BEARDIST DETRACTORS
Of course Beardism, as in all art movements, had its detractors. The spreadsheets of the day were loathe to acknowledge the legitimacy of the work. Gladys Wilkinson bore the brunt of many attacks both on her appearance; her out-right refusal to remove the facial hair which afflicted her - which she believed shaped her life, her politics and her art - and her work, which was scoffed at as derivative or entirely over-looked.
One article published in the now defunct student arts quarterly of the day "Lovevol" reduced the movement to a vile concoction, unpalatable and unlikely. It came without any other comments, but the message was clear:
Beard Soup
To be eaten only during BIC (Beardist Initiation Ceremony) - a tradition where teenage boys prove their worthiness after successful beard growth. To commemorate this all fathers cut off their beards, which is then used in the world famous dish.
3 1/2 oz. Beard clippings (dried)
6 cups chicken stock
1 large chicken breast (deboned)
1 Tbls. Dry sherry
1/4 cup rich chicken stock
2 Egg whites
1 tsp. Shaving foam (flat)
1 tsp. Salt
2 Green onions (minced)
1 Tbls. Ham (minced)
2 Tbls. Cornstarch
2 Tbls. Chicken stock
Aftershave
1. In a large sink, soak beard trimmings overnight in warm water. Drain and rinse. Then spread softened trimmings on plate; Remove any prominent pieces of 'foreign' matter before hand (e.g. dandruff, stale food and pencils).
2. Remove membrane and muscle fibre from chicken breast. Using a cleaver handle, pound meat to break down tissue and mince chicken until it is pulp. In a mixing bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 Tbls. chicken stock and 1 (flat) tsp of shaving foam to make a medium thick paste. Set aside.
3. When ready to cook, heat 6 cups of chicken stock on high heat until boil. Immediately add beard trimmings and simmer for 30 minutes. Slowly dribble dry sherry into minced chicken. Using a fork, lightly beat egg whites and fold gently into chicken so they are not completely blended.
4. Bring soup back to boil and slowly add chicken stock mixture to soup. Add salt to soup and heat on medium heat. When soup returns to boil, serve in serving bowls. Garnish with green onions and a drizzle of aftershave.
Serves: 6
