I'll Have the Stew, Hold the Squirrel

I realize I missed "Friday Food," yesterday. It was a mostly quiet night at home, though, and I really didn't have my computer on. Which, in some ways, was a good thing -- especially for this blog.

You see, I got a new editing assignment at work. This one is for a cookbook that -- I believe -- is being put together as a fund raiser for a school. Or at least I hope that's what it is. Because if it's a "real" cookbook... well... let's just say it's not going to propel anyone onto the Food Network any time soon.

I started working on it today, and got most of the way through it. Most of the recipes are pretty basic. There are some salads and some salsas and some desserts. Many of which have been made "healthy" by such revolutionary things as substituting whole wheat flour in place of all-purpose flour, and leaving everything else the same. Okay. I might give them "healthier" but not "healthy" on that.

And -- although I don't know where the school is from, I'm guessing that it is Midwestern, but also fairly multi-cultural. There was a recipe for California rolls, and a couple for dips to have with tortilla chips, and lots of stir-fried stuff to serve over rice. But each time "chilis" were mentioned there was a note in the recipe saying to be careful because it would be really hot. (One of my favorite recipes was for "Vegetarian Fried Rice" -- in which you could use pork, beef, or chicken.)

Anyway...

As I worked my way through the book, I found a recipe for Venison jerky (looked good enough), and two for fish which called for whole fish (the cook is supposed to cut the fish down the middle and "remove the insides" in one step). And there is the recipe for octopus -- but that also gives an option of other kinds of meat. So I was doing okay until... yeah... I got to the two recipes that called for squirrel.

One of them called for a "furless" squirrel, and the other called for the squirrel to be dressed. I know what that means, but reading it I felt bad for the squirrel who had "dressed for dinner" only to find out he was the main course. They both call for the meat to be cooked until it "just about falls off the bone." (shudder)

I don't know about you, but I think I might have to pass on those "dressed squirrel" recipes. The tiny little top hat and bowtie on the side of the plate would make it way too hard to eat.