Horse Meat - Cavallo

Chillout

Chillout

Community Member
Sep 10, 2007
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Mantova, Italy
In my home country I would never ever thought of eating horse meat. Since moving to Italy, I tried it and have to say that it is actually quite nice.

I do admit that I feel bad in a way because the horse is considered a friend to humans as it has far more positive uses than being used for it's meat. However, it is a fact that in Italy, it is quite popular.

Have you tried it? Do you like it?
 
I still can't believe I had a piece of horse meat, a while back. I think it was last year, I went to a formal dinner party with my colleagues and we were served horse meat. I had no idea what it was so I ate it. To be honest, I didn't really enjoy it as much as I enjoy other types of meat (Prosciutto di Parma is among my favorites, they served this too) and, after I said out loud I didn't really like it, everyone was looking at me like they were staring at an alien.

"You don't like horse meat??" That's all I needed to hear :D I felt bad I ate it because, like you said, horses are like friends to humans, but since I didn't know what it was, I forgave myself :D
 
I eat it in the past, but it's ome years now I've stopped to eat Horse, rabbit, donke and in general all the baby animals (lamb, small pigs, etc.).
 
I was very surprised when I was offered horse meat the first time I visited Italy. I declined the offer and settled for fish. My hosts looked at me as if I was crazy to decline such an offer. Afterwards, I felt awful because it was never my intention to offend my hosts. It was just unthinkable for me to eat a horse. I actually told them that I 'do not eat anything I ride on', and they thought it was very funny. :D
 
Yes, it's the reaction I got when I began to tell people I don't want to eat horse meat!

"Come non la mangi?" Well, I guess it depends on what we were used to eat growing up.
I'm sure that if I grew up eating horse mean, I'd have no problem with it now. Same goes for the calamari (my stomach has something personal against them too :D).
 
Same with me, Rosie. Octopuses are the vacuum cleaners of the oceans (just think of the sponge-like bubbles on all their tentacles). I don't want to eat all the ocean floor clutter. But, my brother thinks I am cray. He loves his calamari. :eek::D
 
I guess it's all about what you are used to. The strange thing is that I was never used to horse meat as a child but since living here and it being served sometimes in my works canteen, it kind of makes it normal to select it if you like it.
 
I agree, Chillout, if you grow up with a certain custom, it becomes 'second nature'. When did you move to Italy? If I remember correctly, you lived in the UK before?
 
I have never tried it and would probably not try it. We own horses and my daughter takes lessons. I think I would picture their little faces when eating it :( I'll stick to chicken! lol
 
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I try to be open - minded and stuff, but really, I don't think I could eat horse meat... I just like horses too much. They are so cute and friendly (but they can be pretty mean, too) and I would just feel bad trying to eat one. I think I'll rather have pork...
 
True rabbits and lamb are so cute as well. I never eat those animals either. I do eat beef, and cows have cute faces too :( I guess it's just taboo to eat horses since it's not the norm.
 
I have had the chance to eat kangaroos, dogs, cats and other local meats. Horse meat is just as any other meat in my mind. If someone is hungry enough to eat some, they will.

Eating an animal does not have the same signification for people of different races. It is often part of historic tradition to eat what seems inedible to members of other culture.
 
It's funny but this post's subject was brought up one night at the dinner table. My in-laws are from Italy and we were discussing different meats at dinner one night. My father-in-law brought up the horse meat they had eaten in Italy. My children looked horrified that anyone would eat an animal that is only used for riding and races here in Canada. They feel the same with rabbits that my in-laws raise in the barn. They only see the cute little bunnies as pets, not dinner.
 
I've eaten kangaroo and venison but that's as adventurous as I get. Here in the UK there was an outcry when horse meat was discovered in beef meals, and not just because of the deception!
 
I don't think I've tried it - I'm not entirely sure due to the horsemeat scandal in the UK, so I might have tried it disguised as beef! - but although I love horses, I would like to try it some day as I've heard it's quite nice. I had no idea it was so popular in Italian cuisine! I'm not sure I could make a habit of it though...it's a psychological thing. :p
 
Speaking of lamb and pork, in my country the tradition is that before Christmas, people have to kill a pig in their backyards. Disgusting and cruel... but some people still do it because it's tradition to eat pork steak for Christmas. I do eat pork, but only bought from the supermarket!

For Easter, lamb is the "star" on the table. Lamb soup, lamb steak, lamb everywhere! But it's so macabre! I stopped eating lamb a long time ago as well, I can't stand the idea of a cute, lovely, innocent animal on my plate.

I know meat is good and everything but I guess I'm too sensitive when I know what the poor creatures have to bear in order for us to feast, because it's "tradition" :(
 
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I haven't eaten horse meat. Just a few months ago actually there was a horse meat scandal here in Ireland and that issue lingered for quite a while. Horse meat was apparently mixed with beef/pork. Anyway, I don't think I'd want to eat it. I know a few people who ate once or twice, or even really eat it and from what I've learned the texture is different and it's uh.. hard to chew? I forgot if the term's "too tender" but I hope you get what I mean. I'm really just a picky eater, I don't think I'd love to try this.
 
I heard about the #horsemeat scandals in UK and Ireland. I believe the main issues was that it was contaminated with some bad stuff and was in products labelled as beef.

This is very wrong and the consumer should know what meat they are buying.

They say, that good quality horsemeat does no harm to humans. I guess it's more of a principle issue as many on here would not even think about eating it.
 
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