[jason]

Butchers seem to be a thing of the past. I remember living in New York we used to go to the butcher for our meat. It was great. You can pick the meat you wanted and they would cut it how you would like. They even shared tips and tricks to cooking it.

Down here, trying to find a butcher is almost impossible. It is almost like they are a dying bread. Then trying to find a good one seems even harder.

[katharina]

Originally Posted by jason

Down here, trying to find a butcher is almost impossible. It is almost like they are a dying bread. Then trying to find a good one seems even harder.

I guess that's one of the advantages to living in a more rural area... We still have plenty of butchers... and good ones. Instead of "butcher shops" they're often called "meat market" or "meat market and deli" but still the same.

[andrew]

Back when I lived in the countryside, I remember we used to go to this butcher who actually raised his own pigs (well, his family did, anyway). You could actually pick and choose which pig you want butchered if you're hankering for some really fresh meat. Yeah, I know that some may find that gross, but I actually like knowing what goes into my meat.

[katharina]

Originally Posted by andrew

You could actually pick and choose which pig you want butchered if you're hankering for some really fresh meat. Yeah, I know that some may find that gross, but I actually like knowing what goes into my meat.

I think that may be a tad *too* "fresh" for my tastes. Uh... how would you be able to tell which is a good pig to choose? Or don't I want to know?

This isn't a new thing for me because when I was a little girl, my grandparents butchered every Thanksgiving and I hated it then, too. Or hated the thought of it, rather. I couldn't bear to watch and I certainly couldn't now either.

[SageMother]

Most of the butchers in our area closed down years ago. Some of this is due to the spread of super markets, and some is due to fewer people eating beef.

[Taggart]

I grew up on a farm and some years my family butchered right there, with some help from neighbors. That had the advantage of knowing exactly how the stock was raised and what kind of food it had.

Now I live in the city, and there are some great delis in the area, so I don't feel like I'm missing the older fashioned service.

[justontime]

Our local farmers markets are good for getting the meat you want, there are are still local butchers (but not enough) however our nearest supermarket also has a very good butchery counter with trained and experienced butchers.

[andrew]

Originally Posted by katharina

I think that may be a tad *too* "fresh" for my tastes. Uh... how would you be able to tell which is a good pig to choose? Or don't I want to know?

This isn't a new thing for me because when I was a little girl, my grandparents butchered every Thanksgiving and I hated it then, too. Or hated the thought of it, rather. I couldn't bear to watch and I certainly couldn't now either.

The funny thing is, I used to watch livestock being butchered all the time back when I was a kid. I tend to be a bit more squeamish now — I could watch it being done without flinching, but I'd avoid it if I could. Must be this city living making me soft.

Originally Posted by Taggart

I grew up on a farm and some years my family butchered right there, with some help from neighbors. That had the advantage of knowing exactly how the stock was raised and what kind of food it had.

Sounds almost like how I grew up, though it wasn't on a farm. Sometimes my father would buy a pig and butcher it himself, with some help from my uncles and perhaps a neighbor or two, especially during BBQ parties. Fun times. I kinda miss that, actually.

[katharina]

Originally Posted by andrew

The funny thing is, I used to watch livestock being butchered all the time back when I was a kid. I tend to be a bit more squeamish now — I could watch it being done without flinching, but I'd avoid it if I could. Must be this city living making me soft.

It wasn't city living that made *me* soft... I can't even stand the thought now of what went on all those Thanksgivings while I just ran and played in my child-like bliss.

And yes, I'm a meat eater... I'd just rather buy it from the store or a deli.
hehe

[stav]

I'm a city girl, but my grandparents etc kept pigs and goats and rabbits and chickens on their land in Cyprus.. on summer holidays as a kid, i would often watch when it had to be done. My grandpa was a firm believer in 'if you are prepared to eat it, you should be prepared to kill it and butcher it'


We have a butcher just down the road from me.. knows his customer base very well.. When I ask for lamb for a bbq and tell him for 6 people... he asks me... 6 english or 6 greeks....