and mammary glands - to rendering plants. Also judged suitable for rendering: animals who have died on their way to slaughter; cancerous tissue or tumors and worm-infested organs; injection sites, blood clots, bone splinters or extraneous matter; contaminated blood; stomach and bowels.

At the rendering plant, slaughterhouse material, restaurant and supermarket refuse (including Styrofoam trays and Shrink-wrap), dead-stock, roadkill and euthanized companion animals are dumped into huge containers. A grinding machine slowly pulverizes the entire mess. After it is chipped or shredded, it is cooked at temperatures between 220 F and 270 F for 20 minutes to one hour. The grease or tallow that rises to the top is used as a source of animal fat in pet foods. The remaining material is put into a press where the moisture is squeezed out to produce meat and bone meal.

By looking at the ingredients of your average big name dog food, and you'll find that there is no real meat - only meat by-products, fillers, flavoring, preservatives, and vitamin supplements.  So, in addition to eating your neighbor's ground-up dead dog, your dog may be eating chemicals, hormones, drugs, diseases, and additives that can lead to serious health consequences such as cancers and tumors.

Let's take a look at the main ingredients in a typical major brand pet food for example:

Pedigree For Puppies Original Chicken Flavor Dry Dog Food

Chicken By-Product Meal (everything BUT the meat)
Rice   (filler carbs that can lead to obesity)
Corn Gluten Meal   (filler source of protein and carbs that are prone to contamination)
Animal Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Source of Vitamin E)   (fat from what animals?)
Natural Poultry Flavor   (skimmings from boiling 4-D chickens)
Wheat    (more filler grain, which many dogs are allergic to)
Potassium Chloride  (used as a preservative and also for executions by lethal injection)
Wheat Flour  (pre-processed grain by-product stripped of nutrients)
DiCalcium Phosphate (dietary supplement added to dog food products)

Here are some of the most problematic ingredients in dog food:

1. Chicken by-product meal is NOT chicken.
"Chicken by-product meal consists of the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered chicken, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidable in good processing practice."

2. Corn Gluten Meal.
Contaminated Corn Gluten Meal imported from China for use in dog food was the reason for the massive recalls in 2007.

"The presence of corn products - particularly if they are high on the list of ingredients - may indicate that corn has been used instead of a more expensive alternative.  About 25% of the corn produced in the U.S. today is genetically modified.  Corn is more difficult to digest either by humans or dogs.

Corn gluten meal is a concentrated source of protein that can be substituted for costlier animal protein.  In many bargain dry dog foods, corn gluten meal provides a large proportion or the total protein in the food rather than more digestible forms of protein such as meat."

3. Brewer's Rice.
Brewer's Rice, wheat flour, and rice flour are cheap by-products of the alcohol manufacturing industry used as filler.

4. Natural Poultry Flavor.
Additional flavoring is unnecessary in products that contain actual meat, and is added purely for taste.  The source of the flavoring and use of the word "natural" are highly suspicious.

5. Food Coloring and Preservatives: FD&C and Lake Colors (Yellow 6, Blue 2, Red 40, Yellow 5).
There is absolutely no reason to add food coloring to dog food except for presentation to the pet owner. Preservatives such as propylene glycol (antifreeze) are used to lengthen the shelf life.

These ingredients are not a recipe for a healthy dog food.
They are intended to fill your dog's stomach with carbs - basically like feeding your dog meat-flavored cereal.  The food is chemically formulated to just barely meet the minimum basic requirements and guidelines outlined by vets and the FDA to be considered fit for sale.

How to select a pet food:
1. Meat such as chicken should be listed as the first ingredient.  Look at the order of ingredients.
2. Look at the guaranteed analysis to see that the protein level is at 30% or more.
3. The fat content should be at 18% or more.
4. There should be a wide spectrum of ingredients such as omega fatty acids and Vitamin E.
5. There should be NO FOOD COLORING!

Brief History of Previous Pet Food Recalls (from Wikipedia):

1995: Nature's Recipe - fungus contaminated wheat causes dogs to vomit.

1999: Doane Pet Care, including Walmart Ol' Roy - another fungal toxin kills at least 25 dogs.

2005: Diamond Pet Foods - deadly toxin, Aflatoxin, kills at least 100 dogs.

2007: One of the wost years in pet food history.  A list of over 25 big name brand pet foods were recalled due to contamination of ingredients.  See the full list here on the FDA's site here.

2008: Pedigree has made TWO recalls on both dry and wet dog food within a two-month span, due to Salmonella contamination. See the long list of recalled Pedigree products on the Mars Pedigree site here.

What are the alternatives?

1. High Quality Pet Food Brands

There are too many choices for dog owners out there.  There are "holistic" options that take all aspects of a dog's health into account, typically using organic ingredients.  Most of the higher quality dog food manufacturers use real meats, a variety of vegetable ingredients, and no additives such as food coloring or flavoring.  Some even use ingredients fit to be eaten by humans.

The general rule of thumb is that the more expensive the food, the better the quality.  Some high quality dog food brands include: Innova by Naturapet, Nutro, Life's Abundance, and many more.  These are NOT at grocery stores and huge pet store chains like Petco.

2. The Raw Meat and Bones Diet, aka the Raw Meaty Bone Diet.

There is a big debate about whether dogs should be fed manufactured dog food or whether they should be fed a diet of raw meat and animal organs.  The commercial dog food industry has only been around for less than a hundred years, as an offshoot of the human food industry (Mars owns Pedigree for example). However, dogs and their wolf cousins have been eating raw meat for thousands of years.  In this diet, dogs are fed meat straight off the bone, such as a chicken quarter leg or a T-bone, in addition to organs such as beef liver and heart.  Dogs gnaw on raw bones (not cooked, which will splinter internally) to sharpen and strengthen their teeth as well as for a source of calcium. Visit www.rawfed.com.

3. The BARF Diet.

No, it's not bullimia for dogs.  BARF stands for Bones and Raw Food. The difference between this diet and the Raw Meaty Bone Diet is that this diet includes the addition of certain vegetables and fruits and mineral supplements, as part of a holistic approach towards dog health. Visit www.barfworld.com.

Our Choice?

Our goal is just to give our girl the best, longest life she can have with us.

We're not totally convinced yet that there is enough scientific proof that either the Raw Diet or the BARF Diet is healthier for dogs.  There is huge controversy surrounding whether dogs are carnivores or omnivores, and dogs are highly adaptable making it difficult to prove.  We're definitely considering both diets, even though we're pretty happy with our results using Innova brand (See our post about her poop on Pedigree vs Innova).  The foods in the BARF Diet are essentially the same ingredients in Innova and other high quality brands, but served raw.  Fresh is usually best, so both the Raw Diet and the BARF Diet seem to make sense.  We're also considering the no-grain aspect of the raw diet, since studies show that carbs were not a part of a wild dog's diet. We just bought a huge 20-lb bag of Innova, so we're probably going to wait until she finishes it to make our decision.  Keep you posted.

Stop buying big name brand pet food!

I used to love to party, and really, it's being surrounded by people, meeting that potential date, that made me love this habit of mine. But nowadays, tsk tsk, I am not sure what happened to me. I think I lost my mojo.

So while in bed, I came up with some things to do in order to live with the new ol' me. I just hope I could be able to remind myself that I gotta do these things!

1) Since I don't go to the gym, and I don't see myself doing it in the near future, I will go to the nearest club and spend at least 2 hours in the pool, at least 1x a week. This'll help define my arm and leg muscles (which can be very useful when I dive).

2) I gotta watch what I eat, and make sure my intake is light. Since I was nursing a hang-over today, I think I ate the entire pantry -- so imagine now I feel now.

3) Visit the grocery once in a while and buy cheap, but healthy snacks. Look, I'm still hungry, and for me to get over this without any guilt, I should have some cracker, cookie, chips or even whatever in my stash.

4) Buy yoghurt that I can store in our office refrigerator, this can be my lunch food for the rest of the week.

The house was gorgeous - a three storey building with a garden, nestled in the hills of Yokohama. The first floor is occupied by Abechan's parents and the top two floors by the boys themselves. Great views of Landmark Tower from their rooftop balcony where the BBQ was held.

We were greeted by Lily, a rather over friendly dog, who scared James witless. James actually jumped up screaming into the arms of the nearest person (Nicole) to escape the overzealous welcome from the canine member of the family. Luckily, Lily was kept down stairs away form the BBQ crowd. Another day of missed naps for my two saw various bits of crockery land on the floor (mostly unintentionally, but as the afternoon wore on, I'm sure James intentionally started to throw some stuff as a means of entertaining himself or an attempt to keep himself awake.) However, given that he had earlier emptied an ashtray (a recepticle full of water and cigarette butts to be precise) all over himself, we were unable to leave as we had to wait for his pants to dry. Takahiro had insisted that the soiled clothes were laundered before we left.

Alexa was an angel for most of the afternoon - happily playing with some toys I'd brought along (though it was clear she preferred to entertain herslf with the empty box of some cheese straws! The presence of many people around her is usually enough to keep her happy. Often at the jidokan I'll leave the room to go to the loo and the other mums are surprised that Alexa doesn't fret if she can't see me. A totally different story at home mind. I hardly get 5 mins in the kitchen to prep some thing for dinner before she frets and starts to whimper. I did manange to get Alexa to take a nap and I regulary checked she was OK. After 30mins asleep, she was brought back to the balcony by Neil, who had woken her up when he went into the bedroom to get some CDs. I'm guessing he must have made a bit of a racket as I'd only checked on her a few moments before and she was sound asleep! The joys of parenting outside of the home routine!

It was a lovely BBQ - both Takahiro and Antonio are great foodies and always put on a good spread. However, the demands of two children meant that I didn't get to sample that much, though I did munch on a couple of spare ribs that were divine! James made a bee line for the crisps and Pringles that were out on the table for nibbling and he scoffed non-stop. He couldn't be tempted with an onigiri I had brought with us for his lunch. He had polished off a couple of packets of kiddy biscuits - a gift from Nicole - en-route from Yokohama station and so his diet basically consisted on biscuits and crisps all afternoon. That was until Ben demonstrated how to eat the dip using a stick of celery. Well, James didn't like the celery much but he knew it made a great utensil in the absence of a spoon. He dipped and double dipped and treble dipped with lots of the said dip naturally landing on his t-shirt. I did manage to get him to eat a bit of chicken but not much. I hate dealing with the party buffet at such gatherings - James has his mitts all over the nibbles. I guess it's only natural that he's curious and he's only copying the manner of all the other guests.

Group photos were taken a plenty and I hope somebody emails me a few - my camera as always these days remained in my bag the whole time. Once the photos taken we had to gather up our belongings and head home early. I didn't want James to miss his usual bedtime after missing his lunchtime nap. As I bid farewell to the gang, Neil and a female guest (whose name escapes me!) were dancing in the jacuzzi. Did I mention the master bedroom's luxurious en-suite bathroom overlooked the balcony?

เธอสร้างบริษัทตัวคนเดียวหลังเรียนจบเมื่อปี 2000 เธอทุกสิ่งทุกอย่างอย่างหนักตลอดสี่ปี วันหนึ่งก็มีคนเสนอว่าทำไมไม่เปิดร้านอาหาร เพื่อที่จะได้ทดลองสิ่งที่ออกแบบไปด้วย เธอออกแบบทุกอย่างในร้านด้วยตนเอง ไม่ว่าจะเป็นการแต่งร้านหรือแม้แต่ผ้ากันเปื้อน ลูกค้าจะได้ทานอาหารที่เหมาะกับราศีของเขา ตามแนวคิดธาตุสี่อย่างของเทวนิยม สองชม.แรกมีแต่ลูกค้าธาตุลมและดินเข้ามา ทำให้อาหารสำหรับไฟและน้ำเหลือ ตอนหลังลูกค้าไฟและน้ำก็ทยอยมา มาเจอตอนหลังในตำราว่า คนไฟและน้ำมักมีนิสัยมาสาย

งานคริสมาร์ตไม่จำเป็นต้องมีต้นคริสมาร์ตเสมอไป ประเด็นคือการได้แชร์อาหารร่วมกันเท่านั้น งานเลี้ยงคริสมาร์ตที่เธอออกแบบก็เลยเป็นอย่างนี้ ทุกคนไม่รู้จักกันมาก่อน จานแบ่งออกเป็นสองข้าง เพื่อให้คนมีเรื่องคุยกัน ทุกคนรู้จักที่จะแบ่งอาหารกันเองโดยไม่ต้องบอก

ชั้นวางอาหารน่าจะอยู่ในระดับจมูกเพื่อให้คนได้กลิ่น

งานศิลปะที่เธอทำให้พิพิษธภัณฑ์แวนโก๊ะ สีแดงๆ คือเนื้อแฮมที่สามารถทานได้ มีฉลากเขียนด้วยว่าทำจากเนื้ออะไร

Food Tatoo เขียนไว้ว่ามีสรรพคุณเช่นไร

ไส้กรอกทำให้เป็นรูปสัตว์เพื่อเตือนให้คนเห็นว่าไส้กรอกเหล่านี้มาจากไหน ในห้องแสดงจะต้องติดแอร์ทั้งห้อง

เธอคิดว่าอาหารยังเป็นสิ่งที่มีอะไรให้ทำอีกมากมายมหาศาลเกี่ยวกับการออกแบบ สิ่งเฉพาะที่อาหารมีก็คือ Senses, Chemistry, Culture, Technique, Grow, Psychology, the action of food, Society

Q&A คุณทานอาหารอะไร

- ฉันชอบอาหารไทย ชอบอาหารเผ็ด ไม่ชอบอาหารที่ซับซ้อน ชอบอะไรที่แท้ๆ

ถ้าต้องออกแบบอาหารเพื่องานนี้จะทำไง

-ฉันชอบ street food ของที่นี่มาก ฉันอยากทำให้คนไทย aware ถึงความน่าสนใจเหล่านี้แต่จะต้องทำในรูปแบบใหม่ๆ ที่ไม่คุ้นเคย

คุณให้ความสำคัญกับเรื่องรสชาดมากแค่ไหน

-ฉันทำงานกับ chef มาก และเขาก็เป็นผู้ทำหน้าที่ในเรื่องรสชาด ฉันต้องแน่ใจว่าฉันได้ร่วมงานกับ chef ที่ทำอาหารได้อร่อยด้วย มิฉะนั้นทุกอย่างก็หมดท่า

I'm cranky, have been all week.  I'm not sure if it's because of my new diet and lack of food or if it's because I'm not getting attention from Jan.  You can stop reading now if you've already rolled your eyes at my childness.

We usually talk though for like at least an hour every day and this week we've hardly talked at all.  And he has hardly sent me any text messages either.  And they've been short.  Hmmm...what's up with that?  He said he was busy at work but he's been busy before.  Figures though that once I start really liking him and thinking what if thoughts, that he'd back off.  Such is my life.  I wonder if he's just not interested or if he's trying to make things better with his girlfriend or if he's upset that I'm still dating Josh.  I don't feel right asking anything at this point.  I simply sent him a text Friday saying, "Silly I know, but I feel like I miss you :-)  We haven't gotten to talk much this week.  I hope that you're doing well and that you have a great weekend."  He responded with, "I hope your night was good, have fun this weekend."  Last we spoke was last night for just a couple of minutes because Josh was on his way over.  What's all of your thoughts on this???

Weight: 180.5

What I ate:
Green smoothie: Kale, 1 banana, frozen blueberries, and spinach
2 bananas
1 cup of walnuts
banana chips
large salad with walnuts, red onion, mushrooms, and sunflower seeds

I walked at least 3 miles...maybe 3.5 today.  I walked from the nail parlor to the mall...it's a hike.  I might have walked even more...I'd have to check Google Maps.   I was kinda tired after, but not extremely so.  I feel really good right now (it's around 9pm) and I have lots of energy.  Life is good.  Oh...I didn't have to face the challenge of eating out today...dinner got rescheduled for tomorrow.  I'm hopeful that I'll just be satisfied with salad.  I'm not naive enough to think it won't be challenging.  I know what I want...I don't want to go backwards.

I ate:
My morning green smootie (see other days) with Kale added
1/2 cup of raw walnuts
Large Lunch salad (see other days) with red onions this time
Large apple
cup of walnuts, 1/2 cup of banana chips, and a bowl of grapes for dinner

Weight: 182

I think the green smoothies really help me not to have cravings.  I didn't have any greens in my morning smoothie on Thursday and I got hungry faster...about an hour earlier than usual.  I'm experiencing hunger around 12:15 and I usually go to lunch between 12:30 and 1:00.  I went to the mall after work and wasn't really tempted by anything.  I ate my after lunch/mid day snack (apple) at the mall.  I also experienced no diarrhea yesterday (2 regular movements).

Today I'm going out to dinner with a friend to celebrate his b-day.  I'm about to check the reservation and make a decision on what I'm going to eat.  I woke up this morning weighing 181...so straying off the path is not what I'm trying to do.  A sista is so happy about the way my raw journey is going and I've been at least 90-100% raw the

The combination of 'free' and 'bar' to a northerner is an oxymoron, because my god have I paid a high price for my alcohol gluttony.

Anyway, enough about my pickled liver recipe. This is simply a heads-up for Alan and Cameron at Mika Events, who against all adversity (namely drunken rambling fools) produced a spectacular range of sushi for the freeloaders at ShortList Magazine's recent 1st birthday bash.

On an average night-out I try to steer away from folks brandishing sharp knives, but being the curious bumbling idiot that I am after one-too-many sherbets, I quizzed Alan as to the amber jeweled roe he was using ...

'Tobiko Flying fish roe' was the response ... and before my brain had the chance to digest these words, Alan had chopped, spooned, squeezed and rolled the most delectable Tobiko Temaki-zushi (hand rolled flying fish roe cone with rice and Japanese mayonnaise).

Incredible! Thousands of little sea water bursts, spiked with iodine and balanced with a tiny bit of acidity and richness from the mayonnaise.

This is not yet another shameless plug in the slightest, I just genuinely appreciate the passionate people in the industry. Those people who learn and subsequently share their skills and experiences with the masses. Alan and Cameron are of this creed and if you're having a corporate event or party, then I cannot recommend Mika Events enough.

Totally unrelated:

I made banana bread and Martha's quinoa muffins yesterday, but tried to make them healthier by substituting a little wheat flour for the white. I didn't make the ratio 50/50, more like 75 white/25 wheat. I didn't have dark brown sugar, which both recipes called for, so I just used regular brown sugar. And, I didn't have quite enough banana. Ughh. So, all these things combined, left me with a not-as-yummy-as-usual banana bread, and some pretty health-food tasting muffins. Not "pretty" as in nice-looking, but as in "rather". Did that make any sense? Anyway, I thought the cinnamon I added to the muffin batter would help them taste nicer, as several reviewers of the recipe suggested, but they still tasted funky. I wonder if I didn't rinse the quinoa enough? I'd better find out how many rinses it takes to get rid of the saponin before I attempt these again. My little ones actually like them, so I will keep trying. After all, quinoa is a "super grain", and my little guy needs all the help he can get. He's so skinny! I do worry so about his nutrition. Little sister, not so much. She looks like she'll be taking after Dad (tee hee!).

The search for Booker has now entered a new stage with police suspending their search of the river. Queensland Environmental Protection Officers (EPA) have now begun to lay crocodile traps in the area so that crocodiles can be examined for remains without harming or killing them.

The investigation into the disappearance of Arthur Booker has yet to determine if he was in fact taken by a crocodile, although this remains the most likely scenario.  There are a number of large crocodiles inhabiting the area, including the 6m ‘Charlie.’

Charlie is known to be responsible for the loss of pet dogs, livestock, eating a 3.5m crocodile and was once seen taking a horse.

The probable crocodile attack has once again brought the call for crocodile culling back into the public arena. At the moment any thought of culling by officials has been dismissed.

BELOW: Footage reporting the disappearance of Arthur Booker