Squirrels on the Menu?

[Daniel Rogov]

Grey squirrel is appearing more frequently on menus throughout the U.K. (see the article in the New York Times at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/dinin ... irrel.html

Squirrels have been popular fare in parts of the U.S.A. since the time of the Pilgrims. Not luxury fare, for sure but to many (including this writer) good eating, especially when done either over open charcoals or with a deep red wine sauce. What thinkest we? The next culinary hit?

Best
Rogov

[Shel T]

I have a friend from Mississippi (the state of) who, brought up in the country, hunted squirrels growing up, and now living in L.A. is the 'urban' squirrel hunter. Oh, not illegal as he does it with a pellet gun!
So he stores them in his freezer and when he has enough, makes up a big batch of squirrel gumbo and I receive a portion.
So he's already doing his bit for the red squirrel...assuming we have any in L.A. in the first place, must check into that. In the meantime, pass the gumbo!

[Ian Sutton]

Surprised no mention of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingsall (nicknamed Hugh Fearlessly Eatsitall). I'd heartily recommend him as a TV chef worth watching. He's a firm believer in giving animals a decent life, then eating and enjoying as much as you can from the animal. A great antidote to the plastic wrapped meat generation. He's certainly tried a few of these unusual meats.

There was also a series over here a year or two ago, about a chap who sought out roadkill. The law over here says that you can't eat / sell anything you've hit, but if someone else hits it then it's fair game ( sorry for the pun).

regards

Ian

[Daniel Rogov]

,,,The law over here says that you can't eat / sell anything you've hit, but if someone else hits it then it's fair game.

Reminds me of an incident some yeares ago when driving on a back road between Rudesheim and Weisbaden when suddenly two pheasants flew out, one to be met by my windshield, the other by the radio antenna of my car. I stopped of course to see that the birds were truly dead and as I was checking a police car pulled up and stopped. The officer asked me what had happened. I explained. He asked to see my passport. I showed it to him and he commented not in German but in Yiddish: "Ess, ess mein kindt" (Eat, eat my child).

Took the birds to the butcher shop I was using during my stay, he hung the birds for me and a week later we feasted on pheasant stew. As Ms. Doolittle put it so nicely: "Loverly"


Best
Rogov

[Ian Sutton]

Rogov
... and yet there are people who would see that story as a tragedy (whilst happily feasting on their factory farmed chickens).

Good attitudes all round (in your story) IMO

regards

Ian

[Robert Reynolds]

When I was a small boy, I would sometimes stay over at my Great-grandparents' house. Often Grandpa would get up early and walk down to the creek with his shotgun, and return in a couple of hours with a load of squirrels. Grandma would then fry them up for breakfast, and make milk gravy and fluffy cathead biscuits to go along. I'm drooling just remembering it!

[Matilda L]

Cathead biscuits? What are they?

Matilda

[Ian Sutton]

Cathead biscuits? What are they?

Matilda

One of those questions where you fear the answer!

[Robert Reynolds]

Cathead biscuits? What are they?

Matilda

Cathead biscuits are named that because when you mix up the biscuit dough and knead it gently a few times (too much working of the dough makes the biscuits tough instead of soft and flakey), you pinch off a piece of dough "about the size of a cat's head", then shape it into rounds by rolling it between your palms. It's a rural South (USA) thing.

[Matilda L]

So I can stop imagining that these things have ears and whiskers?

Matilda

[Robert Reynolds]

So I can stop imagining that these things have ears and whiskers?

Matilda

Please do - I can't abide furry biscuits.

[Ian Sutton]

An update on the original.
Grey squirrels are now at risk from (also US imported) black squirrels.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7839653.stm

regards

Ian