Today, squab is part of the cuisine of many countries, including France, the United States, Italy, the Maghreb, and several Asian countries.[26][17] Typical dishes include breast of squab (sometimes as the French salmis), Egyptian mahshi (stuffed with rice and herbs), and the Moroccan pastilla.[27] In Spain and France, squab is also preserved as a confit.[5] Demand for squab is increasing in Nigeria, despite being more expensive than beef, pork or chicken, as pigeons can quickly be raised to table weight and are easy to keep, providing diseases are controlled, as young pigeons are especially susceptible to disease.[28]
Dressed squab displayed for sale in Hong Kong.
In the United States, squab is "increasingly a specialty item", as the larger and cheaper chicken displaced it.[29] However,
squab produced from specially-raised utility pigeons continues to grace the menus of American haute cuisine restaurants such as Le Cirque and The French Laundry,[18][30] and has enjoyed endorsements from some celebrity chefs.[2] Accordingly, squab is often sold for much higher prices than other poultry, sometimes as high as eight USD per pound.[2]
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