Fancy trying something a bit different this weekend then pop along to the Colchester Farmers Market this Friday for a Squirrel pie.
Jess Noy, 23 of East Bergholt started selling the unusual pasties and somosas at the Colchester Farmers market last month and they sold like hot cakes. She combines the meat with caramelised pears, apples and hazelnuts to make the snack
She has been selling a range of unusual dishes featuring pheasant, pigeon, rabbit and now squirrell under the brand name The Gamekeepers Daughter.
Miss Noy's father is a Gamekeeper and supplies the meats from the Estate where he works.
Jess said '' Squirrel is a really tasty meat and is proving very popular. It is an ethical meat to eat as it is free range and the meat is sourced locally so it is low in food miles. I can get six samosas or ten small pasties out of one squirrel. I like to produce things which are a bit different.
Rowly Castiglione of en-form who organise the Colchester Farmers' Market said '' As an Environment Centre we are very glad that Jessica has decided to make use of meats that would otherwise go to waste. Not only does it use local meat but is in a way a form of Recycling'' .
It is illegal to catch or kill wild grey squirrels without a licence and all red squirrels are protected by law.
The Colchester Farmers' Market is held at the Colchester Arts Centre on Friday, the 7th December frpom 9.30am till 1pm and will have available a whole range of Christmas Treats from local stallholders. .
