The Unique Food Fest In Arkansas With A Twist That You Definitely Weren't Expecting
By J.B. VanDyke|Published August 07, 2017
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J.B. VanDyke
Author
J.B. Weisenfels has lived in rural Arkansas for three decades. She is a writer, a mom, and a graduate student. She is also an avid collector of tacky fish whatnots, slightly chipped teapots, and other old things. In her spare time she enjoys driving to the nearest creek to sit a while. If you were to visit her, she'd try to feed you cornbread.
I’m not saying you should clear your calendar for the entire month of September, but I am saying before you make any plans, you should consider leaving September 16, 2017 open. That’s because something unique happens in Bentonville on that date. The World Championship Squirrel Cook Off is a food fest unlike any other in the Natural State, and it would be a shame if you missed it.
If there’s anything Arkansas has in abundance, it’s trees. More than half of the Natural State is covered in forested land. That’s over 18 million acres of trees.
As you can imagine, over 18 million acres of trees can hold a whole bunch of squirrels. And those adorable (those sometimes irritating) little fellas are pretty good eatin’, too.
You’d be mistaken if you thought the only people interested in eating the arboreal rodent are Arkansans. Folks flock from all over the world to compete in the cook off, and the resulting dishes reflect that.
If you’re a pretty good game cook and can get ahold of some squirrel meat, there’s still time to register, but be warned: the competition is stiff. Chefs, cooks, and squirrel connoisseurs turn out in droves to compete.
Some of the squirrel dishes will likely be things you’d never think of cooking with game, but the meat in all qualifying dishes will be 80% free range squirrel.
If you’re all about organic, free range meats, you might want to head on up to Bentonville and check out this unusual food festival. After all, nothing is more organic or free range than wild game.
It’s free to attend the World Championship Squirrel Cook Off, so whether you call them Limb Chickens, Tree Bacon, sciurus carolinensis, HEY GET OFF MY BIRD FEEDER, or simply dinner, you should definitely see what all the fuss is about.
