Going whole hog: Armed with knives, home cooks and foodies learn how to butcher from the pros
By APWednesday, July 21, 2010
Going whole hog: Foodies learn the art of butchery
SAN FRANCISCO — More Americans are learning the bloody details about how their meat is butchered.
Many self-described foodies are taking classes where they work with experienced butchers, donning aprons and using cleavers, saws and hatchets to cut up slaughtered pigs and other animals.
Danny Johnson runs Taylor’s Market in Sacramento, Calif., and charges $40 per person for a three-hour demonstration in which students get tips on how to butcher beef, poultry, lamb and seafood. Johnson says every class he’s offered has sold out.
Organizers says the classes indicate the public’s growing interest in how the food they eat affects their health and the planet. They say that interest is driving more people to shop at farmers markets and even raise chickens in their backyards.
