British grocery store chain, Budgens, is under attack by an animal rights group for selling squirrel meat:
The shop claims it has seen huge demand for the rodents because they are high in protein and low in fat.
Squirrels were once widely eaten in Britain and regularly cooked in pies and casseroles.
h/t: Square Mile Wife via email (thanks)
Note to friends: If squirrel is on the menu, don’t even think about inviting me to dinner. I prefer to shoot squirrels with my camera.
And I thought only Tennessee rednecks ate squirrels. 
Take it away, Detroit Skinny…
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As someone who, growing up, put lots of fat sassy tree meat (squirrels)
in the pot, I can tell you that Squirrels taste like what they eat. I discovered this the first time I took some stew squirrels from a pine bush and the resultant fricassée tasted like biting into a car air freshener.
However, the Squirrels you find in hardwoods bordering corn or grain fields are mighty tasty – a lot like dark goose meat without the grease.
BTW Moosie, I think a bit of an explanation is in order. When I was a kid and we lived on the farm with relatives, my grand parents and their generation who were the children of the people who home steaded the area, made and liked Squirrel pie. Possibly a hold over from their parent’s rural UK roots. They were well into their 80s and retired when we lived on the farm with them but they wanted a Squirrel “pie” once or twice a year and to indulge the old folks Dad would send us out to the wood lot with the .22 and a haversack and orders to bring back 2-3 “fat” squirrels.
The pie? – It was spicy with succulent meat in a rich gravy with garden veg and a crisp flakey pastry baked in crockery bowls. I liked it when Granny or my great Aunt made it but Mom’s was not so good (stringy and runny gravy – I don’t think she really cared to make it but went along with Dad’s rare urge for the dish) – then again no one could cook like my Grandma and she did most of it on an old decommissioned wood stove that was still working in the summer cook house.
After we moved in town I never had another “pie” and I never had an urge fore one, I also never had a reason to shoot another squirrel (except maybe that one mouthy one who kept chattering at me just as I was lining up on a nice 8 point buck). We have lots in the back yard and I like having them around – I don’t even begrudge them the seed I put out for the birds. Now if they ever decide to nest in the attic or chymny that ‘truce’ could end fast.
I think your story is true of a lot of rural people. My grandmother used to tell a lot of stories about her brothers catching groundhogs and frogs for them to eat. And my dad was a farm boy and ate lots of critters — he especially loved rabbit. I don’t have the heart to eat a fluffy bunny.
I feed the birds, too, and the squirrels naturally get into it. Of course, we also put peanuts out for them — they fight with the blue jays to get them first. The squirrels and jays also like the acorns on our oak tree in late summer.
OK – I get that.
When people are hungry, they eat whatever they can get.
And, baby cows are just as cute as just about all other mammalian babies.
But…
If I see somebody trying to hunt ‘MY’ squirrels…
We have a clan of about 15, all descended from a single one-eyed squirrel Jackie) who has been coming here for the past 8 years (quite a feat!) and who was last at our place yesterday….
Well, if I catch anyone hunting MY squirrels – I’m making sweet-pork pie!
Wow — 15! We have about 3 regulars that come almost daily, usually in the am, but once in a while in the late afternoon or evening.
I don’t know if I should admit this, but… I have names for most of them. And, about 5 of them respond to their names.
Of course, I have help from my two little squirrel watchers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqw3i-j7-3I&feature=related
Don’t worry, you’re safe to admit it here.
Hubby would find you to be a kindred spirit — he names our squirrels, as well. I love your little squirrel watchers — very cute!
Actually, there has been a push on of late to re-introduce this meat to the British market as a healthy and inexpensive alternative to the otherwise cruel farming practise or other meats. (Cruel in some opinions) There was a segment of “F Word” by Gordon Ramsey where a one of his reagular guests did a big test and survey (Giles Corin) on Grey Squirrel meat. It was a surprising success. here is another article on it. http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/chef-hopes-city-diners-will-go-nuts-for-squirrel-1.1023369
I’d give it a try if prepared this way.
Yuck — you go right ahead, though.
… Nice photo! Peanuts are the thing.
Thanks, Iain. That squirrel was in Victoria Park here in London ON.
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