Eating Cheaper in the Recession

The reason that the CPI (Consumer Price Index) went up to 3.2% in February was the increasing cost of food. So we can do our bit to help out the Monetory Policy Committee by eating waste from nature's tree of plenty, which costs nothing at all - nuts, berries, grey squirrels, unwanted pets etc.. You may well turn your nose up at some of these goodies, but this is what our more astute nature lovers are turning to.

First there was a report in last weekend's Telegraph of a new breed of 'caring' people who have started to arrive at sanctuaries offering to take home rescued unwanted animals. They say that they really want them. And they are asking a new sort of question. It used to be things like "It it safe and what does it eat". Now its "Is it safe to eat". And why not I say. Why not unwanted dogs and cats as well. When I was a young man, I was horrified by the thought of eating a horse - like a horse yes, but not eating an actual horse. But after tucking into what I thought was a nice sirloin steak on a rugby tour to France and Holland - which turned out to be a slice of horse, I changed my mind. Haven't eaten horse since though, but now its not on principle. When I was very young, and had cried watching Bambi, I could never imagine eating deer. But venison is now one of my top choices.

Now I've never eaten grey squirrel (or rats, which I bracket with these horrible pests). But 'Terrine Nutkin' is very much on the menu in Angesey. In this week's Telegraph magazine, Carolyn Hart informs us that this delicacy tastes like a cross between duck and game pate. Grey Squirrel pate with hazelnuts and frangelico is available from the award winning food company, Patchwork Pate. And its free - except that you have to make a donation to Friends of Anglesey Red Squirrels.

All this does raise interesting questions. Why is it acceptable to eat rabbit, hare, wild boar, the beautiful Grey Partridge, frogs legs, Bambi and cuddly lambs - but not cats, dogs, badgers, foxes, moles, tortoises and grey squirrels? So 'Eat Squirrel Nutkin and Save the Red Squirrel'.