Rabbit

It appears my family name was once entangled with rabbits like a bunny in a bramble hedge. Warner, it is thought, derives from Warrener, a rabbit keeper or game warden. Once upon a time rabbits were highly prized, as they were scarce in mainland Britain, preferring the sandier soils of our shores and isles. Warreners would lay clay pipes in the ground, raising rabbits in these artificial burrows for the high table. Rabbits are cheap and can be very tasty. They must be cooked slowly or be very young, as, unlike larger white rabbits reared for the European pot or the dark depths of Magic Marvin’s hat, they have next to no fat. Reared rabbits are easier to cook, but lack the delicious hint of grasses. Rabbits are good from autumn to late spring. The adults should be avoided during the breeding. Any small rabbit can be fried, whereas larger rabbits require a lower oven temperature and patience.