7/12/2012

Nose-to-Tail: The Whole Animal Movement

Not since Dan Akroyd introduced Saturday Night Live audiences to the Bass-o-Matic ("Throw in a bass -- that's the whole bass) has there been a commitment to making culinary use of the entire animal. However, in our finicky attitudes about what constitutes fair game as far as anatomical parts go, we've been overlooking fine cuts of meat, tasty delicacies and, of course, the spice of life -- variety.

Lately, there's been a shift in thinking. As chefs have become more creative and as foodies have sought to explore more adventurous and novel dishes, a movement has developed in which formerly discarded parts are now fought over like the wishbone at Thanksgiving dinner. Synergizing the movement is a philosophy that we have drifted too far afield from our food supply; a sense that is embodied by the fact that meat has become industrialized and is now perfectly portioned into pink patties, shrink-wrapped in plastic and resembling in no way whatsoever any known animal.