Eating horses

D

dilysb

At the Start
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
54
Location
Hove
I've been really surprised at the lack of reaction to Olivier Peslier's cheery admission that he eats horses.
 
Mmm... nice Percheron steak avec les pommes frites? Mais oui! I wasn't aware of Olivier's eating habits, but what would be surprising about that? I thought most horsey people accepted that France bred the Percheron and Ardennais for agricultural work and - that now being mechanized - their meat. If it was out of his cultural norm, I'd be more surprised by him enjoying dog stew or roast cat, but it's not, so no surprise from me.
 
Last edited:
Cultural differences - see what happened when McDonald's opened up in India attempting to sell their beef burgers and the like.
 
As said above, it's cultural, as long as the horses are reared and killed humanely, it's no different to us eating beef but we've had this debate many times before.

We've probably all of us eaten horse many times unknowingly anyway.
 
I can't believe that McDonald's was insensitive enough to open beef burger joints in India! Did no-one do their religious research beforehand? It'd be like opening up 'full English' breakfasts in Saudi, with bacon and pork sausages on the menu! I'm surprised, to be honest, that they were even given a licence to trade with beef products. Lamb burgers would be okay, chicken burgers absolutely fine, but no-no-no to anything made with cowmeat.
 
French also like frogs legs..they keep kicking peas off the plate.

if it were a choice bewteen jellied eels or horse..horse would edge it
 
Last edited:
I have to confess many years ago my brother and I took his father-in-law out to France for the 50th anniversary of the Normandy landings as he was one of the lucky brave men to survive it. When we got there we stopped off at a cafe in Bayeux and I said let me order breakfast as none of us spoke French but being a chef at the time I said I knew enough culinary French to order breakfast. After asking for jambon, ouefs and champingons we were served with Goat cheese omelete and chocolate croissants. Later that evening I found a steak house and ordered Mussels for starters followed by 3 medium rare steaks. The mussels were lovely but the steak was a quite tough and we were struggling to eat it. My brother suddenly points out all the pictures of horses, saddles and other equipment on the walls, of course we all suddenly realised we were eating horse. None of us could eat it after realising, so we paid a very expensive bill and left, needless to say I had the p*ss taken out of me all day and night, although we were all in tears of laughter. But all ended well when we drove the father-in-law acros Pegasus bridge with 2,000 troops either side cheering like crazy, sent a real shiver down your spine.
 
McDonald's almost certainly didn't go and stick beef on their menu in India. They're known as one of the best companies to operate on a worldwide basis as they use a policy known as glocalisation, whereby they fit their restaurants to pander to local traditions, needs and wants. Chili burgers in Mexico, curried burgers and no beef in India, Kosher only branches in Israel, Teriyaki McBurger in Japan, Croque Monsieur in France, McTurko in Turkey, bigger portions in the US, Kiwiburger in NZ and the list goes on...
 
Simon said:
McDonald's almost certainly didn't go and stick beef on their menu in India. They're known as one of the best companies to operate on a worldwide basis as they use a policy known as glocalisation, whereby they fit their restaurants to pander to local traditions, needs and wants. Chili burgers in Mexico, curried burgers and no beef in India, Kosher only branches in Israel, Teriyaki McBurger in Japan, Croque Monsieur in France, McTurko in Turkey, bigger portions in the US, Kiwiburger in NZ and the list goes on...
Click to expand...

And my personal favourite, The Paddy burger with cabbage dressing and a side of boiled Spuds.

I never noticed any difference with the Big Mc in France except a little extra pickle......love to know what's in a kiwi burger ?
 
When I left home for Uni at the tender age of 17, for the first year I stayed in digs run by a friendly elderly couple. Hubby, a Viking by the name of Andersson, did the cooking. One evening he presented us with what appeared to be Lancashire hotpot, though the meat had an unusual flavour. When he came in to clear away he asked whether we'd enjoyed the meal. When we replied in the affirmative, he said in his best Aberdonian accent, "I've always said there's nothing better than a good bit of horsemeat, a horse that's worked and sweated a' its life".

Although the experience wasn't particularly unpleasant, I've been very careful to avoid a repetition, especially in provincial France.
 
I've eaten horse before - It's pretty nice.

If they're bred for that purpose I don't see the issue. Otherwise we should all become veggies.
 
It shouldn't really be an issue anyway. I'd far rather a horse was slaughtered for meat than kept alive and treated badly.
 
I wasn't surprised that a FRENCHMAN eats horses - I was vaguely aware that the French and Belgians eat horses and that the Japanese are particularly keen on eating young racehorses. I was surprised that a JOCKEY eats horses...
 
Eaten in McDonalds in India and there was no beef on the menu,there were a lot more vegeterian and curry options.Its not the Big Mac that is different in France,it is a sandwich completely different called the Croque McDo,which is their version of Croque Monsieur(ham and cheese).
Im not a fan myself but I know a lot of French jockeys who eat horse meat.Their explanation is that the horsemeat you eat is nothing like the horses you ride as they are reared especially for that purpose.
 
As I said, Percheron and Ardennais. However, it's very likely their cute pugs and poodles will be happily dining on ex-racehorses, kids' ponies and knackered trotters which have had their day.
 
Back
Top