Squab (food)

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For other uses, see Squab.
Breast of squab served at a French restaurant
Breast of squab served at a French restaurant

In culinary terminology, squab is the meat from a young domestic pigeon; formerly adult birds from several species were called by the same name.[1] Squab for the table are roughly a month old; they have reached adult size but have not yet flown.[2] Consumed throughout much of recorded history, squab is not usually a staple food where it is a part of modern cuisine, and it may be considered peculiar or exotic.

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[edit] History

Historically, squab, or pigeon in general, have been consumed in many civilizations, including Ancient Egypt, Rome and Medieval Europe.[2] The term squab formerly used to include the meat of all dove and pigeon species, such as the Wood Pigeon, the Mourning Dove, and the now-extinct Passenger Pigeon.[2] Such birds were hunted for their meat, as a cheap and readily available source of protein. The meat from older and wild pigeons is tougher than today's squab, and requires a long period of stewing or roasting to tenderize. The modern preference for young pigeon likely began because it is much easier to collect birds that have not yet flown from the nest.[2]

From the Middle Ages a dovecote (French pigeonnier) was a common outbuilding on an estate that aimed to be self-sufficient; in it squabs were raised for the table. More recently, squab is almost entirely from domestic pigeons—which may be of specialized meat utility breeds—kept on large commercial farms. The meat of Dove and Pigeon gamebirds hunted primarily for sport is rarely called squab.[2]

A large volume of squab is served at Chinese-American restaurants
A large volume of squab is served at Chinese-American restaurants

[edit] In cuisine

Usually considered a delicacy, squab is tender, moist and richer in taste than many commonly-consumed poultry meats, but there is relatively little meat per bird.[2][3] Today, squab is eaten in many countries, including France, America, Italy, the Maghreb, and several Asian countries.[4] Typical dishes include: breast of squab (sometimes as the French salmis), Egyptian mahshi (stuffed with rice and herbs), and the Moroccan dish pastilla.

In some parts of the developed world, squab meat is thought of as exotic or distasteful by many consumers, often as a result of the image of the feral pigeon as an unsanitary urban pest.[4] However, squab produced from specially-raised utility pigeons continues to be a part of the menus at American haute cuisine restaurants such as Le Cirque and The French Laundry.[5][3] Accordingly, squab is often sold for much higher prices than other poultry, sometimes as high as eight USD per pound.[2] In Chinese cuisine, squab is a part of celebratory banquets for holidays such as Chinese New Year. The greatest volume of U.S. squab is sold within Chinatowns currently.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ OED gives earliest usage 1640 as a young bird, 1694 as a young pigeon.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Andrew D., Blechman (2006). Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World's Most Revered and Reviled Bird. Open City Books. ISBN 0802118348. 
  3. ^ a b Thomas, Keller (1999). The French Laundry Cookbook. Artisan. ISBN 1579651267. 
  4. ^ a b Blechman, Andrew D.. "March of the Pigeons", The New York Times, April 9, 2006. Retrieved on 2008-02-24. 
  5. ^ Bruni, Frank. "In Defense of Decadence", The New York Times, February 6, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-02-24. 

[edit] See also

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