Another report today on the grow-your-own boom - seems the credit crunch is driving more and people to rip up their lawns and get cultivating. And they're not stopping at plants, growers are exploring the food possibilities of animals, in this case snails. And even squirrels.
I often feel like shooting my backyard Mr Bushytail - especially as it recently munched its way through all but one of my peaches. And will, no doubt, polish off all my strawberries once they begin to ripen. Does this make me a bad person?
In the US, of course, gardeners aren't squeamish about taking out the odd woodchuck, rabbit or groundhog. Maybe it's time to invest in a large catapult or even a crossbow. I don't think this is illegal.
It would be fair and right to eat the dead animal. As the Observer reported last month tucking into squirrel is getting mighty popular and is 'flying off the shelves faster than hunters can shoot them'. A recipe idea can be found here. According to experienced squirrel-eater Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, 'They're delicious, a bit like rabbit, really tasty. One of my favourite dishes is home-made nettle pasta with squirrel ragu sauce.'
Has anyone else out in allotment-land partaken of their plot's vermin? Got any recipes to share?
