| Gordon Ramsay, England's foul-mouthed, | | | | 500-gram steak, if made from horse meat, would |
| fire-tempered master chef recently landed himself | | | | contain 875 calories-40% less than beef. |
| in hot water. Famous for his many high-class | | | | Then there's the flavor, which Ramsey describes |
| restaurants and TV shows (including the American | | | | as lean, sweet, and "a little gamey" and has led to |
| "Hell's Kitchen"), Ramsay took some heat last May | | | | horse's status as a delicacy in countries like Japan. |
| from fellow cooks, PETA, and the UK at large for | | | | It's also versatile; during World War II, it handily |
| his praise of horses as food on his popular | | | | replaced rarer meats in all kinds of recipes from |
| cooking show "The F-Word." After sending TV | | | | casseroles to sandwiches (which is, incidentally, |
| journalist Janet Street-Porter to sample horse | | | | how people in France got such a taste for it). |
| cuisine, Ramsay himself tried it and the two | | | | Sounds good, right? Well, that's why it's so |
| praised the meat for its flavor and nutritional | | | | popular. But despite all the benefits, cheval |
| value. He also suggested a rise in horse | | | | remains taboo in America and England. Animal |
| consumption, to many Britons' horror. | | | | rights activists point to the problem of |
| Meanwhile, over the Atlantic, a bill passed in Illinois | | | | transport-horses meant for the butcher's block |
| banning the slaughter of horses for human | | | | are usually driven thousands of miles for |
| consumption, effectively closing the last horse | | | | slaughter-while others balk at consuming such |
| slaughterhouse left in America. According to bill | | | | soulful animals. It makes sense, especially in the |
| sponsor Senator John Cullerton (D-Chicago), | | | | USA, where the horse has always been a noble |
| horses are just "different." Domestic horse meat | | | | companion. Icons like Black Beauty or Mr. Ed |
| is already illegal in the United States, but the small | | | | occupy the nation's imagination, as does the |
| DeKalb plant profitably served a huge international | | | | classic cowboy riding his beloved pardner. Even |
| market. | | | | when the idea of eating horse is entertained, it's |
| Where is this market, exactly? Well, it's just about | | | | viewed as something done out of desperation, |
| everywhere in Europe, thrives in several places in | | | | not culinary curiosity. Many Americans and English |
| Asia, and exists in a smattering of other countries | | | | would no sooner eat horse than they would stew |
| around the world. They can't get enough horse | | | | up the family dog. |
| meat, which-unlike beef, mutton, or pork-has no | | | | Ironically, the shutdown of Illinois' slaughterhouse |
| less-distressing name to go by. Some clever | | | | may only make the situation worse for doomed |
| sellers refer to it as "cheval" (guess how you say | | | | horses, which will probably end up taking longer |
| "horse" in French!). | | | | trips to Mexico and Canada before being put |
| Ramsay's words sparked PETA UK protests | | | | down. And while some consider eating horse-or |
| outside his London restaurant, where entering | | | | dog, for that matter-unthinkable, other countries |
| customers enjoyed the sight of men dressed as | | | | with less sentimental visions of the animal do it |
| horses cavorting around a 1-ton pile of manure. In | | | | with gusto. |
| Illinois, both sides of the debate fought bitterly | | | | Will horse ever catch on in the US or the UK? |
| over the issue for years ("Wi-i-ilburrrr," one | | | | Barring some catastrophic meat shortage, no. Fad |
| opposing senator said in his best Mr. Ed voice). | | | | meats like ostrich, emu, and buffalo enjoy periodic |
| Message boards and blogs roundly condemn the | | | | surges of interest, but none have significantly |
| eating of horse meat. Given all the fuss, why | | | | impacted the meat market. And nobody even |
| would anyone suggest eating horses in the first | | | | likes ostriches. Even if you're curious about trying |
| place? | | | | an Arabian or Mustang in your next stew, good |
| For one thing, it's nutritious. According to an USDA | | | | luck finding it. Horse meat is an expensive import |
| informational site (now down, but archived by the | | | | in the USA and a niche dish in Britain, and despite |
| International Generic Horse Association), "cheval" | | | | Ramsay's urgings, it looks like it'll stay that way. |
| (doesn't that sound better?) is exceptionally | | | | If you manage to get your hands on some horse, |
| healthy-100 grams contain just 175 calories, a | | | | it reportedly goes very well in casseroles, stews, |
| whopping 28 grams of protein, and only 6 grams | | | | and on the grill. |
| of fat. Compare that to 100 grams of beef, | | | | Sources: |
| which has 288 calories, 26 grams of protein, and | | | | St. |
| 19.5 grams of fat. That means your average | | | | |