Vanilla Garlic is my nifty food blog that I tinker at with essays about life and food that I like to think are humorous or thoughtful. I also work as a freelance writer and a cookbook author. Whether I succeed at any of this debatable.
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So, I am leaving my comment here, and hoping people read it. As frightening as this Calamity Jane Sandra Lee is, understand that squirrel is a very normal food for many people to hunt in much of the U.S.. Never tried it myself.
This video is practical for everyday eating for many people in the U.S.. Take into account that yes, squirrels are cute, but in other counties all KINDS of animals are eaten. (Hope you are paying attention people who got on me about tripe!)
But still, kinda freaky (and funny) video. But gotta love how the squirrel recipe has nuts in it.
Ah, that's the video link that Hank sent me! Cracked me up. My dad used to hunt squirrels in the woods near where he grew up in Minnesota during the depression, and grandma made squirrel stew. Most of us descend from generations of squirrel hunters and would never know it. The comments on the YouTube site for this video are pretty sad. A lot of name calling from people who have no idea where any of their food comes from. They should take a look at the video on this site if they think eating hamburger is any better than a squirrel melt.
OK, I live in a very rural area of Pennsylvania, and lots of people here eat almost anything, including squirrel, groundhog and a host of other rodents, but you're right, the addition of nut is priceless. I'm not a fan of wild critter consumption, but the idea of tailgating at a Penn State game with squirrel melts really does amuse me.
Thought I'd weigh in here as a well-known squirrel-eater.
My fascination with this video is how gob-smackingly awful this dish looks. Eeeeeeew! I have scores of squirrel recipes, but this is just downright nasty.
And ya gotta love the accent, don't ya know? Makes the Sandra Lee aspect even better. Lots of people say, "oh, this is how the Midwest eats." Nope, it's not. There is plenty of good food in Flyover Country. I know: I lived there for years.
OK, OK, I am a squirrel snob, I admit it. (hee hee hee) And I know she wanted to make something Little Jimmy would eat, but couldn't she have just chicken fried it? The idea of Velveeta and shredded squirrel just makes me retch. Feh.
totally off topic, but i was on tastespotting a few minutes ago and it linked to this article on gorgeous tuxedo strawberries. i read the whole thing, and lo and behold it was written by you!! one of my favorite bloggers :D
I thought the most disturbing aspect of the video was the lady herself. The fact that she eats squirrel is like big whoop. The week of my wedding the local paper here had a recipe for woodchuck stew. But this lady reeked of Sandra Lee in that creepy way. Like she might be a closet drinker that has illicit fantasies about Pat Robertson or something
Oh wow... I just felt awkward watching that. I'm not too sure how comfortable I am to watch someone prepare a meal and remind me how in its live form it used to be cute and that it would enjoy the meal it was about to be cooked in.
Not to mention I'm at a campus where there are more squirrels than people.
Actually I didn't find it gross at all - but tastfully presented. I figured I'd see the poor little animal peeled and gutted on the tube. Since you can find brains, guts, liver, etc. at the local market why not the squirrel? Don't have them here in Orange County, CA but if they sold it at Albertson's I'd probably try it - in some recipe. Thanks - fun.
But why shooting squirrels now, since there is no depression anymore in America? Is it not pretty decadent? Here in Greece only very very poor people will eat every kind of meat. I thought America was so rich? What a strange hobby, cannot understand this woman. Is she too poor to afford good quality meat? Shooting such puny animals without real danger for your own life is crazy in my opinion.
Hey, squirrel's good. Good for them to actually go out and hunt their own meat...healthier and better for the environment. Best line: "You know how squirrels love nuts".
I found it kind of interesting. I am one of those people who hates to see food wasted, so I like the thrifty aspect of this. However the recipe itself did not look that appealing to me. I'm sure there must be tastier ways to serve squirrel meat.
I'd be more interested to see how she actually skinned and prepared the meat.
So... had it been this chick in "Fatal Attraction" instead of Glenn Close, she'd have taken the cute little bunny out of the boiling water and fixed up a nice little batch of "bunny melts" for the family to enjoy when they came home...
I would like to add that in Sac, those cute red fox squirrels you see running around are actually non-natives brought over from the eastern us to hunt. The DFG considers them a game species and maintains the population, although they have pretty much wiped out the native western grey squirrel. So I say shoot 'em, roll 'em in mayo and nuts, and good riddance!
Yeah just not a fan of dining on the rodentia family. Actually not that much of a fan of anything that isn't a strict herbivore. The taste different isn't that pleasant to me.
Next week Heidi takes on big game! Look out Capybaras!! Where was that second safety again?
Hey, you're leaving a comment! That's pretty darn cool, so thanks. If you have any questions or have found an error on the site or with a recipe, please e-mail me and I will reply as soon as possible. ~Garrett
So, I am leaving my comment here, and hoping people read it. As frightening as this Calamity Jane Sandra Lee is, understand that squirrel is a very normal food for many people to hunt in much of the U.S.. Never tried it myself.
ReplyDeleteThis video is practical for everyday eating for many people in the U.S.. Take into account that yes, squirrels are cute, but in other counties all KINDS of animals are eaten. (Hope you are paying attention people who got on me about tripe!)
But still, kinda freaky (and funny) video. But gotta love how the squirrel recipe has nuts in it.
Ah, that's the video link that Hank sent me! Cracked me up. My dad used to hunt squirrels in the woods near where he grew up in Minnesota during the depression, and grandma made squirrel stew. Most of us descend from generations of squirrel hunters and would never know it. The comments on the YouTube site for this video are pretty sad. A lot of name calling from people who have no idea where any of their food comes from. They should take a look at the video on this site if they think eating hamburger is any better than a squirrel melt.
ReplyDeleteOK, I live in a very rural area of Pennsylvania, and lots of people here eat almost anything, including squirrel, groundhog and a host of other rodents, but you're right, the addition of nut is priceless. I'm not a fan of wild critter consumption, but the idea of tailgating at a Penn State game with squirrel melts really does amuse me.
ReplyDeleteThought I'd weigh in here as a well-known squirrel-eater.
ReplyDeleteMy fascination with this video is how gob-smackingly awful this dish looks. Eeeeeeew! I have scores of squirrel recipes, but this is just downright nasty.
And ya gotta love the accent, don't ya know? Makes the Sandra Lee aspect even better. Lots of people say, "oh, this is how the Midwest eats." Nope, it's not. There is plenty of good food in Flyover Country. I know: I lived there for years.
OK, OK, I am a squirrel snob, I admit it. (hee hee hee) And I know she wanted to make something Little Jimmy would eat, but couldn't she have just chicken fried it? The idea of Velveeta and shredded squirrel just makes me retch. Feh.
Now, that's G-R-O-S-S in bold and capital letters!
ReplyDeleteRabbit, squirrel, squirrel, rabbit..what's the diff?
ReplyDeletehey garret! just stopped by to say that you've done a fabulous job with chocolate starwberries at Simply recipes!:) congrats!:)
ReplyDeletetotally off topic, but i was on tastespotting a few minutes ago and it linked to this article on gorgeous tuxedo strawberries. i read the whole thing, and lo and behold it was written by you!! one of my favorite bloggers :D
ReplyDeleteI thought the most disturbing aspect of the video was the lady herself. The fact that she eats squirrel is like big whoop. The week of my wedding the local paper here had a recipe for woodchuck stew. But this lady reeked of Sandra Lee in that creepy way. Like she might be a closet drinker that has illicit fantasies about Pat Robertson or something
ReplyDeleteI saw that on TV the other night.
ReplyDeleteThat recipe sounded awful, but really squirrel isn't bad if fixed correctly.
Oh wow... I just felt awkward watching that. I'm not too sure how comfortable I am to watch someone prepare a meal and remind me how in its live form it used to be cute and that it would enjoy the meal it was about to be cooked in.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention I'm at a campus where there are more squirrels than people.
Actually I didn't find it gross at all - but tastfully presented. I figured I'd see the poor little animal peeled and gutted on the tube. Since you can find brains, guts, liver, etc. at the local market why not the squirrel? Don't have them here in Orange County, CA but if they sold it at Albertson's I'd probably try it - in some recipe. Thanks - fun.
ReplyDeleteBut why shooting squirrels now, since there is no depression anymore in America? Is it not pretty decadent? Here in Greece only very very poor people will eat every kind of meat. I thought America was so rich? What a strange hobby, cannot understand this woman. Is she too poor to afford good quality meat? Shooting such puny animals without real danger for your own life is crazy in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteit just seems icky to me to kill things with your children....
ReplyDeletelook what we did johnny!!
okay. i get it. some people eat squirrel.
ReplyDeletebut to comment on it being "cute" and "putting his little butt in there" when she's getting ready to simmer it IS JUST PLAIN WRONG.
Gross...I hate mayo.
ReplyDeleteHey, squirrel's good. Good for them to actually go out and hunt their own meat...healthier and better for the environment. Best line: "You know how squirrels love nuts".
ReplyDeleteI found it kind of interesting. I am one of those people who hates to see food wasted, so I like the thrifty aspect of this. However the recipe itself did not look that appealing to me. I'm sure there must be tastier ways to serve squirrel meat.
ReplyDeleteI'd be more interested to see how she actually skinned and prepared the meat.
So... had it been this chick in "Fatal Attraction" instead of Glenn Close, she'd have taken the cute little bunny out of the boiling water and fixed up a nice little batch of "bunny melts" for the family to enjoy when they came home...
ReplyDeleteI would like to add that in Sac, those cute red fox squirrels you see running around are actually non-natives brought over from the eastern us to hunt. The DFG considers them a game species and maintains the population, although they have pretty much wiped out the native western grey squirrel. So I say shoot 'em, roll 'em in mayo and nuts, and good riddance!
ReplyDeleteYeah just not a fan of dining on the rodentia family. Actually not that much of a fan of anything that isn't a strict herbivore. The taste different isn't that pleasant to me.
ReplyDeleteNext week Heidi takes on big game! Look out Capybaras!! Where was that second safety again?