Contributing Editor Liz Henry also blogs at Composite and Badgermama.

Meibell's story of buying a live chicken (at 125th and Amsterdam in New York City) made me laugh out loud. I like when she confesses she has no idea what chicken to pick. Here's my translation of a little bit of her funny, chatty post:

My experience buying a live chicken was very strange. I got to the local store here in Harlem and on entering, you're transported to the Guaicapuro market in Caracas. A guy in a white apron stained with blood and other things asks you, "Choose your chicken." Me, looking at the first group in a cage that I saw, seeing I don't know what, because all of them are the same, and the chickens with their necks stretched out, looking at you, some climbing on top of the others, on guard not to be chosen.

So the guy goes "those aren't chickens, those are hens." I answered "ahh ok". Then I go, "Look, mister, you choose my chicken, because they're all the same to me. " So he opens up one of the cages, I back away superfast and he grabs a spotty chicken. He ties up the feet... and weighs it. He looks at the scale and says, "It's 9 dollars. You want it as is, or chopped up?" Immediately I responded "chopped up" (how am I going to carry a live chicken through NYC?)

Mi experiencia comprando pollo vivo fue muy rara. Llego al local aqui en Harlem y al entrar te trasladas al mercado Guaicaipuro de Caracas. Un señor de bata blanca manchada de sangre y otras cosas te dice: "elija su pollo". Yo mirando en el primer grupo de jaula que vi, viendo no se que, pues todas son igualitas y las gallinas con esos cuellos estirados, mirandote, unas montadas sobre otras, en alerta de no se ejelidas.

Al rato el mismo seños me dice "esos no son pollos son gallinas".. repondo "ahh ok". Luego le digo "mire Sr. elijame usted el pollo, para mi todos son igualitos". En eso abre una de la jaulas, yo me aparto rapidito y agarra un pollo pintado. Le amarra las patas con una cabulla y lo pesa. Mira la pesa y me dice "son 9 dolares. La quiere asi mismo o picada". Inmediatamente respondo "picada" (como me voy a llevar una gallina viva por NYC?).

You can try to read the rest through Google Translation if you like. Meibell opens the bag a little bit to peek, and yuck, dead chicken feet!