Ptarmigan roast

Ate my first Ptarmigan. Roasted. The 'chef' said he'd soaked it in baking soda for two days. This was suppose to remove the 'gamey flavor.' The meat was dark, sort of the color of that deep red brown of a turkey leg. The taste..well...livery? gamey? Not bad though, just different.  It tasted healthy, after all, what does the bird live on but fresh veggies and berries? What the heck do Ptarmigan eat? Anyway, I ate one, or part of one.