Everyone who knows her, knows she likes to go deer hunting and started doing that a long time ago with her Dad. But your Mother/Grandmother/Sister-in-law/Cousin/Aunt/Friend didn't limit herself to the once a year deer hunting season. You can add duck and goose, and .... yes, that's right, squirrel hunting to her resume'. You could say that she "cut her teeth" - literally and figuratively speaking - on squirrel. The picture does not lie.
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| 1960's in the kitchen at 60 Church Street, Montello |
We found this little gem in the attic today while looking for Dad Mateske's Christmas decorations. As soon as she saw it, without hesitation, she remembered, "That was my first squirrel." No details were immediately forthcoming, but I'm sure, if pressed, she would share them, and tell you a couple other squirrel tales to go with it.
Here's one sidebar story - but no picture to back it up. On one of my first visits to Montello way back when, I remember very well sitting at the backyard picnic table with my future wife, and a few of the latest kills from earlier in the day, probably from the woods behind the house. I don't remember how many exactly, and I don't remember being there for the hunt itself. But, boy, she sure knew how to impress a guy - I guess.
With skillful ease she proceeded to "clean" the little critters, and prepare them. Pray tell, prepare them for what, you ask? Well, for supper, of course. Before the day was over, I ate my first squirrel. Don't remember what the sides were - I mean, what goes well with squirrel? A salad? Fries or baked potato? Nuts? What I do remember while sitting at the dinner table is thinking that this was an awful lot of work for so little meat.
How did it taste? Well, you know ... like chicken, of course.
