Slice reader Lowell Lehman sounds like he knows what he's talking about. So I hereby yield the floor to him.

"There are real reasons, besides the cuteness factor, why squirrels are not a popular menu item here," he wrote. "I grew up in the Midwest and we hunted and ate wild squirrels regularly. There they feed on nuts, acorns, field corn, et cetera. And they do taste a lot like chicken.

"Here, on the other hand, and in mountainous areas all over the West, the primary diet of wild squirrels is conifer seeds. These impart a somewhat unpleasant taste to the meat. A squirrel that's been eating pine nuts tastes vaguely like turpentine. Edible, but hardly enjoyable.

"The local city dwelling variety, despite their taste for birdseed and sunflower seed, consume a great deal of pine nuts from our huge crop of pine cones. Definitely not a recommended culinary delight. Unless you're a cat; it doesn't seem to bother them."

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