So, squirrel burgers are back on the menu. But would you eat one from Finsbury Park? Town squirrel or country squirrel best?
Squirrel burger contest http://ow.ly/3sraAm
Drizzled with SG olive oil?<div><br></div><div>I see that the animal rights groups are attacking the idea that grey squirrel is a free and sustainable food source. I have to admit that I would (quite irrationally) struggle to eat one myself. But I would have thought free and sustainable is exactly what they are...</div>
They've been selling squirrel in Budgens in Crouch End for about three years now. Haven't tried it yet, but I imagine it's a bit like rabbit, lean and sinewy.
Pigeon is the one I struggle with. I know that restaurant pigeon isn't the same as those mangy, feral pigeons, but I just can't bring myself to try it.
Pigeon is utterly delicious if eaten in the right place ie. Do eat it rare/pink (trust me) in St. John's Smithfield. Don't eat it burnt to a fricken crisp in Aswan. Ironically it tastes like you wished rabbit would, but doesn't.
Budgens get their squirrel from a gamekeeper in East Anglia or thereabouts. Definitely country squirrel, not town squirrel.
I'd be interested to know which is healthier to eat. Country squirrel could be full of all kinds of pesticides. On the other hand a squirrel from Finsbury Park doesn't seem that appetising.
I've had Budgens squirrel. It tasted quite nice, but was a bit sinewy. And there really isn't much meat on one. Pigeon fans; if you go to a decent Morrocan restaurant, see if they have pastilla - it's a pigeon pie with sweet & savoury flavours, and it is amazing when done well. St John's pigeon pie is also very good.
You can get you hands on pigeons in Baldwins Butchers on Green Lane. They come plucked and gutted.<br><br>Try doing them Coq au Vin style really nice <br>
My dad was an odd bugger, I learnt never to ask what meat we were eating if I didn't recognise it.
I know for a fact I've eaten squirrel, fox, hedgehog, pigeon and my pet rabbit.
Meat is meat, I personally don't see any difference between killing a cow for food or a fox, humans see them as disposable assets, but growing up in the countryside gives you a different perspective on things.
@Detritus <div><br></div><div>I found your last post very worrying & confusing, especially the nouns and the verbs & general phrases & words, namely: </div><div>Urban Squirrel, buggers in the back garden, Delia, Nigella & Cottage & hmm</div><div><br></div><div>Just how much Creme De Menthe you had imbibed by this point is anyones guess. Probably not enough though.<font class="Apple-style-span" color="#444444" face="arial, sans-serif"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><b> </b></span></font></div>
Grey squirrels are highly invasive, and if we are going to get rid of them (as we should), then rather eat them than just dispose of them. Mind you, they could end up in a Findus lasagne. One distinction between eg fox and cow is that we tend to eat herbivores (cows, sheep) or omnivores (pigs chicken), but not many carnivores. I don't know if that is a cultural hangover, or they simply don't taste as good. <br>
It sad to see the grey squirrel falling into the same category as pigeons and hated by humans. The grey squirrel falls under the wildlife and countryside act 1981. Which means if you capture it, it is illegal to release it back into the wild. I hope people kill them humanely
God knows how anyone captures one - speedy little devils they are, and a constant source of frustration to my cats! (Though I'm quite happy not to have to remove squirrel bits from the carpets.)
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