Strasbourg Butchers

I was constantly struck by the freshness of the produce and the commitment of the French, Germans and Swiss to eating the rawest ingredients possible. It is rare in Toronto that you go to a butcher and can visibly see some remaining feathers on the chicken from where it has been plucked, or the head with the feathers still attached to your Christmas turkey. There is something more "real" more "farm to table" about this kind of commitment to food. It was very grounding and a good reminder of where our food comes from. Here are some of the pics from our favourite butcher in the heart of Strasbourg. Vegetarian warning: lots of dead animal flesh ahead!
I am so happy that you can see the actual feather leftovers. For some sick reason I love them.

Christmas Turkeys. It is interesting to not that unlike the Butterballs that we get here, how lean they are and how natural they look. Even the organic, grain fed birds that we get in Canada look far more filled with cellulite than these delicious looking birds (forget the attached head and feet. Committed as I am to absorbing the farm to table mentality, even my mother and I agreed that we wouldn't be able to handle that!)

Everything "en Croute", from Beef Wellington to Salmon. Notice the fab ham in the upper left corner. Yummy.

More prepared delicacies for the table including all sorts of pates and saucisson. mmmmm.....

What would any shop in France be without Foie Gras???