The Village Butcher Shop

There is a small meat market in Martock that is further than my normal walk, but I went there yesterday. Signs said "Fresh Ferreted Rabbit", "Local Pheasant" and "Fresh Lamb Neck Fillets", as well as signs about other meat and locally grown vegetables. The store sells lots of interesting food---ox tongue, black (blood) pudding, faggot, kidney pie, etc.
I had to ask the ingredients of faggot. It is a traditional dish, especially in southwest Eng. and Wales. It is a type of large meatball made of meat cut-offs and internal organs (such as pig heart, liver, fatty belly meat, bacon) and breadcrumbs. It is usually homemade or found in traditional butcher shops. This particular shop makes them in the shop. Faggot doesn't look much better than the ingredients sound!



I also asked the butcher what "ferreted rabbit" means. I assumed that it simply meant rabbit that had been searched for or forced out of hiding. That was partially correct.

The real meaning is rabbit hunted with ferrets. Two ferrets are put down a rabbit hole, and then when the rabbit is frightened and comes out of its hole, it is caught with a net. (If only one ferret is used, it may just end up in a game of chase with the rabbit down in the hole.) Female ferrets are usually used, because the male ferrets have a greater tendency to stay down in the hole and eat the rabbit! In that case, the hunter has to dig the ferrets out of the hole.

Ferreting rabbits has been done down through history----it was recorded in ancient Greece and in medieval England. Today it is illegal in many places in the U.S.

Rabbits are very plentiful in England. There is a stretch of road between Martock and Yeovil that Ron drives everyday, and everyday he sees as many as 40 rabbits at the edge of fields or just sitting beside the road.


The butcher at the store has a local man that brings in fresh rabbits every day. I had to buy one of the rabbits and cook it. I looked up recipes and decided to bake it. The smell was awful! It was a rainy day, and I still opened up all the windows! I was hoping all the neighbors were gone! I kept the meat but cooked something else for dinner! When Ron tasted it, he said it tasted OK and that it tasted somewhat like the dark meat of turkey. Maybe we will eat it tonight.....?? (Julie, too bad that I didn't try this while you all were here!)
I don't think I will buy faggot, blood pudding, or ox tongue!