][1]The Big Hospitality website runs a regular feature in which it asks what unusual marketing activities restaurateurs and bar owners are using to get bums on seats.
The Valiant Trooper pub in Albury, said to be one of Britain’s oldest bars, is playing on its heritage by offering customers some olde worlde dishes. Squirrel braised with leeks and conger eel with a tomato and saffron sauce are among the historical delights on offer.
Not that Scottish fans of more exotic meats need to head down south to get a squirrel fix. Glasgow’s Stravaigin was in the news earlier this month when it announced that it was going to put grey squirrel on its annual Wild Menu night on Thursday 20 May.
Along with roasted Galloway rook breast, the menu features squirrel served with truffle, spinach and pine nut tortellini, porcini veloute and a Parmesan wafer.
The full menu is on display here. Demand for the Wild Food night has been so great that Stravaigin added an extra night this evening.
I like to think that I would eat just about anything and squirrel sounds very tempting. However, I was in Vietnam recently and saw roast dog meat for sale in a market.
If it’s been reared humanely (I realise that’s a big ‘If’) then I don’t have any ethical issue with eating dog but I just couldn’t bring myself to put the stuff in my mouth.
Tufty? No problem. Rover? Actually, I’m quite full already, thanks.