Beef?

The U.S. government on Sunday ordered the largest beef recall in U.S. history — 143.4 million pounds — and said the meat has been used in school lunches and food assistance programs ... The huge recall will put the safety of the U.S. beef supply "front and center" in Congress, said William Marler, a prominent food-safety lawyer. He said it also will raise questions about USDA inspection of meat plants. "It's hard to imagine … that they couldn't figure this out sooner."


Reading this story today has reinforced my respect for chefs who take a pass on the cheaper beef that comes from the huge feedlots. Instead, they will use pasture-raised (and preferably local) beef such as that served at Tavern in Garrison and raised by farmers like Herondale Farm in Ancramdale and sold at shops such as Fleishers in Kingston and Rhinebeck.

And it's becoming easier to find the products here in our region -- I just saw organically raised beef for sale at Adams Fairacre Farms during my Sunday food shopping.