Butcher: “An ancient trade, whose duties may date back to the domestication of livestock, butchers formed guilds in England as far back as 1272.[3] Today, many jurisdictions offer trade certifications for butchers. Some areas expect a three-year apprenticeship followed by the option of becoming a master butcher”.To be a butcher is to participate in a traditional and practiced art form, work related to that of a skilled surgeon.
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Why am I broaching this subject? Well my dear readers I have in the last month received a re-education onto what exactly it is to be a Butcher. Here in Canada a Butcher isn’t a recognized trade, as Canada does not have our own Meat training center or apprenticeship program in place. Now if you were to travel to the UK, New Zealand, Australia, Denmark or Germany you would find these Countries have a National training system. The trade is taken quite seriously in these Countries and unlike Canada they have an intensive practical, in school and apprenticeship part to their Butcher education. During culinary school I was taught that a butcher similar to a chef was one that understood cuts of meat, was able to break down the cut to proper portions and understood the best cooking techniques. It should be heartedly discussed that there is a trade difference between being a skilled meat cutter and a Butcher. We indeed need properapprenticeship and educational centers here in Canada for Butchery.
So here is the deal. I LOVE Meat. I love the feel, touch, scent, of raw, cooked, cured, smoked meat of ALL kinds and will be providing my community with local meat products along with beautifully grown local fruits, vegetables, preserves and cheese. Along with meat I LOVE learning about farming, agriculture and what exactly it will take for us to become more of a sustainable food community. Hence the reason why I have decided to open Highland Drive Storehouse, Butchery & Local produce. Now when I first decided to open the shop the I considered meat=butchery simple as that. There I was wrong my dears, and believe you me it is not as simple as it sounds.
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| Ben the Butcher |
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| Getaway Farms: Chris and Bandsaw |
So here’s a cheers to re-education and further understanding. The store (love of my life) along with Highland Drive Catering and Culinary Lessons will indeed be taking part in certain butchery and meat cutting practices. We will be making fresh sausages, ground meat, bacon of different sorts using curing traditions from around the world. We will also be cutting fresh meat for you. Yes indeed working from primal cuts that have been beautifully butchered from quarter animals for you by our local Butcher Ben at Getaway Farms. He can be found at the Getaway MeatMongers shop at the Seaport Farmers Market. You can find him there Tuesday to Sunday cutting whole animals with expertise and grace. He is our local butcher. We will be purchasing from Chris DeWaal and the Getaway familyfarm so that we can provide another location in the City where you may purchase 100% Grassfed beef. You will be able to come by the store for a fresh cut of beef, pork, lamb, chicken and have the opportunity to order in specialty meats. We are excited to be working with valley farmers and will have in stock seasonal local produce from Taproot Farms and preserves made from their beautifully grown fruits and vegetables with a portion of sales from each purchase going back to the farm. Treat yourself tonight and cook dinner made in province. You'll taste flavours a plenty and be full with not only fine food but the knowledge that tonight your eating/supporting local. Tastes Great!
Eat ,drink and enjoy!!
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