[thechat] Grey Squirrel Cull in UK

[Roger Austin]

  I read on the BBC site that UK authorities were having a
squirrel hunt. It seems the Greys are out breeding the Reds and
this pisses off a number of folks.
  In western North Carolina where I grew up, the squirrel hunt
is a tradition. I had a single shot 22 rifle that I used in the
woods for hunting them. The buggers are difficult to clean though.
I remember when I was 10 or 11 helping my grandmother clean
squirrels for the pot. I actually have a photograph of us. It's
from the late 50s or 60s. The rule was that if you shot it, you
had to clean and eat it. Sadly, you can't purchase them in the
megamart. I'm too old now to try to hit a lightning fast rodent
from twenty paces much less go out stomping through the woods. I
will stick with the stuff I find in the meat aisle in the megamart. 
Plus, it is against the law to shot anything around the city.
  I keep threatening my mother-in-law that I'm going to cook her
a mess of squirrels for a holiday. The joke is now that if you
can't tell what kind of meat is in the dish, it is probably
squirrel. If I'm going to actually server her squirrel, I need to
do it soon since they are 90yo.
  As a help to those in the GMT zone, I will suggest cooking
instructions. After you clean the fruits of your hunting trip,
quarter them, dredge them in flour, and brown them in your fat
(bacon grease or butter will do.) Roast them for a while, then
make a cream gravy out of the pan drippings and hit it with extra
black pepper. That's fine eatin' with some hot biscuits.
  Frankly, if more folks in the UK ever ate squirrel, there
wouldn't be an excess of them in the woods. Note: don't bother
with the city squirrels, they don't have much flavor (or have
too much of the wrong flavor.)
  Y'all enjoy the hunt. Please share your results with us.
  Enjoy, Roger
-- 
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