Via AFP:

LONDON — The strongest and most expensive beer ever created sold out within hours Friday, a Scottish brewery said, as they courted controversy by packaging the bottles inside the bodies of stuffed animals.

BrewDog, the self-described maverick brewery, presented the beer — which contains a record 55 percent alcohol — inside the bodies of dead squirrels and stoats.

Animal rights activists rushed to condemn the stunt.

“It’s pointless and it’s very negative to use dead animals when we should be celebrating live animals,” Advocates for Animals policy director Libby Anderson told BBC Scotland.

“This seems to be a perverse idea.”

BrewDog said the limited edition Belgian ale — made with juniper berries and dubbed “The End of History” — was also the costliest beer ever sold.

The squirrel bottles cost 700 pounds (1,000 dollars, 840 euros) each and the seven stoat bottles went for 500 pounds a pop.

All sold out within four hours of going on sale, BrewDog managing director James Watt told AFP.

Watt said the controversial drink was the last in a line of experimental brews, explaining: “For the final installment in the strong beer series, we wanted to create something epic, something monumental.”

He said there were no plans to come up with a beer to beat this record, insisting: “We’re quite happy at 55 percent.”

As for the taste, Watt described “The End of History” as a “complex” beer with a multitude of flavours including honey, mint and cinnamon.

He recommended sipping the drink “much like you would a malt whiskey”, served up in a spirit glass rather than a pint glass.

I can’t say that sounds appealing at all, but if that’s up your alley I’d love to hear about it.

Via the New York Times article “Saving a Squirrel by Eating One“…

These days, however, in farmers’ markets, butcher shops, village pubs and elegant restaurants, squirrel is selling as fast as gamekeepers and hunters can bring it in.

“Part of the interest is curiosity and novelty,” said Barry Shaw of Shaw Meats, who sells squirrel meat at the Wirral Farmers Market near Liverpool. “It’s a great conversation starter for dinner parties.”

Wow.  I guess that explains the Cajun Squirrel flavored potato chips.  If you’ve eaten squirrel meat or the chips, please leave us a voicemail for the Blue Shotgun Radio segment  at +1 317-565-4250.

Over in the U.K. there’s a new potato chip flavor from Walkers…Cajun Squirrel (as well as Crispy Duck & Hoisin and four other somewhat odd flavors).  I doubt we can easily land a bag of these here in the United States, but if you’ve had them, we’d love to hear your thoughts.

Squirrel Dish
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voicemail: (317) 565-4250

And check out this good overview via The Guardian.

It’s been a while and we have a few exciting new announcements:

Blue Shotgun Radio

In the near future, there is going to be a Squirrel Dish segment on Blue Shotgun Radio (fellow Surge Bucket Media member).  However, this segment is going to require your input and your voice mails.  Please send your squirrel related news, recipes, questions & any other related information.  The voice mail number is 317-565-4250 (in the United States).

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Squirrel Dish is now on Twitter!  Please follow us and join in the conversation there.

Via The Telegraph…

A young grey squirrel – using all the flexibility and ingenuity of his species – demonstrates how to get round a supposedly squirrel-proof bird feeder.

The squirrel had somehow managed to slip between the narrow bars of the protective cage and although it was a bit cramped there was sufficient space to enjoy the peanuts inside.

“I had just put out the feeders filled with peanuts for the Blue tits and Great tits but the squirrel moved in very quickly,” he said.

“We do have Grey Squirrels here but they usually feed on the seed on the ground. I have seen them trying to break into the cage before but until now they have never succeeded.

I think I still like the RollerFeeder idea.

Via EDP24…

TV chef Marco Pierre White…came to the Somerleyton Estate, near Lowestoft, to create an original dish from local produce for his new series, Marco’s Great British Feast.

He said: “I was surprised to discover that squirrel is considered a delicacy in certain parts of the UK and quite widely eaten. Having tried it I can see why.

“We tend to be squeamish about eating this small mammal but, when you think about it, it’s no different to eating rabbit.”

The meal – squirrel with walnuts – was cooked in the kitchens at the estate’s award-winning Fritton House hotel where the fruit of the day’s shoot was also made into a squirrel and mushroom pie.

For all of the true “squirrel dish” lovers in New Jersey, you’re in luck (maybe)…

Via the North Jersey Media Group…

Jerald Fagliano, project manager with the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, said game animals are safe, but residents should avoid wild carrots. His statement clarified a state health warning about eating squirrels that was issued in January, based on the EPA report of high levels of lead in a squirrel tested in October 2006. That advisory will now be rescinded, said Ken Petrone, the state Department of Environmental Protection’s case manager for Ringwood.

As Rachael Ray says about everything that she eats (regardless if she really likes it), Yum-O!

It was bound to happen…

Via The San Mateo Daily Journal

Squirrels that can carry the bubonic plague are burrowing into Foster City levees, leaving the city no other choice but to poison them — at least according to the Department of Public Works.

…

The eradication may be cruel to squirrel lovers, but simple for those thinking of the harm they create. Tiny blue poisonous pellets will be spread around the squirrel burrows. The squirrels will eat the pellets, get sleepy and — in theory — go back into their burrows to die. The city will monitor areas around the burrows to make sure squirrel carcasses are not present. If they are, the company the city contracts with will have 72 hours to remove the dead squirrels, according to last night’s report to the City Council.

And I’m sure that the PETA protest will begin shortly.

More red and grey squirrel news…

“A contraceptive product would remove the threat of red squirrel extinction,” said Dr Michael Carey. “We first have to get it developed and then get it fed to the grey squirrels, who have the breeding capacity of rats. “We don’t want to see grey squirrels eradicated, just their number brought under control.”

…if left unchecked the grey squirrel population could also affect the timber industry given its ability to remove vast amount of bark from trees.

The first grey squirrels to arrive in Ireland are thought to have been six brought over from England as a wedding present in 1911.

Man am I glad nobody gave me squirrels as a wedding gift. And who invited that person?

Read the article at BBC News.