Why don't we eat pigeon?

[booksandnooks]

I just read a thread on a different forum about q guy who caught a restaurant catching pigeons and serving them as chicken.

Apparently he used to eat there all the time and didn't even realise the difference (very aware that this could be a lie) but it got me thinking, we have an abundance of pigeons everywhere.
Why don't we eat them?

It reminded me of the whole horse meat fiasco, nobody could tell the difference. Is it really down to the ICK factor?

@MammaSchwifty

Nice minced and made into burgers or meat balls, the kids love it.

do you catch them yourself, or get them from someone who traps them? Isn't the meat on them quite sparse, as in, don't you need quite a few to make enough meatballs for everyone?

Yes, you need quite a lot and a hand mincer, which gives you arms of steel We don't catch them, we keep them, you can guarantee when cooking them at least 3 other families will pull over and have some. There's always enough for a small banquet, and if not, there's a pot of joey gray, which is a more usual dish.

[quote PattyPan]@devlesko your kids willingly eat hedgehog? Most kids I know would refuse on the basis of them being cute! My sister actually refused to eat lamb for that reason when we were children (both of us are veggie now). The thought of a poor hedgehog being turned into a burger actually makes me want to cry a bit [/quote]
Two have tried it, the other won't. None of them eat it now as grown ups. Normal tea tonight.

How does this work with hibernation?
I’m flabbergasted that you’d eat one!
Your posts almost read like VIZ!

When you say “ pull over” do you prepare them on the M25?

I've eaten pigeon in restaurants. It's nothing like chicken! Much tastier! (gamier) and more expensive I would think.

@withlotsoflove

When you say “ pull over” do you prepare them on the M25?

Not the M25, but beautiful countryside. The winter they hibernate in the garage or a warm shed. It's not a regular dish, more of a celebration. I'll have some in August at Appleby, then who knows, when next. We do eat normal food, mostly.

I agree with a PP that eating squirrels would be a good thing. However, I had it once at a posh restaurant and it wasn't that nice (certainly not as nice as pigeon or rabbit).

Thank u for explaining! :)
I’m surprised still, but interesting none the less!

I ate it in Egypt once. It was nice but fiddly and boney

@withlotsoflove

Thank u for explaining! :) I’m surprised still, but interesting none the less!

Just for you, as you were interested. This is my gr x3 grandad. Page 131. cachescan.bcub.ro/e-book/A/557897.pdf

Well your average wood pigeon wouldn't provide six days worth of meals like the famous Mumsnet chicken!

Baked hedgehog is quite a well known Romany dish. I probably would eat it except for the scarcity of hedgehogs these days. We losing too many too fast thanks to slug pellets, cars and disappearing hedgerows

Devlesko is your 3 x grandfather Lander Lee then?

Will Appleby go ahead this year do you think? I've never been myself.

Is it safe to eat a skanky city pigeon?

If it is, I can see why someone would - no pun intended!

There are millions of the buggers in our town square.

KFP?

@CirclesWithinCircles

Devlesko is your 3 x grandfather Lander Lee then?

Will Appleby go ahead this year do you think? I've never been myself.

Yes, he was, and what a character. August 17/ 20th, usually July but put back to August. Yes, I'll be there, not doing anything with horses though, just meeting up with family and friends and chatting about olden times round the camp fire with some beer. I won't be upsetting any locals, or leaving a mess, though.

Wood pigeon is a dark gamey meat so failing to see how it can be mistook for chicken!

@SchrodingersImmigrant

I wonder if seagulls in a city centre have a sloght chippy flavour to them😂

I wonder why we don’t eat seagulld