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