This post is another contribution written by my friend and regular collaborator here at Daily Food Holiday, Greg Mohr.

Meat.

It’s delicious, it’s packed with protein, and I love it.

Yes, it comes from animals, and I understand if not everyone out there shares my affinity for something barbecued or broiled – something that once walked around and ate grass or feed – but January is National Meat Month.  Actually, it’s not only Meat Month; but January also happens to host National Meat Week, the fourth week of the month!

It’s too bad one of the days in “meat week” wasn’t also some sort of “meat day” – we’d have a trifecta on our hands (and we’d all need to take a laxative).

As I was musing over this post, a number of advertising gems crossed my mind:

“Pork – the other white meat” always cracked me up.  The Chick-fil-a cows scrawling “eat mor chikin” is classic.  Sometime around high school, the radio was all abuzz with an “eat fish twice a week” campaign.  And who could forget Wendy’s popular “Where’s the beef?” commercials?  Ahh, but Sam Elliot’s “beef – it’s what’s for dinner” remains my favorite. That campaign was great, but his voice MADE it. I’m not sure we would have responded the same if it had been voiced by, say, Woody Allen, or that woman who does Bart Simpson’s voice.

I don’t take issue with the fact that meat comes from animals, but I do wonder sometimes about how we first began eating meat.

I can totally understand apples – they look appetizing, and I’m sure the first person who walked by a raspberry bush thought they would be tasty too.  However, when a big stinky cow lumbered by, I somehow doubt that they thought “ooh, those look interesting; I’m gonna eat one. I’ll bet they’re delicious!”

But throw a juicy steak on the grill, and I’m on my way to your house.

I also find it curious that some meats are ok, while others aren’t, depending on where you are.  For instance, we have no problem with cows, but horses are sacred (go ahead and throw your favorite Hindu “sacred cow” joke in here).

While on vacation in Venice, Italy a while back, I ordered a dish called “misto cavallo”.  It was great. I was obviously enjoying it, and my kids wanted to try a bite of this delicious thing Daddy was eating.   I gave them each a bite.   Sure enough, they loved it too.

Then, with a smile, I told them what “cavallo” meant.
“EWWWW!!!” was the first thing they both shouted, followed by references to “My Little Pony” and such things.  Cows and horses eat the same things, and often live in the same places, but they are treated differently in this country.

Americans, well MOST Americans, don’t go for escargot either, even though it’s considered a delicacy among the French.  And the French are considered authorities on fine dining (just ask a Frenchman – he’ll tell you).
For those of you who don’t know, the main ingredient in escargot is snails.  Before you make that face (the same one my kids made the last time I ordered escargot), consider how similar snails are to some of the seafood you probably enjoy.
Besides, they’re really good with garlic.

Some meats aren’t avoided – they’re just regional. Take moose for example.  When I lived in Nome, Alaska, moose was readily available, and quite good.  We ate it all the time.  One autumn, a neighbor of mine shot a moose and eight families had enough meat to last through winter.  That was a long winter – thank God it was a big moose.

Any time I mention to someone that I’ve eaten moose, they always want to know what it tastes like.  The best description I can give is that it’s like a very lean beef.  So lean, in fact, that before you can cook it in a pan, you must grease the pan because there’s no fat in moose (which has always perplexed me, considering the animals live in cold regions).
My favorite moose recipe is moose stew, and while I could post a recipe, really – it’s just beef stew with moose instead.

One great thing about meat is that it provides the body with protein, and we all need protein.
Yes, you can get it from beans, dairy products and a few other sources, but meat is one of the best sources.  And it tastes great – especially when it’s cooked on my grill and enjoyed with a glass of wine.

Happy “Meat Week”, and happy “Meat Month” my friends!

Greg Mohr lives with his beautiful wife and two daughters in Orange County, California. He is a “gondola fanatic”, and owns Gondola Adventures, Inc. (www.gondola.com), with three gondola operations in California, Nevada, and Texas. Greg leads “gondola expeditions”, builds and restores gondolas, and has hosted the Gondola Blog since August of 2007 (see www.gondolagreg.com).

**Photo credits for this post belong to Cassandra Mohr.