So, for all you lot sweltering away in the Tropics. And complaing that it is too hot. We in the colder climes have -

Lovely sunny days

clear blue skies

Can still sit outside - even with a cardy on

And to end my story - I had a long conversation with a hedgehog today as he was rummaging around in the bushes. And I have two red squirrels in a tree behind my kitchen, and I live two bus stops from the centre of my town. Shall also add, last month saw a ferret. (a real one with fur and teeth).

Feeling good.

Did you know, that hedgehogs snuffle like little pigs? Cuty wee thing. Got to feed it cat food.

Happy days,

Feed it to the cats more-like.

It's been okay here. Cold, grey, but dry nonetheless...

East ANglia

kayo

I think the cat shall stay away because of spikes and fleas (hopefully)

I saw a gypsy recipe for hedgehog once, I seem to recall it involved packing them in wet clay and baking them over a campfire.

The Brits might remember this but a company a good few years back brought out hedgehog crisps (chip for those over the pond). Of course they weren't actually made with hedgehog but just the usual additives. No matter that it was all a bit of a joke they were forced by the animal rights brigade to change it and I seem to recall that hedgehog flavoured crisps was the acceptable compromise.

Mind you, how anyone who hasn't actually eaten hedgehog would know they were hedgehog flavoured or not beats the sh1t out of me.

"Hedgehogs. Why can't they just share the hedge?"

Hedgehogs.... living life on the hedge.

My mother always made hedgehog at Christmas.

Chocolate hedgehog slice

Serving size: Serves 10 or more

Cuisine type: Modern Australian

Cooking time: Less than 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ x 200g packets Marie biscuits, coarsely chopped

1 cup chopped walnuts

½ cup desiccated coconut

250g butter, chopped

1 ¼ cups caster sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 egg, lightly beaten

150g dark chocolate, melted

½ teaspoon vegetable oil

METHOD

1. Grease a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan; line base and two long sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above edges of pan.

2. Combine biscuits, nuts and coconut in large bowl.

3. Place butter, sugar and sifted cocoa in a medium pan; stir over heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; whisk in egg.

4. Pour chocolate mixture over biscuit mixture; mix well. Press into prepared pan. Cover; refrigerate overnight.

5. Turn slice onto a chopping board; cut into pieces. Spoon combined warm, melted chocolate and oil in a small snap-lock plastic bag. Squeeze chocolate to one corner; twist bag, then snip tip of bag. Drizzle chocolate over top of slice; refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until chocolate is set.

Hint: Slice can be made up to four days ahead; store in an airtight container in your refrigerator.

Hedgehogs love snails even more than cat food.

Ever seen a gutted hedgehog? If you have, then you will know what it's a euphamism for.

Hedgehogs.... living life on the hedge.

My mother always made hedgehog at Christmas.

Chocolate hedgehog slice

Serving size: Serves 10 or more

Cuisine type: Modern Australian

Cooking time: Less than 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ x 200g packets Marie biscuits, coarsely chopped

1 cup chopped walnuts

½ cup desiccated coconut

250g butter, chopped

1 ¼ cups caster sugar

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 egg, lightly beaten

150g dark chocolate, melted

½ teaspoon vegetable oil

METHOD

1. Grease a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan; line base and two long sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above edges of pan.

2. Combine biscuits, nuts and coconut in large bowl.

3. Place butter, sugar and sifted cocoa in a medium pan; stir over heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; whisk in egg.

4. Pour chocolate mixture over biscuit mixture; mix well. Press into prepared pan. Cover; refrigerate overnight.

5. Turn slice onto a chopping board; cut into pieces. Spoon combined warm, melted chocolate and oil in a small snap-lock plastic bag. Squeeze chocolate to one corner; twist bag, then snip tip of bag. Drizzle chocolate over top of slice; refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until chocolate is set.

Hint: Slice can be made up to four days ahead; store in an airtight container in your refrigerator.

Not sure if them over the pond know what a lamington tray is. Sounds like a most excellent recipe....I'll make a note of it.

Hedgehogs love snails even more than cat food.

Ever seen a gutted hedgehog? If you have, then you will know what it's a euphamism for.

Now I know why I prefer my hedgehogs shaved.

The lamington tray was a worry but I decided even those not privileged to have scoffed a lamington as a kid would still be able to google this culinary delight.

I saw a gypsy recipe for hedgehog once, I seem to recall it involved packing them in wet clay and baking them over a campfire.

That's correct that is, I have had it and it's fantastic!

A bit like chicken?

Life isn't easy for hedgehogs.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1839876/hedgehog_jokes/

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/364677/sexy/

Love ya Pammy.

In Defence of Hedgehogs

Written by Pam Ayres

I am very fond of hedgehogs

Which makes me want to say,

That I am struck with wonder,

How there's any left today,

For each mornning as I travel

And no short distance that,

All I see are hedgehogs,

Squashed. And dead. And flat.

Now, hedgehogs are not clever,

No, hedgehogs are quite dim,

And when he sees your headlamps,

Well, it dont occur to him,

That the very wisest thing to do

Is up and run away,

No! he curls up in a stupid ball,

And no doubt starts to pray.

Well, motor cars do travel

At a most alarming rate,

And by lunch time you sees him,

It is very much too late,

And thus he gets a-squashe'd,

Unrecorded but for me,

With me pen and paper,

Sittin' in a tree.

It is statistically proven,

In chapter and in verse,

That in a car and hedgehog fight,

The hedgehog comes off worse,

When whistlin' down your prop shaft,

And bouncin' down your diff,

His coat of nice brown prickles

Is not effect-iff.

A hedgehog cannot make you laugh,

Whistle, dance or sing,

And he ain't much to look at,

And he dont make anything,

and in amongst his prickles,

There's fleas and bugs and that,

But there aint no need to leave him,

Squashed. And dead. And flat.

Oh spare a thought for hedgehogs,

Spare a thought for me,

Spare a thought for hedgehogs,

As you drink your cup of tea,

Spare a thought for hedgehogs,

Hoverin' on the brinkt,

Spare a thought for hedgehogs,

Lest they become extinct.

A bit like chicken?

Very gamey actually.

Well if you're game, I'm not.

There's a separate forum for that sort of thing.

A mate of mine moved to Auckland from his native Australia. One night he opened the back door and saw a hedghog with it's spines and long snout, slightly rolled up in a ball. He genuinely thought he was witnessing a rare sight and called to the household, "Hey! Everyone, come and look. It's a KIWI!!!!"

I'm surprised to hear they have hedgehogs in NZ, are they an introduced species?

Australia has a quaint hedgehog lookalike, called an Echidna. It's a marsupial and has four penises but only uses two. (All us Aussies tend not to show off TOO much).

I saw a gypsy recipe for hedgehog once, I seem to recall it involved packing them in wet clay and baking them over a campfire.

That's correct that is, I have had it and it's fantastic!

Especially if stuffed with wild raspberries.

I saw a gypsy recipe for hedgehog once, I seem to recall it involved packing them in wet clay and baking them over a campfire.

That's correct that is, I have had it and it's fantastic!

Especially if stuffed with wild raspberries.

Didn't have it stufed with anything. That sounds very exotic to me.

Well, the one that snuffled in my vicinity had big brown eyes, and didn't roll up and just seemed to trundle on his way.

Suega, do you stufe animals daily or weekly!!!!

I stuffed a chicken on the weekend!

Much easier than trying to stuff them on the hardend.

I'm surprised to hear they have hedgehogs in NZ, are they an introduced species?

Australia has a quaint hedgehog lookalike, called an Echidna. It's a marsupial and has four penises but only uses two. (All us Aussies tend not to show off TOO much).

Yep, introduced, like the possum and the stoat (bane of kiwis).

You can see from the pic how one may be mistaken for a kiwi....hang on, that's a pic of an echidna. Longer snout, even more kiwi-like.

Much easier than trying to stuff them on the hardend.

Reminds me of an old joke...

We had a pet hedgehog recently, he was a great little character and very tame but not very cuddly. He certainly made his best efforts at helping us with our cockroach problem but he wasn't much of a hunter and usually they escaped him.

One day he went missing though, we couldn't find him anywhere and feared the worse expecting to find him only when his decomposing body kicked up a stink. A couple of days later the building manager asked my wife whether or not we had lost one recently, as it turns out he went on an adventure one night and this particular expedition led to him making a sky-diving attempt off our balcony.

Considering that we are on the fifth floor, you'd think that he would now be an ex-hedgehog after his fall but apparently after landing, he paused for a few moments whilst balled up, un-curled himself and then then toddled off as though nothing had happened. The security guard saw it all and thought at first that it was a ball or something. Anyway Roadkill (his name) is living with the building manager at his home now because he has a garden with rabbits and stuff for him top run around in, we miss him but he is probably happier at his new free range home.

There ya go, a happy hedgehog story for ya.

Much easier than trying to stuff them on the hardend.

Reminds me of an old joke...

You can't just say, "Reminds me of a joke," and then not tell the joke!

trying to stuff them on the hardend.

You can't just say, "Reminds me of a joke," and then not tell the joke!

Yes you can Suegha

I have heard of the baked Hedgehog and how the spikes come off with the clay, so I googled it and what do I find, a recipe and a load of cute photo's, how wrong is that?

Recipe & Photo's

I have heard of the baked Hedgehog and how the spikes come off with the clay, so I googled it and what do I find, a recipe and a load of cute photo's, how wrong is that?

Recipe & Photo's

At least 1" of clay??? Ours was wraped in at least 3"!

ps the joke was: What's the difference between light and hard?