The Carnivore Project

The Week in Meat

People would rather have Obama as a barbecue guest than McCain. Although the results were mostly split on party lines, one in six Republicans would still secretly dine with Obama while only one in twenty Democrats would have McCain around for a snack.

The myth of penetration (snicker). An article from the Washington Post explaining that marinades don't really penetrate the meat - or make it particularly tender - but they work their magic on the surface. Really interesting. (Spotted by Neil)

The best Thai food in London? I'm not a big fan of the cuisine so someone else will have to judge (I don't like coconut, coriander, lemongrass or peanut sauces, so my Thai experience generally involves eating boiled rice and my napkin) (Spotted by Anne).

A Newsweek photo gallery of the unhealthiest carnival foods. No mention of the burger made out of dead circus animals. Any remember back when Newsweek had news?

AdAge, which never did news, has a lengthy article about the new $190 burger from Burger King. It comes with Wagyu beef and a limited edition Coca Cola bottle. This actually comes in as more expensive than the super-expensive sandwich from Selfridge's. Nice to know the recession isn't bothering West London.(Spotted by Simon)

And, because their email spam was polite, here's a quick mention of the new 'Grilling' page from 'How to Do Things'. The site is a land-mine of advertising links, but there's the occasional gem. The recipes in the 'Herb grilling rubs', for one. 

The Week in Meat

Food and Wine Magazine has published a "Go List" for the Ten Best Restaurants for Carnivores. I've never heard of any of them. In fact, I've only even been in one of the ten cities (Boston, if you were wondering). Which makes me wonder - if someone told you that the best meat-eating experience in the US was found in Boston, how would you react? (Over to you, Texas...)

This has been everywhere, so you've probably seen it, but the latest advance in meattech means that retailers can use DNA testing to track the cow from the ranch to the little styrofoam tray in your local Tesco (it works for pigs too). According to mad scientists at IdentiGEN, their TraceBack technology can also verify if the original animal was organic, Angus or even left-handed (ok, that last one was a lie). Crazy Europeans have had the technology for years - Tesco is actually being pretty bold about marketing it. A couple US stores have signed up now, but they're being a bit more discreet about the whole thing. Probably because privacy-conscious US consumers don't want their poop traced back to last night's burger. (AP via Baltimore Sun)

A message to the illegal turtle-meat vendors in Calcutta: Just stop. It isn't cool any more, ok? (Calcutta Telegraph)

And a proud round of applause to American Airlines who, after being abused by the District Attorney, have stopped carrying horse-meat out of Dallas. A judge has backed the DA - the Texan ban on slaughtering horses for food also prevents others from shipping horseburgers through the state. Anyway, next time you're flying AA, fly with pride - there's probably not a single horse-sausage aboard! (Especially if you order the vegetarian meal) (AP via Bryan/College Station Eagle)

Need a use for your old game system? Here's one. When our Foreman finally kicks the bucket (that is, when I've finally scraped off all the Teflon), a PS3 grill is definitely in the running as a replacement. 

One of my tips "made" Wonkette. I'm now officially the coolest person I know. Signing tour dates and locations to be announced shortly.

The Week in Meat

Tooth and Claw, the organization devoted to promoting peaceful coexistance with Britain's natural predators (the four-legged kind, not just meat-bloggers), is helping promote "Wild Wonders". The initiative takes 55 of Europe's top nature photographers and sends them on 90 assignments (44 countries!) in order to show off Europe's natural heritage. You can follow the whole thing at their web site, www.wild-wonders.com. Nifty pictures.

That's a Twitter box in the right-hand column. I'm not sure how long it will last, but I'll do my best to keep it updated and vaguely Carnivorous.

The cheeses of the month are Strathdon Blue, Gubbeen, Berkswell and Waterloo. The Berkswell looks especially delicious. And Gubbeen is a lot of fun to say. Try it. "Gubbeen"

A little late, but how good was the Kansas City draft? Sure, we're still shaping up for a 13-loss season in 2008, but 2011 is OUR YEAR!

Great comic on XKCD on stove ownership. It also applies to the Foreman Grill, and aren't those supposed to make people healthier? (Thanks, Julia)

The Week in Meat

The New York Sun explores the quiet market for veal. Stuck as a 'fringe' product for years, the article explores a few new trends that may bring veal back into the mainstream. Including ways to ethically (gasp!) raise and serve this notorious meat. The new advertising campaign (Veal: Explore the possibilities) still leaves a lot to be desired.

Miracle on 2nd Avenue

After much tussling and panic amongst appreciative Jews and goyyim alike, the legendary 2nd Ave Deli has re-opened.

Whew.

The Week in Meat: Special Sabbath Edition

From The New York Times:

The Greenwich Village gourmet grocery store, Balducci's, has become the butt of the Jewish holiday by advertising its boneless hams as "Delicious for Chanukah."

The Week in Meat

A few orts of carnivorous (and generally fattening) news...

Despite the overwhelming opposition of Carnivore Project voters, Krispy Kreme have announced their choice of Christmas donut as 'Kristmas Cake'. It is baked with 'winter-warming' fruits and served with a dollop of brandy sauce on the side. Oddly, Krispy Kreme are selling non-donut items for the holiday season as well, including this tasteful donut-oriented calendar.

A USA Today analysis of USDA recall data has turned up two pieces of surprising news. First, that USA Today does 'analysis', and secondly that the majority of recalled meat is never actually returned. For the 73 meat recalls over the past two years, recovery rates have only averaged around 44%. For five recalls, the recovery rate was blow 20%. McDonalds anyone?

And, speaking of serious news from credible news sources, The Sun reports that, after complains from neighbors, a butcher in Barking has been banned from chopping meat until he soundproofs his shop.

The Sun also reports (front-page!) that the English cricket team was just attacked by bees.

We haven't had a case of meat theft for a while - so thank god for Australians! Thieves in Sydney nicked 16 tons of ham from a warehouse, leaving a festive 'Merry Christmas!' message behind on the wall. The owners have offered 5,000 Australian dollars (approximate value £6.12), for the meat's return.

And, according to a new book reviewed in The Guardian, the best way to train your brain is to indulge dark chocolate, have sex and follow the Scandinavian example of eating cold meat for breakfast every morning (and high-protein lunches as well). As per editorial policy, The Guardian also mentioned that this wouldn't work for Americans, who are irreversibly fat and stupid. 

And this fulfills my obligation to say something about Heather Mills

From Popbitch:

"Fashionistas are wondering if Heather Mills, at her soapbox thingy about veganism at Speakers Corner, was wearing a pair of leather MBT trainers?"

Yeeeeeeeek

One of those things that ought not be.

Bye, Priest.

Priest Holmes, my favorite football player, retired this week.

"The Kansas City franchise's all-time leader in total touchdowns (83) and rushing touchdowns (76), Holmes set a then-league record by scoring 27 times in 2003...

In 106 appearances, Holmes has carried 1,780 times for 8,172 yards and 86 touchdowns. One of the NFL's premier all-around backs in his prime, the former University of Texas star also has 339 receptions for 2,962 yards and eight touchdowns." - ESPN

Monkey Shoulder Appreciation Society

Monkey Shoulder - the astoundingly smooth, triple blended 'whisky' that probably offends true Scotsmen by its very existence - is hosting a series of 'Appreciation' events.

Described (modestly) as 'witty, intelligent and insightful', the events are dedicated to the 'life pursuits of the modern man' (grunt, chest-butt).

The upcoming event - the second in the series - features Jason Lewis, who was the first person to circumnavigate the globe using only human power (it took 13 exhausting years).

The talk is on November 27th at the Hospital (24 Endell Street, WC2), from 6.30 to 9 pm. The event is free, with free Monkey-based cocktails, but there's extremely limited seating.

Email them for your ticket.

Looking ahead, January 25th will be 'The Art of Whisky and Cigar Appreciation', hosted by the editor of Whisky Magazine. More whisky, less pedal-based travel... that's something I can appreciate.

...and a su-u-ckling pig on a plaaaaaate.

The St. John Christmas "Feasting Menus" have been released. They've released several lovely 'beast-based' dinners for tables small and large - including a goose-based selection that makes me salivate every time I read it.

Elaborate Police Operation Captures Burger Flipper

Or perhaps, 'Stomach of McDonalds Patron Rejects Meat with Flavor'?

The Week in Meat

I've finally figured out how to see The Carnivore Project in an RSS reader - meaning that every time I open a browser, I have an un-updated site staring at me from my Google homepage. The result: Expect more updates!

This week's collection of bits and bobs:

Fergus Henderson in Edinburgh

Fergus Henderson will be sharing a nose to tail lunch, speaking and signing books at Valvona and Crolla's Caffe Bar in Edinburgh on November 19th.

Tickets for the lunch are now available and can be booked by calling Helen Carpenter on 0131 556 6066 or calling in to the Caffe Bar at 19 Elm Row.

Guests should arrive at the venue for 11.45 am with lunch beginning promptly at midday in the Caffe Bar followed by pearls of culinary wisdom from Fergus and Trevor Gulliver and a book signing in the wine department from 2.00 pm. Copies of Beyond Nose to Tail will be on sale with a 10% discount for the event only.

Tickets are £29.95 for the three course lunch with wine.

Anthony Lister's Fightin' Words

Anthony Lister is an Australian-born artist who, despite being funky, cool and edgy, I still kind of like. Alas, in a recent interview with with Juxtapoz magazine, he showed his true colors:

Q: How do American barbeques compare to Australian barbeques?

A: I don't know if it is an American thing, but we were at this barbeque the other day and there was a whole stack of mashed pork piled onto the hot plate. I was kind of disgusted at first, then I tasted it and nearly threw up. (Juxtapoz, Oct 2008)

Crazy Australians. First they water down the verb 'to barbeque' to the point where it becomes synonymous with 'grilling', now pulled pork is too much for their palates? Things are very dubious down there.

The Week in Meat

Steak alert! Dan texts to say that the New York strip at the the Eagle Bar and Diner [London, W1] is 'amazing'. I've been disappointed in the restaurant ever since they stripped half the burgers from their menu to make room for a swish cocktail menu. The quality of their food, however, was never in doubt, and a good steak is a great find.

Crepe alert! Anne and I can both testify that the crepes served at The Kensington Creperie [London, SW7] are phenomenal. Take-away makes for the best option - before and after ordering, you can press your noses against the glass of the crepe-maker (creperer?) and watch the magic at work.

Anne also shared the the 'Cafe Society in London' post from Gridskipper. Although we were both pleased to see Monmouth Coffee on the list, we feel that passing on Cafe Vergnano [WC2] was a gross oversight. The sole UK outpost of the prestigious Italian coffee chain, they make every latte a work of art - and their hot chocolates are the stuff of legend.

While on a two day trip to California, Alex wrote that,'We ate lunch at the Slanted Door [San Francisco] on the first day, and then returned three more times before we left'. Presumably they do breakfast? SF native Anne endorses the opinion.

According to the New York Times, picky eating is 78% genetics - so don't feel guilty when your kid only eats peanut butter. (Or, conversely, feel very, VERY guilty for ruining the child with your annoying DNA).

The Kansas City Beef (you missed the fantasy football updates, admit it!) recovered from a disastrous loss in their first game to stampede through the next four. At 4-1 and sitting fourth in the league, they're facing the league leader, Sofa King Good (5-0) this week. Key game? Bengals at Chiefs. Sofa King Good will be pitting Carson Palmer and TJ the Unpronounceable against the Beef's Chad and Larry Johnson (no relation).

The Cold War is Over!

After a long delay, the first Starbucks opened in Russia this week.

The long-suffering Russian people can now join the rest of the civilised world in spending a week's wages on over-roasted Americanos.

Napoleon Bakery's Waterloo

Napoleon Bakery has (had) some of the yummiest bread in Kansas City - including some of the best challah bread ever baked by mortal hands. My mom buys it three loaves at a time - eats one immediately, and then, strangely, freezes the next two (to be eventually thrown out, prompting the next trip to Napoleon...).

My grandmother also insists on Napoleon Bakery's bread for her famous French Toast. That generally adds an hour or two of drive time before breakfast, but was worth every second.

I'll be sorry to see it go.

Bakery served much more than bread alone

By MARY SANCHEZ

A key distributor of fine things carbohydrate, the conveniently located Napoleon Bakery , has sadly closed. The owners have more pressing matters to attend to than local cravings for baguettes, croissants and brioche.

Sounds like a job for Team America!

Sydney, Apr 6 (ANI): A German farmer who sold 12 giant rabbits to North Korea with the aim of setting up a breeding programme to alleviate famine in the Communist republic has expressed shock upon hearing that the bunnies were all eaten at Kim Jong-il's birthday banquet.

Coyotes like Quiznos

Chicago - Shortly after lunchtime on Tuesday, a docile coyote nonchalantly wandered through the propped-open door of a Quiznos submarine sandwich shop in downtown Chicago.

The handful of startled customers calmly walked out of the shop, Quiznos manager Bina Patel said.

"It was kind of like a medium-sized dog," Patel said. "At first, we thought it was a dog. We don't get dogs walking in, but it's more believable than a coyote."

Officials picked up the year-old male about 2:30 p.m., an hour after it had entered the restaurant at 37 E. Adams St. in the Loop, said Anne Kent, director of Animal Care and Control.

The animal ate nothing and no on was harmed.

The Week in Meat (Special Midweek Edition)

A food review from California reminds us that 'one tortilla is worth 1,000 chunks of meat'. Not literally (I hope), but there's a very good lesson here. I've whined in the past about 'gourmet' burger places that lazily serve stale buns. No matter how large the patty, your bread is going to be half the volume of your sandwich. Please keep it fresh.

Meanwhile, in Nagasaki, a two-story restaurant has dedicated itself to selling whale meat at 'reasonable prices'. The local government is also pondering whether to market itself out to tourists as the home of 'whale meat culture'. Has anyone ever tried whale meat? Even if we do eat all the whales, if aliens really need them, we can just send Starfleet back in time to pick up a couple.

Whale sashimi. You think it'd be bigger.

A student column at Penn State argues against the vegetarian lifestyle. There's nothing new here, mostly rehashing the same spurious anti-vegetarian arguments that college students have made since the dawn of time (or at least the 80's). It is possibly worth reading for the line:

Additionally, I don't trust veggies. In fact, I can't trust anyone who is incapable of trusting nature.

On, on the other side of the fence, a columnist suggests reading up on meat-based recipes and converting them to vegetarian meals. In the example given, she teaches us how to turn a wild rice quiche into a wild rice egg bake! Vegetarian quiche?! Sign me up!

Cow finally gets a good meal

Jalpaiguri (WB): A "carnivorous" cow in Jalpaiguri district has apparently had a change of taste and taken to eating fowls offered by people who believe that it has turned divine.

The owner of the cow, Bishnumaya Biswakarma of Chamurcho forest village, said that it had stopped grazing from February 21, but two days later it killed and ate a hen.

Since then it has been eating poultry, he said.

Lazy Wednesday

Butcher time with the links below.

We'll need forty-five lemons and a truck full of mayonnaise....

A fishing crew has caught a colossal squid that could weigh a half-ton and prove to be the biggest specimen ever landed, a fisheries official said Thursday.

The man doesn't like ham.

"Morgan State coach Todd Bozeman turned himself in to authorities Tuesday in Farmville, Va. to face misdemeanor assault charges stemming from a postgame incident at a restaurant, The Baltimore Sun reported.

Bozeman was charged Feb. 3, after Morgan State lost a road game at Longwood. Police alleged Bozeman got into an argument with employees of the restaurant over an incorrect to-go order.

Bozeman and his attorney, Taylor Stone, did not comment leaving the courthouse, the Sun reported.

The restaurant manager previously said Bozeman "just went belligerent, screaming that he didn't want ham sandwiches," and grabbed and shook a female assistant manager."

- ESPN.com

School bacon sale.

Eddyville, Ore - It definitely doesn't smell as good as a bake sale. Seniors at Eddyville Charter School are raising three not-so-little pigs to earn money for their senior trip.

The 12 seniors at the farming community school say they will also try the traditional methods of fundraising like raffles or auctions. But the idea of the pigs has taken root.

The Week in Meat

• The blog on InsaneChicken.com (for your hot sauce needs) has put out a nice list of ten good foods for the Superbowl. It covers all of the staples (sausage, hot dogs, chicken wings, nachos, chili, ribs and pizza) and a few more novel ideas (sandwiches?! steak tips!).The Superbowl is the meat-iest event of the year - be sure to give it the due thought and planning that it deserves.



• Meanwhile, if the Superbowl isn't your thing, you can always take your nachos into a Broadway show.



• A biotech firm in Pennsylvania served up burgers from cloned cows at their company picnic.



• "I'm not hearing a lot of meat, or a lot of content. I think when the meat hits the fire, we'll find out if it's just fat or if there's some real meat there." - Al Sharpton on Barack Obama



• The ASA has refused to uphold complaints about recent PETA advertisements using the headline "feeding kids meat is child abuse."



• Three Hungarian tourists returning from South America were caught with a number of boxes of canned crocodile meat. The global canned crocodile meat smuggling industry has taken a serious hit.

A strong defense of Chicago BBQ...

A BBQ team from Chicago just won the 2006 Jack Daniels Invitational BBQ Competition (generally seen as the 'World Series of BBQ').

The 'Cancer Sucks Chicago' team represents the Corliss Johnson Memorial Foundation. They've made over $5,000 in winnings, all of which has been donated to cancer research.

Awesome.

The Week in Meat (Vacation Edition)

Blues Hog BBQ Sauce. Very thick, dark, and, by their own admission 'sticky'. Absolutely delicious. You'd think it would be too sweet, but it is actually perfectly balanced. Also very easy to cook (or, in my recent case 're-heat') with, due to the aforementioned stickiness.

Shiner Hefeweizen might be the best thing to come out of Texas since Kinky Friedman. According to their website, Australian beer lovers agree. This might be the first time Texas and Australia have seen eye to eye since the Vietnam War.

ESPN has temporarily resurrected their 2003 coverage of the Randall Simon / Italian Sausage incident. This is, as far as I'm concerned, the most compelling story in baseball since... um... ever. (Give me a break, I'm a Royals fan).

Apparently the Silver Surfer tastes good, but his cosmic powers will give you indigestion. If you've ever wondered what your favorite superhero tastes like, check out Marvel Zombies, easily the most disturbing (and not always in a good way) mainstream graphic novel of the year. Behind the thick coating of gross-out humor, Robert Kirkman has actually put together a decent plot. And the cover gallery - zombie remixes of some of the legendary Marvel issues - is absolutely brilliant.

Kinky Friedman (country singer and gubernatorial candidate) has now written a Christmas book for children (yes, he's Jewish, but that hasn't stopped him from anything else, has it...). He may give Kirkman a run for his money on sheer novelty value alone. The Christmas Pig is the touching tale of an autistic boy and his magic pig, painting a nativity scene in a marginally horrific far-off land. Yup.

Moo-jo rising...

The Kansas City Beef managed to top the Falafel in last week's fantasy football game (thanks to an uncharacteristically weak performance from Peyton Manning), and have claimed the top position in the league.

This is especially important going into Rivalry Week, in which the Beef will be fighting off a challenge from the third-placed Venice V.D's, the terror of the West Coast (and my older sister).

The Week in Meat (6 November - 13 November)

A truly educational week.

In case you missed the lessons of early November, here's a quick recap:

• A burrito is not a sandwich. Unless, of course, you serve it on a bun.


• Despite what the advice columnists tell you, boning gives you closure. Especially with deer.


• Always cook your wild cat thoroughly. (When you press it with a fork, make sure the juices run clear)


• Milk from clones is not half-price.


• Even criminals prefer Burger King.


• School lunches haven't changed in a decade. (And what is a rainbow apple?)

While researching the article above...

Happy World Vegan Day!

I'm eating a ham and cheese toastie to celebrate.

Courtesy of Sean, over at Badasshamster.

The Week in Meat - October 7 to October 14

A week of conflict.

Cheese vs. Jerky.
America’s second-largest cheese producer, Tillamook County Creamery Association, lost its suit against Tillamook Country Smoker, a smoked meat and jerky producer. Although Tillamook (meat) began in 1976, Tillamook (cheese) didn’t bring suit until the late 1990’s. Leading to a resolution in 2006 that Tillamook (cheese) had waited too long. The whole process took a mere thirty years. (AP)
(Winner: Jerky.)

Thieves vs. Hotels.
Two Wisconsin men were caught trying to steal several pounds of meat and cheese from a hotel kitchen. After a night of drinking, the men snuck down into the kitchen and took “one pre-cooked roast beef, one package of ham, one 6-ounce sirloin steak, one 10-ounce sirloin steak, two packages of 4 pounds of ground beef, three packages of filet mignon, five packages of sirloin steak, five packages of ribeye steaks and one double package of cheddar cheese slices”. They face up to 12½ years in prison if convicted. (Wausau Daily Herald)
(Winner: Hotels. Say no to meat theft.)

Meatloaf vs. Death.
The ‘Bat out of Hell’ rocker confessed that he’s cheated death three times – a car accident, a heart syndrome and once getting hit in the head with a shotput. (Contactmusic.com)
(Winner: Meatloaf.)

Lions vs. Robots.
A safari park in Scotland now uses zebra-striped remote-controlled ATVs to give their lions the thrill of the hunt. (BBC)
(Winner: Everyone. This is so cool.)

Spam vs. Spam.
European trademark officials will not allow ‘Spam’ (spiced ham) to lay claim to the word ‘spam’ (emails offering ex-Soviet marital aids and Nigerian gold mines). Despite arguments made by Hormel (the producers of ‘spiced ham’) that the Nigerian gold producers are diluting their brand name, the European court decided (by using a Google search) that more people associated the word spam with ‘Hallo. I have a suitcase of gold.' than with America’s favorite canned meat. (New York Daily News)
(Winner: Monty Python).

And, quote of the week (thanks to Anne and Julia):

"We do not have a smoking cow at this point"

Dr. Kevin Reilly, the deputy director of the Prevention Services Division of the California Department of Health Service, on the revelation that e.coli-tainted spinach has been traced to a farm in California.

The Week in Meat - September 30 to October 6

In a particularly surreal standoff between river carnivores, Thames otters are apparently 'brutalizing' the local minks. Apparently a 'fierce and furry' war is taking place on the banks of the Thames. Native otters are fighting back against an onslought of imported minks. Disney is already looking into the film rights. (Christian Science Monitor).

What's with the stolen meat? Seriously. Every week I get updates on meat crime. This one is particularly odd - three people tried to return $70 worth of stolen meat to a supermarket. Shockingly, this raised a few flags, and they were arrested on charges of receiving stolen goods and (unsurprisingly) possessing hypodermic needles. (Enterprise)

You can now eat Halal chicken in Jersey. (BBC)

Safeway hired the cooks at Sunset Magazine to come up with a new method of cooking turkey. They've come up with a way to zorch an 18-lb turkey in two hours. The weirdest part? It apparently tastes pretty good. (The Province)

Mutton is 'in' again - with several top chefs having reintroduced it to menus in posh restaurants. It's also, excitingly, the a national dish in Iceland. (BBC)

The Guardian has managed to impress me two weeks in a row, with this column by Charlie Brooker in defense of saturated fats. It's worth it for the image of the enormous brown rice poo alone. (The Guardian)

The Week in Meat - October 3rd

Tomorrow night:

The Ethical Food Debate

BBC R4'S SHEILA DILLON chairs this discussion about School Meals, Organics, Obesity, and Food Transport, with Mayor or London KEN LIVINGSTONE, organics prioneer KEITH ABEL, JENNY JONES of The Green Party, and BBC's Masterchef champ THOMASINA MYERS Presented by HarperCollins

The Garrick Theatre
Charing Cross Road
London
WC2H 0HH

All tickets £5 per event
Book online or phone the Box Office on 0870 990 1299

The Week in Meat - September 23 to September 29

The Week in Meat

A Guardian columnist tried to go vegetarian for a full week. The result: “I have got shocking wind - probably because of all those lentils - and the sense of worthiness I feel is the only emotional sustenance vegetables have given me.” (Guardian)

Federal officials have rejected Idaho’s plans to kill 43 wolves in order to boost elk numbers. Although they acknowledged that wolves were ‘limiting the recovery’ of the local elk population, they didn’t see the data as conclusive. (Daily Herald)

A columnist detailed the difference between ‘browning’ and ‘carmelization’. It’s quite, um, scientific. In short, meat turns brown. But that doesn’t mean it has sugar in it. If you think otherwise, you’re wrong, and will be lambasted by an angry Washington food columnist. (Washington Post)

However, just because meat is brown doesn’t mean that it’s cooked. The Government recommends meat thermometers. (Tallahassee Democrat)

Quaker Oatmeal is offering a $5,000 prize to the best meatloaf recipe that involves oatmeal. (Quaker Oatmeal)

Meanwhile, in Namibia, there was an ugly mob scene at a public dump. A truckload of meat had caught fire at a petrol station, and the charred results had all been dumped by the city. Although no one was injured, police eventually had to give up trying to fend off over 50 carloads of people. (New Era)

Despite a heroic performance by Keyshawn Johnson, the Kansas City Beef were overcome by the Peyton Manning-led Falafel last week. With a 2-1 record, the Beef have slipped to fifth in the league, with a dangerous matchup against archrival Venice V.D. this weekend. (Yahoo!)

The Week in Meat

American red meat and pork production hit a record high in August - totalling 4.24 billion pounds in August. 3.13 million head of cattle were slaughtered in August alone. (Cattlenetwork.com)

Jack Link announced four new meat snacks - including the 'X-Stick' beef jerky - which will 'take snacking to the max!'. (Yahoo!)

Last Tuesday, Media mogul Ted Turner opened 'Ted's Montana Grill' on 42nd Street, New York. It specialises in serving bison burgers and steaks. Turner says that "Out of 300,000 bison in the country, I've got about 45,000." (NY Post)

A stolen semi-trailer was found in Waukesha, Wisconsin, but it's load of 8,000 pounds of semi-frozen meat is still missing. (St Louis Today)

The Kansas City Beef hit 2-0, thumping the Stormwind due to a strong performance from New Orleans' quarterback Drew Brees. The Beef currently lead the table, although they're separated from the #2 team by less than two points. (Yahoo!)

The FDA have approved a new treatment that combats a nasty bacteria called listeria, which infects 2,500 people a year in the United States. This is the first use of a controversial'virus cocktail spray' as a food safety solution. (ABC News)