Grey squirrel at Sainsbury's?

I ask the odd question in Sainsbury's at times. I think it's an antedote to "Do you need any help with your packing?". I once asked for taramasalata and found myself discussing Greek culinary culture, which is something I know little about. As the young girl had never heard of the stuff, I was left none the wiser. However, I didn't think she necessarily should as there was a time when I didn't know what it was. My sister, a Waitrose person, said at the time "You've never heard of taramasalata!?!" Well, I hadn't. But I tried it and have like it ever since.

It now appears there's a new product that's caught certain people. It's squirrel pie. Grey squirrel that is. The American import! Paul Parker is pest controller who has already helped to cull more than 22,000 grey squirrels in the North East is moving south to feed demand for squirrel pie. He says demand for greys from top chefs means he needs to expand. He is working with landowners in the south of England to maintain supplies of squirrels for restaurants.

Now it occurs to me that the supermarkets won't want to miss this trick. They did it with real sausages, when they went snooping around the shops and kitckens of the new breed of sausagemakers. Squirrel pie at Sainsbury's? Why not. Fresh squirrel on the butcher's counter? "How do I cook it?" may be a suitable leading question.

Mr Parker said, "I cannot personally get enough of these grey squirrels, people are eating them. If I was getting 100, they would take 100 each and every day, the demand is so high. They are sold as soon as they hit the counter. They are going to top restaurants, butchers, the working man. They are a delicacy."

Sounds like a recommendation. Anybody know what they taste like?

Posted in: grey squirrels,squirrel pie