No matter how bad things get, at least we’re still one step ahead of Bentonville, Arkansas, the home of an annual squirrel cookoff:
Entering its second year, the contest held just off Bentonville’s bustling town square Saturday included 30 teams with contestants from nine states, who competed to come up with the finest squirrel-based delights possible.This year’s culinary creations ranged from squirrel with cashews and spring rolls to Caribbean jerk squirrel and fried plantains. The dishes were a step up in sophistication from last year’s fare, which included squirrel jalapeño cheese poppers and minced squirrel brains with cream cheese in pastry dough. Still, the same winning duo as last year, brothers Brandon and Blayne Estes, once again took home the $500 prize and bragging rights with a simpler, more countrified entry: squirrel sausage.
Brandon, who owns a custom cabinet business in nearby Rogers, Ark., won the previous year with squirrel sliders. He has come to believe that grinding the meat and obscuring its origins is the secret to success.
“I don’t think people like eating food that looks like rat,” he says, admitting he himself is no fan of eating squirrel.
This article appears in Sep 5-11, 2013.
I ate plenty of squirrel when I was growing up, it was called meat and it was what we had on the table.
I’m with you a, it used to be called self sufficiency something our country has lost
At least these good Americans won’t go hungry when times get really tough. Can’t be must worse than B. H. Obama eating dogs in his younger days?
Arizonans don’t eat squirrels, they elect them to positions of leadership.
Really? A bunch of comments in support of rodent munchers. Oh Lawdy
what , no taco bell wood dust fillers or secret sauce..
bet their is more””” pure protein””” in that there critter than in 5 mc junk burgers or one of taco bells new almost food creations…….. maybe some texas pink slime with saw dust topped off with some pork fat ,, yum yumm
You had me at pork fat, rinngear