Squirrel

The New York Times ran an article yesterday in the Dining section, titled "Saving a Squirrel by Eating One"  The author claims that the latest gourmet treat in Britain is (wait for it) squirrel!  She claims this has come about in part because there are too many squirrels -- of the gray American (emphasis mine) variety.  So they are being culled and available at British restaurants, butchers, etc.
Now I knew that there has been concern for decades about the grays taking over the habitat of the native red squirrels but apparently there is now a "Save Our Squirrels" campaign.  She goes on to quote foodies on the flavour and even offer cooking hints.  [Is it the Silly Season here now?]
So -- all you ex-pat gourmets out there -- been eating any squirrel lately?  All I can say is Yuk!   

I have not been eating squirrel, but yes - I am fairly sure I have seen (on TV) or heard about some of the celeb chefs cooking squirrel of late.  And yes, they would be cooking the American grey squirrels, because they are taking over and the indigenous red squirrels are an endangered species here.  I'm not sure that enough of the greys could be eaten though (because I won't be eating them - hee hee...maybe if I did?  ) to save the reds though.

http://www.wildlifebritain.com/theredsquirrel.php

I know the cute little red guys, a la Tufty Club and Beatrix Potter, have been in big trouble for years.  It was the case 30 years ago when I first lived in England.  I certainly never saw anything other than the gray guys.  But isn't it kinda late to be trying to stamp out the interlopers now?

My best friend's ex-stepdad use to go huntin' all the time. Her mom would then cook whatever he brought in. I remember her making squirrel stew once, but there was no way either one of us were touching it. (we were about 11 yrs old at the time!)

I remember him bringing in possum and 'coon too. He had 'coon dawgs to help with the hunting. This was in rural middle Tennessee. He had grown up very poor and his family survived by eating whatever the boys of the family hunted.

My dad was a pastor of a small country church. Sometime people from the church who hunted would bring us deer meat. Once some one gave us almost a whole deer. If it's cooked right, deer meat is really good.

Eating squirrel? Have I suddenly been transported back to rural central Florida?

I'd eat it.  I don't really see the difference between eating a squirrel and eating rabbit/chicken/duck/whatever.

I'd eat it.  I don't really see the difference between eating a squirrel and eating rabbit/chicken/duck/whatever.

A squirrel is a rodent, otherwise known as tree-rat.

I like venison, but I'm not fond of most game in general - too gamey tasting for me.  I don't like duck, goose, rabbit, etc.  When he was in university, usually about once a year, my brother used to cook up a crockpot of barbequed raccoon in the dormitory and serve it on white buns like you would bbq'd pork (or pulled pork).  Everybody thought it was great until they found out what it was! 

When DD was in Peru, one of her party tried the local delicacy -- Guinea pig (another rodent)  She said it was alright but couldn't get over how they served it with its little paws sticking up.

I'd eat it.  I don't really see the difference between eating a squirrel and eating rabbit/chicken/duck/whatever.

Me too

When DD was in Peru, one of her party tried the local delicacy -- Guinea pig (another rodent)  She said it was alright but couldn't get over how they served it with its little paws sticking up.

They also eat armadillos in some of the South American countries.

A rabbit is a rodent, too. I've eaten more than my share of game, but I don't like it. Somehow, I can't see Brits warming to squirrel.

As for the red squirrel/gray squirrel thing...it's true in the States, too. More grays, fewer reds. Since they don't know what's going on with that, I think it's unfair and unscientific to assume the grays are pushing the reds out in some way. It may just be that the habitat is shifting in ways the favor gray squirrels.

Anyhow, the reds are adorable, but they're nasty, aggressive little bastiches. I had one follow me through the woods once barking at me.

I have been told that Gypsies are (or were) fond of baked hedgehog, cooked by encasing the (presumably) (hopefully!) dead & cleaned (eviscerated) hedgehog in clayey soil and making a little bonfire around it. Upon splitting the hardened clay ball in two, it comes away with the bristles leaving something a bit like chicken. Can't say it appeals to me any more than squirrel.

They also eat armadillos in some of the South American countries.

I don't understand why they don't go for capybaras instead of the guinea pigs.  One capybara will feed loads of people - why bother with tiny rodents?  Not that I'd want to eat either, you understand.   

I don't understand why they don't go for capybaras instead of the guinea pigs.  One capybara will feed loads of people - why bother with tiny rodents?  Not that I'd want to eat either, you understand.   

Maybe they are too chewy.   

A squirrel is a rodent, otherwise known as tree-rat.

I still don't see the problem    Why is eating a rodent any more digusting than eating birds, fish, livestock etc?  I don't think you can compare a squirrel to a rat any more than you can compare a chicken to a seagull.  You wouldn't eat a rat or seagull because they are (in towns anyway) vermin.  I wouldn't eat a city squirrel but i'd try one from the woods for sure.