Wed
Feb 9 2011
02:23 pm
My Granny Used to Cook Squirrels
By: redmondkr

From time to time I like to do a little research to see who is desperate enough to use my photos in their web pages. I found this one of the Guenther family from Muddy Pond (reducing sorghum syrup) embedded in a four-part article titled Eating Appalachia by Kathleen Willcox, published at a place called Eat Me Daily.

Sorghum Reduction



continued...

My photo is featured in the fourth part but the entire article has some interesting information about Appalachian cuisine. I was fascinated by her assertion that the 'holy trinity' of mountain cooking is corn, beans, and squash. I could have guessed corn and beans, but squash?

There is mention of the good cooking in the kitchen of the Museum of Appalachia and she also says that the street value of a bowl of plain old soup beans seasoned with a ham hock is ten bucks in Brooklyn.

She documents a road kill festival (Thank you Mr. Mayor) but she searched in vain for a serving of fried squirrel.

Speaking of which, the site navigation is a bit squirrelly so here are the links:

There's a recipe for dried apple stack cake there too and I just happen to have a couple of pounds of dried apples in the freezer.

Topics:
bizgrrl's picture

The result of being from a

Submitted by bizgrrl on Wed, 2011/02/09 - 4:11pm.

The result of being from a family always from the city, never had any squirrel and never heard of them having squirrel. Believe I've heard the Mr.'s family talk about squirrel. They definitely are fond of beans and cornbread.

WhitesCreek's picture

Can I invite you two out for

Submitted by WhitesCreek on Wed, 2011/02/09 - 8:43pm.

Can I invite you two out for a squirrel dinner?

Bird_dog's picture

yep

Submitted by Bird_dog on Wed, 2011/02/09 - 4:21pm.

had lots of fried squirrel, rabbit, venison, and dove growing up.
My ggrandmother cooked chittlins - phewie they smelled bad...

redmondkr's picture

I never could tolerate

Submitted by redmondkr on Wed, 2011/02/09 - 5:31pm.

I never could tolerate chitlins either and my Aunt Ruby in Morgan County used to make blood pudding that I never acquired a taste for. Oh, but she made homemade mayonaise with her farm fresh eggs that was wonderful.

I've eaten squirrel, leatherback turtle, rabbit, goat, frog legs, bear, venison, rattlesnake*, and opossum too. I would gladly order frog legs, rabbit, snake, or turtle in a restaurant but I'd rather have a PB&J sandwich than the rest. I guess that's why I like watching Two Fat Ladies on the Cooking Channel. They served deviled lamb kidneys for breakfast last Saturday.

*The rattlesnake almost got my cousin a divorce. He was given a choice, either it left the freezer, or he left the double-wide.

JaHu's picture

"The rattlesnake almost got

Submitted by JaHu on Wed, 2011/02/09 - 8:12pm.

"The rattlesnake almost got my cousin a divorce. He was given a choice, either it left the freezer, or he left the double-wide."

That would be a tough decision.

redmondkr's picture

Thanks, but ya got any PB&J?

Submitted by redmondkr on Wed, 2011/02/09 - 9:00pm.

Thanks, but ya got any PB&J?

Rachel's picture

I never ate squirrel but once

Submitted by Rachel on Thu, 2011/02/10 - 12:44am.

I never ate squirrel but once at my ex's grandparents house I was served extremely greasy chicken. It was after dinner that I noticed all the rabbit pens out back.

Haven't eaten rabbit since.

smalc's picture

Squash, don't get that one

Submitted by smalc on Thu, 2011/02/10 - 10:35am.

Squash, don't get that one either. Taters would be a better candidate for the trinity.

The first picture of Part One is the Powell Valley from the scenic overlook on US Highway 23, just north of Big Stone Gap, VA. Scenery takes a beating immediately north of there into surface mining country.

gonzone's picture

yes!

Submitted by gonzone on Thu, 2011/02/10 - 4:57pm.

I do recognize that view. Obviously taken after the "four lane" was built.

ma am's picture

Grandparents??

Submitted by ma am on Thu, 2011/02/10 - 3:27pm.

Sheesh! My parents used to lie to me in (unsuccessful)attempts to get me to eat squirrel, and rabbit. I ate venison w/o coersion, but seeing hunting season after hunting season -- piles of stinky red flesh on white freezer paper all over the kitchen -- I am sure made me into the near vegetarian I am to this day.

redmondkr's picture

Tennessee Crossroads did this

Submitted by redmondkr on Thu, 2011/02/10 - 4:54pm.

Tennessee Crossroads did this short several months ago on the Guenther Family and their sorghum syrup operation in Muddy Pond, Tennessee.

I guess it's an acquired taste but I do love it on a buttered biscuit.

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