Squirrel going down a treat at supermarket

nlnews@archant.co.uk
24 March 2010

Budgens butcher Gary Singleton with a pack of squirrel meat

ADVENTUROUS carnivores in Crouch End are going nuts for the latest quirky meat to hit supermarket shelves.

The grey squirrel is usually spotted in parks, gardens, or scavenging for nuts on bird tables, but it can now be found on sale at the meat counter at Budgens in The Broadway.

One of the cute fur-free morsels, which taste similar to rabbit, costs £4.50 and it is touted as the new "ethical meat" of choice.

Gary Singleton, 38, butcher at Budgens, said: "The owner's partner saw it online and it intrigued her because squirrel's got good sustainability as there are plenty of them around, and it is low in fat.

"My meat suppliers do rare breed meats and I thought they would laugh at me when I asked for squirrel, but they said: 'No, we're getting more and more demand for them.'"

Gamekeepers trap or shoot grey squirrels to protect Britain's declining native red breed.

The first batch sold out at Budgens, showing Crouch End's gastronomically curious are on-trend.

Upmarket restaurants have been rushing to put squirrel on menus including The Famous Wild Boar Hotel in the Lake District, which serves grey squirrel canapés.

And Berkshire chef Chris Prow has written a book of recipes including braised squirrel in Madeira.

"It's something a bit different," said Mr Singleton. "You don't get a lot of meat off them but what you do get off is a very intense flavour."

He added: "You never know until you see what it's like," he said. "I put it out for everyone and the general consensus was it went down well.