Squirrel Stew
Ever had a memory that you had to scrape from the back of your mind, not because it was traumatic, but because it was funny and fun to think about? This is one of those, and I promise its true.
During my Café owning and cake designer days, as I was sitting quietly in a corner, head down in a pile of always put off paperwork hoping not to be noticed, this is what caught my attention.
“It takes three squirrels to make a good squirrel stew.”
Not something you hear everyday, but believe me at the time it’s wasn’t such an unusual conversation to take place my little café and design studio. It all started with the Wednesday Walkers (not the real name of the walking group I’m sure).
A group of amazing individuals who came together each Wednesday in Stanhope to walk, stay fit, have fun and share their love of local walking trails. They were lovely enough to make their way to visit us every Wednesday afternoon wind, rain and snow, for restorative drinks and fresh baked cakes, after tackling the elements of the beautiful countryside that is our Weardale.
A lot of things shared between customers will never pass my lips. Believing that like Switzerland, we were the land of neutral. No politics, no religion, no gossiping and only using the best chocolate, but when I heard “It takes three squirrels to make a good squirrel stew.” It certainly got my attention. Even this wasn’t really enough to make me raise my head from that pile of cake designs I was sketching, and those invoices that I needed to send out but inevitably piled up. Not because I didn’t want to have the money coming in, just that I hated having to spend the time that I could be making the cakes on the paperwork involved in having to organise them.
However, it was the response that made my ears go, well, a little fizzy. “Only three, that’s not too bad, if you don’t have enough squirrels, can you use a rabbit instead?” I had so many questions.
How can you differentiate between a “good” squirrel stew and a bad one? How do they know? How and why did this branch of a conversation start? Why had the speaker been researching squirrel recipes, and because I am always inquisitive and up for trying anything (well, food wise anyway), where do I get my hands on three squirrels, and of course, the squirrel stew recipe?
By the time I had made a mental list of questions, the conversation had moved on to best walking routes and apple tree names, and I was left with a yearning to make a pie. I’ve since looked into recipes for a good squirrel stew, and it turns out that three squirrels might just be just enough, if you only have three people to serve.
I’ve seen the stew called Brunswick stew, which according to the never lying Wikipedia is a tomato-based dish with beans, vegetables and small game, now mostly using chicken instead of squirrels. I’m guessing that rabbit is likely an alternative too.
The website Wildmeat.Co.Uk say its “sweet and nutty .. and delicious” and good with paprika (one of my favourite ingredients) rosemary , sage thyme and strong and creamy tomato sauces.
It seems to have a few celebrity chefs shouting about it too. Jamie Oliver cooked squirrel on Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night TV programme. There’s a squirrel pasty from Kevin Viner. Of course Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has a Game Curry recipe from River Cottage along with River Cottage author Tim Maddams with myriad recipes you should check out, I know his recipes are going to be some of the first I’m going to try. Check out the links to these below.
One of the things that makes it a perfect meat, is it’s leanness and sustainability, something that, as a meat eater, I’m taking into account more and more.
Now, I’ve got to go find me a butcher who can supply me with squirrels, and as I’ve already said, I need at least three!
Do you have opinions on eating squirrel or turning to more sustainable options?
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - Squirrel Stew
Enjoy your Sweet Life
