A Real Boar About Salami

As a student I packed a tent and headed for Kent to spend a summer fruit picking. I had a great time. Most of the pickers were from Eastern Europe and worked incredibly hard. The few soft Brits working there were not quite so industrious and were content to enjoy the fresh air and the wonderful Kentish countryside. We just didn't have the hunger.

Night of the Wild Boar

One incident I remember from that time was the Night of the Wild Boar. It was the middle of the night and everyone was in their tent - we lived in a camp site amongst the fields of fruit - or somebody else's tent (if you know what I mean). Suddenly, there was a great commotion outside and a terrifying snorting and squealing noise. A wild boar was running amok. When I say running amok, it probably got caught in some guy ropes and took fright. The noise was disorienting to hear in the middle of the night through tent canvas. The squealing might actually have come from the people who spotted the boar, but it was the talk of the pickers for quite a while. In tales that followed the boar grew and became more terrifying.





Because it can't be farmed intensively, boar is good eating. The Real Boar Company produce a an excellent wild boar salami from their Cotswolds base. Their customers include the Le Cinq restaurant at the splendid George V hotel in Paris. As well as wild boar, the Real Boar Company also do British game and pork varieties of salami.

Pop one in my haversack

I love salami. If I'm on a country walk, I'll pack one in my haversack with a knife to cut chunks and chew whilst I'm walking. And if I'm chewing on a bit of wild boar salami, I'll remember that fateful night in Kent all those years ago - portentous voice - and the Night of the wild Boar.