Home of the Free and the Brave.
Oh, the great United States of America. There are so many things to love about living here in this country. I mean it. Compared with so many other places, we have things pretty good. For the most part.
But as you well know, living in a “free” country can have its limitations.
We have laws to follow. We can’t just go running willy-nilly naked through the streets.
Well.
We probably can. But we might land our naked butts in the pokey. The slammer. The clink. Jail.
Anyway, we have a lot of leeway here. We can go to Taco Bell at one in the morning if we want. Or buy a bag of Doritos anytime at the Dollar Store.
Yet. As I mentioned. We have some limitations. One of those areas come in the way of food. And with that? There are certain things we are not allowed to eat in America.
And here they are.
Horse Meat.
To get technical, it’s not illegal to eat horse meat in most states. Heck, I bet Ohio has plenty of horse-eating people. However, it IS illegal to sell horse meat for human consumption. Here’s how it goes. Horses must be inspected for human consumption under the Federal Meat Inspection Act.
But the glitch comes along with the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). They are not allowed to fund the inspection of horse slaughter for human consumption since 2006. And. Since they can’t inspect it, the slaughter can’t happen. But wouldn’t you know? They are fighting about it in Congress. There is bipartisan support for banning it permanently, something the Humane Society of the United States supports, but the American Veterinary Medical Association does not.
For the record. I’m pretty sure I’ve eaten horse meat on at least two occasions while in Europe. It was just called “meat” on the menu. When we asked what kind of “meat,” they just said, “You know. Meat.”
Haggis.
For those who don’t know, Haggis is essentially animal lungs. It is also the “national dish” of Scotland. Haggis is traditionally made with a sheep stomach used as a sack to contain all the other ingredients, which includes chopped-up lungs. Let’s step to the side for one moment while I throw up.
Okay. And we’re back.
The FSIS isn’t trying to be hard-liners. No. They ban this for the protection of our health. What happens is this. The gastrointestinal fluids can make their way into the lungs of an animal during the slaughtering process. And that is not good. It could lead to foodborne illness. So. No lungs for you.
Sassafras.
I think there is a song about “Sassafras.” It is kind of a fun thing to say. Yet, you don’t want to eat it. Sassafras contains oils that are now known carcinogens. Once upon a time, that Sassafras was used for flavoring all sorts of dishes, foods, and beverages, including root beer. It has even been used for treating eye inflammation.
But the whole cancer connection was discovered. Since then (1960), the FDA prohibited Sassafras for human consumption in the U.S. Say it all you want. Just don’t eat it.
Foie gras
It’s a French thing, for sure. I’ve had foie gras a few times. It means “fat liver.”
If I had known how it is made, I would not have had it. You see, ducks or geese are force-fed massive amounts of food through a tube until their livers swell to at least eight times the normal size. Absolute torture.
Foie gras has been banned in California since 2012 due to the way it’s made. Other areas are hopping on board.
But the foie gras industry is fighting back. They argue that the ducks don’t feel discomfort. Yeah. Right. Has anyone asked the freaking ducks? New York City voted in 2019 to ban foie gras, but instead of the ban going into effect in 2022 as planned, it’s resulted in an ongoing legal battle.
So, there are a few of the things we are not allowed to eat here in the United States. Many others are on the list. Like unpasteurized milk, mechanically separated beef, and fresh ackee, to name a few.
I think, instead of concentrating on the things that are banned (for good reason), we the people should probably be thankful for all the things we are allowed to eat here. Anytime we want. Anywhere we want. If we are lucky enough to have the money and the means. And. Instead of spending all that money on court battles about the “banned” items, maybe we should donate that money to the people who are going hungry here in the United States.
But until then. As they say in France. Bon Appetit.
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“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”
― James Beard
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“When engaged in eating, the brain should be the servant of the stomach.”
― Agatha Christie
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“You are what what you eat eats.”
― Michael Pollan
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You can’t have that, so don’t even pass the salt.
