Grocery Markets Around the World

The Ninja admiring all the dried meats and fancy cheeses at
 the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, Australia

 One of my favorite things to do while traveling abroad is visiting grocery stores and food markets. Not only are markets a great venue for people watching and experiencing culture, they also provide me with a valuable lesson in food diversity, value and, most importantly, they remind me to be ever-so-thankful for our American food supply.

It's always fun to peruse a foreign grocery store to see what kinds of different products are available that we don't have in the U.S. For example, I was in Poland for a short time in December and saw many unique things in the store. Live carp were available in the fish section and the produce section featured a wide variety of pickles and sauerkraut.
Read more »

Is Horse Meat Healthy? Is It Better For Me Than Beef?

I think a lot of people ask these question but have a hard time finding the answers:

• Is horse meat healthy compared to beef?
• Does horse meat have a lot of protein?
• Is horse meat low in fat?

While I was looking for infographics about beef today on Pinterest, I found some really cool stuff about horse meat and wanted to share. The following infographics (links provided) provide information about calories, protein and fat content of horse meat, among other variables.

Infographic by EasyFit Personal Training

The above infographic does a great side by side comparison of beef and horse meat, although I am quite partial to beef -- there's nothing like it. On the other hand, I've never tried horse. I'm sure it's a very lean meat and would like to try it some day.

The following infographic is more biased against beef, simply because it's higher in calories and fat than horse meat. I happen to like intramuscular fat aka marbling A LOT.

Infographic source

 

 

So, would you eat it based on the information you've just learned? Both infographics provide varying viewpoints but I think the information they provide is very valuable.

 

Until next time,

~ Buzzard ~

 

If Americans Weren't So Spoiled, We'd Appreciate Horse Meat

image from here

 

We're spoiled. You're spoiled. I'm spoiled - Americans in general are spoiled. No, this isn't a political rant. Those things don't belong on a blog and frankly, there are few very bloggers who are actually qualified to rage against "the man" without looking stupid.

Americans are spoiled by our endless food choices and although it's great to live in a country with abundant, cheap food it has definitely spawned some spoiled, whiny folks who want all people to eat the same way.

Except no two people have the same dietary requirements, restrictions, desires or tastes. Additionally, no two people have the same income restraints that play a massive role in the quality, quantity and type of food that ends up in the refrigerator. There are folks like the Ninja who will eat pretty much anything (except cottage cheese) and then there are folks like me who like meat, carbs, meat, dairy, meat and fruit [and meat]. It's asinine to try to force us to eat the same things because I would starve and he would inflate like a balloon from eating all the things I didn't want.

I previously blogged that this restaurant in Philadelphia was going to be serving horsemeat on its menu. However, the chef/owner recently decided to take horsemeat off the menu because he was receiving death threats. Why is it ok to threaten to kill humans over animal lives? I will never understand how folks can have so much hate built up against others.

Furthermore, regardless of the fact that Valley Meat Company in Roswell, New Mexico, has met all the requirements for federal inspection and have been given the "everything is OK" checkmark, the USDA still hasn't sent an inspector to the plant. Why are so many people dragging their feet? This is an opportunity to jumpstart the economy in Roswell and improve the welfare of unwanted horses.

I've already listed the advantages of horse slaughter but if you don't want to go back and read my previous posts on the topic, I've written them again below:

1. Job creation - The plant would create approximately 100 jobs for Roswell area residents and during an economic recession when so many folks are wishing for a decent job - voila! Reopening plants will increase the number of jobs and boost local economies.

2. Exports - the U.S. slaughtered 94,000 horses in 2005, the last full year of horse slaughter before federal inspection funding was repealed in 2007. Without a slaughter plant in the U.S., more than 197,000 horses were exported to other North American countries last year for slaughter. That's double the number from 2007 slaughter exports. What does that mean?

3. Animal Welfare - It means thousands of horses have endured excruciatingly long drives to Canada or Mexico on trains or trucks that aren't exactly the most welfare-friendly. Opening a slaughter plant in the U.S. would prevent thousands of horses from being improperly transported across U.S. borders.

4. Horse meat is a delicacy - maybe not to you or I, but in several other countries around the world horse meat is consumed quite often and is a staple in many diets. The U.S. is missing out on valuable export dollars by not opening horse slaughter plants. For example, between January and November of 2012, the UK imported ~$80,000 worth of horsemeat into the UK. That doesn't include the rest of the EU, Japan, China or the Asia-Pacific region. In short, this could provide a boost to the total agriculture GDP. Every little bit helps right?

Growing up, our parents told us to mind our own business if said business didn't affect us. I believe the same rules apply to those who are opposed to horse slaughter, but will never eat horse meat, own a horse or have a stake in the industry and are simply chiming in because they think eating horsemeat is wrong. If the horsemeat is just to be exported to other countries, why invest so much time and pure hatred towards those trying to improve the local economy, welfare of horses and provide more protein to a hungry world.

I deeply care about not only my own horses, but about every other horse in the U.S. I am a lifelong horse owner and will fight for measures that improve the welfare of those animals who are unwanted.

So again, I ask you - what do you think? Weigh in below.

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Lions, Horses and Camels - Meat of the Future!

I've eaten some crazy things in my travels - kangaroo, antelope, caterpillars, crocodile, octupus - and while I think I've stepped outside my comfort zone, I am constantly reminded that there are crazier things being invented every day.

For example, would you eat a lion meat taco?!


A lion meat taco at Taco Fusion

I did not stutter. Yes, lion meat tacos.

There is a restaurant in Florida, Taco Fusion, that serves specialty lion meat tacos that run $35 per order. That's a pretty penny for tacos but I think it might be worth it to try lion meat and to say you've eaten the king of the jungle!

The same restaurant, which is serving its exotic tacos completely legally and in compliance with food regulations, also serves tacos made from camel meat and beaver meat. I am not a fan of heat or humidity but I definitely think a trip to this Florida dining establishment is in my future!

I am not a big fan of change but I will try just about any variety of meat - including horsemeat (eventually)!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

p.s. I know I said there was a chick growth update coming but I am in Denver for work meetings and time got away from me. Monday, I promise!