Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is definitely upon us. I can’t think of any other time of year when the subject of eating animals is handled with the reverence it deserves. Under normal circumstances, animals are barely even mentioned when meat is discussed; on the contrary, the more divorced we are from the process the better. But not at Thanksgiving. Turkeys receive executive pardons, and people become more introspective as they consider their blessings. Today’s links are full of stories reminding us that meat comes from animals.

The Atlantic Food channel has a couple of standout multimedia presentations. The first is a slideshow of a Sonoma County (CA) 4H club that is trying to revive traditional turkey farming methods. It’s fantastic to see the kids involved in the entire process.

Second is a video of the Atlantic’s Corby Kummer interviewing Dan Barber, co-owner and executive chef of Stone Barns Center and Blue Hill Restaurant. The discussion is a fascinating one, touching on the marriage of tradition and modernity, and the humility of respecting what nature provides. If you are not familiar with Stone Barns or Dan Barber, please check it out.

And while Dan Barber talks about using the whole animal, USA Today has an article about industrial uses for animal byproducts.