I am currently reading The River Cottage MEAT Book, by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. It is a joy to read about somebody who has true passion for his produce and really took the time to understand meat. This is not only a cooking book, but as Thomas Keller says "a cooking book with a conscience." The first nine chapters are about understanding meat and only the remaining six are about the cooking.
He elegantly starts the book with a Meat Manifesto:
- Think about the meat you eat. Good quality? Bad quality?
- Think about the animals. Did they live well?
- Where do you get your meat? Butcher? Mail order? Supermarket?
- Think about how you cook your meat.
- Are you adventurous with meat?
- Are you thrifty with meat?
- Finally, if you accept there is a moral dilemma with the way we treat animals, then you must accept there is a moral dimension in your dealings with meat.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves eating, and loves eating meat, but for all of you who want to think about the above questions.
