STAR EMAI
subject: Veal of approval
FROM: Ceri Mortimer delicious. is the only food magazine I buy these days and I get ridiculously excited in anticipation towards the end of the month. That said, I’m disappointed you aren’t showing support for British dairy farming’s efforts to launch rose veal as a by-product of milk production. Rather than destroying male milk-herd calves, they are being reared humanely to produce rose veal. I’ve struggled to find recipes using veal in the magazine. In the June issue, for example, the meatball recipe (p84) could be improved by using some veal. Rose veal is sweet, tender and adds a depth of flavour to any recipe calling for beef.
I make a ‘mother of all meat ragùs’ (my homage to bolognese) using five types of meat – rose veal being one of them – and boy, is it tasty! Please look to include recipes with this fine British product, and help sideline imports from Europe (where crate production still widely exists).
DEPUTY EDITOR SUSAN LOW REPLIES
We agree that it’s important to support Britishraised rose veal and we need to do it more, but it’s vital to make sure you’re buying the right thing so check the packaging or with the butcher every time to make sure the meat is British high-welfare. Researching the topic for the magazine in the past, I’ve spoken to farmers about creating a market for these humanely reared animals.