Eating & Drinking

Squirrel kebabs on the menu at Otterton Mill (news)

27th October 2008

To the timid eater, the idea of chucking a squirrel on the barbie might seem akin to turning Bambi into a burger.

But as a growing number of people are beginning to realise, the meat is lean, plentiful and as free range as it gets.

They may be cute, but grey squirrels are an invading menace which have driven our native reds to the edge of extinction. Keep that in mind and they will taste all the better on a skewer.

Ed Chester, pictured, head chef at Otterton Mill in East Devon, insists the meat has far more potential than as a novelty to draw visitors to the attraction’s apple day.

Squirrels will feature on his fine dining evening menu at the site’s restaurant, which is now open for dinner at weekends.

Guests may find themselves tucking in to squirrel pate, or eating squirrel as a fricassee with wild mushrooms, or in a casserole with cider apples.

Mr Chester, who took over as head chef a year ago, said he all but sold out of the squirrel kebabs he was selling at £5.50 each at the event.

“Some people will turn their noses up, but one of the things I’m committed to here is education,” he said.

“I’m never going to put anything horrible on my menu. Squirrel is a great meat. It’s genuinely good – it’s certainly not a gimmick.”

The squirrel kebab had been marinated in red wine overnight, lightly barbecued and rolled in honey and chopped hazelnuts. Mr Chester said the meat tasted like a “very gamey chicken”.

To me, it had a taste more similar to red meat with the texture of white, and was delicious.

Mr Chester has bigger plans. He also wants to create dishes with rook and even badger ham, although Mr Chester admitted the latter is “a bit political”.

He now has three gamekeepers looking out for potential ingredients which are not routinely available at the butchers.

In the past, Otterton Mill, which grinds flour from the surrounding area for use in the on-site bakery, has been known for top-quality soups and salads which are still on offer.

Owners Caroline and Simon Spiller took over the mill, the shop and the gallery in April, in search of a lifestyle change from their corporate backgrounds. They say Mr Chester’s approach ties in with their ethos of using the best local ingredients.

Mr Spiller said the couple, who are originally from Devon, decided to promote game as part of the mill’s traditional apple day.

“We are all about promoting local services and sustainably reared food, and it doesn’t come much better than wild food,” he said.

The event featured a range of activities, from apple pressing and bobbing to learning how to skin, pluck and de-bone meats including rabbits and pheasant.

LOUISE VENNELLS

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