The best of Beef, Lamb & Veal

Buying meat in country France is a pleasure and something of a social exercise. In even small towns, you will find a specialty butcher who offers advice on cooking his meats, down to timing and recommended accompaniments. Waiting customers will join in discussion of the merits of shoulder versus ribs in Blanquette de Veau, or how many types of sausage should be included in an authentic Choucroute Alsacienne. The supermarket in the nearby town of ten thousand does brisk trade, and when I asked at the meat counter about the staff, I was told, “We’re six in the department and we’re kept busy with special requests.”