Exotic meats a substitute for time and space travel – The Herald-Times (subscription)

Taboo for some and trendy for others, the real heart of the Butcher's Block's exotic meats list may actually be marinated more in tradition than any sort of novelty.

I have a vivid childhood memory of absolutely badgering my mother for green eggs and ham. It's hard to tell whether it was due to an emerging taste for the exotic or the firm insistence of Sam I Am, but I can be sure of one thing: the dish was far better in concept than it was in execution. Later in life, during my time in Cambodia, I once ordered an omelet and received a mound of rice topped with what I assumed to be chicken breast. All I can say is I'm certain there was something more foul than chicken on my plate.

Perhaps all of this uncertainty and intrigue is meant to demonstrate why I recently found myself in the Butcher's Block, discussing which meat between kangaroo, camel, antelope or alpaca was most flavor-forward and different from the standard fare of beef, poultry or pork.

"Its interesting that theyre not that much different," David Schell, owner of Butcher's Block, later said over the phone." Its what we create in our minds that puts these things in our heads."

Whether it's because of globalization or an understanding of the similar anatomies between animals of all types, Schell said the strange is no longer strange. When your nation bills itself as a melting pot, there will inevitably be an intermingling of cultures and culinary infusions.

"I think the bigger hurdle is whether you eat meat or not," Schell said. "Once you understand youre OK with eating animal protein, its just another way to make a creative meal for your family."

Schell pointed to our region and how many within a 30 mile radius of Bloomington wouldn't think twice about eating venison because of the prevalence of hunting in southern Indiana. Eating wild game such as deer, duck or rabbit may seem strange to others even within the state, but hunting what's close in proximity is something that's been going on since the beginning of time.

"The United States is so unique, for better or worse, in how we view food. Its all about what somebody is familiar with," Schell said. "You leave the bubble of the Midwest and your perspective opens up. Its just amazing what that can do to somebodys tastes and views in general."

Having recently traveled to Mexico, Schell said he saw cricket tacos as well as crickets in salt and lime at a resort. Whereas other cultures have readily accepted insects as a sustainable and alternative protein, Schell said our nation is only recently adopting such a diet.

Though, more progressive cities, such as San Francisco and Seattle, have been quicker to accept bugs into their diets. You can now get a basket of toasted grasshoppers to go with your Cracker Jacks when you visit the Mariner's Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington.

Butcher's Block has entertained the idea of insect protein, Schell said, but there are some exotics the store won't touch.

"We do draw a line at some point," Schell said. "There are certain species we wont carry because weve had too much resistance with the offerings that would be available."

While the venison listing often prompts jokes about Bambi, don't expect to hear any jokes about Rover or Whiskers. For now, you'll have to travel to find any dog, cat or horse meat.

At an average of $20 per pound of ground exotic meat, the culinary adventures you go on should still be less than the cost of a plane ticket to Peru or Cambodia. For those that have grown up eating camel or wild boar, a return to culinary tradition can transcend both time and space.

Butcher's Block employee Rob Dicks said the ground exotics the store typically keeps on hand tend to offer flavor profiles comparable to ground beef. He sold me on ground, farm-raised alpaca sourced from Minnesota and cooked over an open grill in the style of a Greek kofta, which is a sort of kebab that typically uses a mixture of lamb and beef. The recipe was a good fit, since the Peruvian staple falls somewhere between lamb and beef with a hint of sweetness.

I'll probably never look back to my mother's green eggs and ham or the Cambodian mystery meat I dutifully ate with any sort of fondness, but I do know that what you eat today may set up your palate for tomorrow.

Schell said one of his first exposures to an exotic meat occurred when he spent several months in Leone, France, where a lot of specially prepared dishes in the region include organs. Because he didn't speak French, he accidentally ordered what he now believes to be veal heart, and it was experience that opened his mind to trying new things.

"When I started getting into food that was plated, that was kind of an eye opener," Schell said. "There is value in things that have no value to someone else in the world."

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Exotic meats a substitute for time and space travel - The Herald-Times (subscription)