Hope everyone had a great Christmas.
Here is my favorite venison marinade recipe.

 I'm really not a hunter, but I would like to share with you my favorite venison marinade. 

 One of my most talked about childhood memories is a hunting/fishing experience when I was about 12 years old. My Uncle Tom Cavataio lives on a farm, and one hot summer afternoon we somehow got on a conversation of cooking frog legs.  Uncle Tom told me he had a lot of frogs in his pond and thought it would be a good idea for us to go and hunt down some frog legs to cook. 

 Yes, my first hunting experience was more of a fishing experience without the fishing pole. Uncle Tom brought along his bolt action, single shot 22 rifle. When we reached the edge of the pond, Uncle Tom said the way to accomplish our goal was for me to get in the water and get ready to retrieve the frogs that he was about to conquer with his sharp shooting.  Anyway the fun began. 

 Uncle Tom would shoot a frog and I would go fishing/swimming for the prize. It was about the forth or fifth frog dive that made our day worthwhile. Uncle Tom shot, I dove in searching the area where I thought the prize was descending. For some reason I missed the reward and as I surfaced from the cloudy pond water I was totally startled (to say the least) by the biggest frog you every saw with it's eyeballs staring me down. If it was any closer I think it would have been on the top of my head. 

 Anyway, Uncle Tom thought it was hilarious when I started screaming and hightailed it out of the pond. We really didn't end up with too many frog legs, but we did end up with the fondest memory that the two of us will always cherish. 
Thank you, Uncle Tom.

Venison Marinade 
 The following marinade recipe will take that gamey taste out of the venison.

 1 cup white vinegar
 1/2- cup oil
 2 tablespoons parsley
 2 tablespoons oregano
 1/2- teaspoon onion flakes
 1-teaspoon salt
 1-teaspoon pepper
 2 tablespoons dried mint flakes
 1/3-cup brown sugar
 5 lbs. venison (cubed, strips or      steaks)

 Mix above ingredients together; pour over venison and marinate overnight.  Grill, broil or fry.

 For a copy of Chef Nick's cookbook go to http://chefnickskitchen.com or John's Fine Foods; 88 North Avenue in Owego, Front & Center; 188 Front Street in Owego, Down to Earth Whole Foods, 305 Grant Avenue in Endicott. 
E-mail: nfc@stny.rr.com