Economist writer Tom Rachman observes that
gastronomy is bipolar.
Ethical eaters demand local sourcing, organically raised happy animals, a low carbon footprint. Meantime, foodies jet around the world, charring meat in open fire pits, taking iPhone snapshots of their grub, consuming as decadently as possible. In this modern-day bifurcation, what of food taboos? Some dismiss them entirely; others clamour for more.
(As an aside, contradictions like these are why middle America finds coastal elites so infuriating; the elites deplore a beef-loving, carbon-producing culture while they "jet around the world, charring meat in open fire pits.")
 |
| Hunks of horse in Parma (Economist photo) |
The article is about eating raw horse meat, a practice that the wine-and-cheese crowd would sniff at if done by Americans, except that it has become popular in Parma (northern Italy).
The raw variety – pesto di cavallo, or caval pist in Parma dialect – developed into a city speciality, likely inspired by tartare and the lingering French influence. Today, it’s a source of local pride, with fine restaurants such as Osteria dello Zingaro advertising its equine butcher on the door and offering “Horse Three Ways” (French tartare, a slice of roasted horse and pesto di cavallo).
Professor Stefano Bentley of the University of Parma, a scholar of food culture, said pesto di cavallo has undergone a boom here in recent years, especially among the young.
Give it an Italian or French name and the foodies swoon. Would you like to try a dollop of
cavallo on your
avocado toast, sir?
No comments:
Post a Comment