Horses Still Killed for People Food

[Philanthrophobe]

Aside from the fact that the vast majority of Americans seem to be increasingly disconnected and uncomfortable with any of their foods' natural states, the thing that bugs me the most about this, are the people who believe that somehow they are making the world a better place by mandating that Trigger live a long life and die a "natural death" before being carted off to the rendering plant to make dogfood, soap, and jello.

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No kidding. It's especially obnoxious when you consider how so many people (not all, by any stretch) think of their pets as discardable as broken toasters. Which is one of the primary reasons for the existence of so many pet rescue organizations.

That said, I think I'd prefer to avoid eating horsemeat. But I'd also prefer to avoid eating agribusiness livestock. Anyone seen the article in the current and always cheery Harper's about the pork business? Yeeeeeooooow. But really, it's nothing new.

[Pan]

Chickens are also omnivorous.

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Beware of the demon chicken, El Pollo Diablo!

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Yes, if you're a worm or cockroach. They also will eat most any kind of meat you may choose to feed them, including chicken.

[fresh_a]

All this conversation makes me regret not ordering the horse carpaccio with garlic in Sardegna a Tavola last weekend...

[Fengyi]

I spent some googletime trying to nail this down.  It's a difficult search because most of what comes up are sights dedicated to anti-slaughter, and they tend to stress the notion that Americans don't eat horsemeat, rather than they can't.  For example, the Humane Society says this:"Horse meat is not eaten in the United States; it is exported to serve specialty markets overseas. The largest markets are France, Belgium, Holland, Japan, and Italy. The only three horse slaughter plants in the United States are foreign-owned."  Not that we can't, we just don't.

Is there any reason that it is those countries in particular?

I just ask because I often enjoy eating horsemeat when I'm in Switzerland - and I've noticed that ALL the horsemeat for sale in our local Coop supermarket is from Canada (it's very cute- there's a little cartoon horsehead on the front with a Canadian flag). I've never seen US horsemeat (or Swiss, come to think of it!) for sale in any of the Swiss food shops I've been into.

So, have the Canadians stitched up the Swiss horsemeat market? Are there strange monopolies operating? I had no idea there were such specific country-to-country horsemeat relationships.....

I must add that horsemeat fondue valoise is really rather scrummy and horse is FAR nicer to eat than dog or cat (which I find rather too fatty-gameyish) or my particular bete-noir silkworms (gosh! I do hate eating silkworms! )

[Bobby 2 Shakes]

Is there any reason that it is those countries in particular?

I just ask because I often enjoy eating horsemeat when I'm in Switzerland - and I've noticed that ALL the horsemeat for sale in our local Coop supermarket is from Canada (it's very cute- there's a little cartoon horsehead on the front with a Canadian flag). I've never seen US horsemeat (or Swiss, come to think of it!) for sale in any of the Swiss food shops I've been into.

So, have the Canadians stitched up the Swiss horsemeat market? Are there strange monopolies operating? I had no idea there were such specific country-to-country horsemeat relationships.....

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I've heard that the Mounties keep a Bouquet Garni under their saddles in the same way the Tartars made early Steak Tartare. Of course, that could just be the voice in my head.