[from the Letters archive] Why We Serve Offal On Monday January 12, 2004, Incanto hosted its first-ever Slow Food-sponsored dinner.  The theme was "Dining from Head to Tail: The Rich Culinary Tradition of Respect for the Whole Animal." In the weeks prior to the dinner, the first case of "Mad Cow Disease" or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was discovered in the United States. Because of this discovery, many of our customers perceived an increased risk in eating variety meats, though in reality, there is a much greater risk of encountering BSE-tainted meat within a hamburger at McDonald's than in the offal of a naturally-raised cow of the sort we serve at Incanto. Some of our customers had such a strong negative reaction to the theme of this dinner, however, that we decided to articulate why this type of cuisine is so important to us. You might be surprised by some of our reasons. The dinner was a sold-out success, in spite of a few doubters. What follows below is the full text of the handout we prepared for all the diners, including descriptions of menu items we served that evening: . . . . . The letter that accompanied this year's Slow Food membership renewal informed us that there are now more than 11,000 Slow Food members in the United States "who are helping celebrate and promote the rich and delicious food traditions that are a part of our cultural heritage."  It is precisely in this spirit that we are pleased to present to you an evening celebrating a centuries-old culinary and cultural tradition that is increasingly considered taboo within our society. Fear and mistrust of food seems to be at an all-time high. The recent discovery of BSE in the United States, as well as concerns about mercury in seafood, has highlighted the degree to which we are disconnected from the realities of our food supply. Rather than embracing our food sources, understanding them and demanding a change in practices, many of us are instead running for the hills, retreating into the imagined sanctuary of eating only "safe" food types. The distinction between unsafe industrial farming practices and unsafe types of food has been lost in this chaos, accelerating the abandonment of a rich set of food traditions now conveniently deemed unsafe. The tradition with which we are concerned is about regarding cows as more than a collection of steaks encased in leather for making car seats, pigs as more than slabs of bacon carrying ribs and pork chops, chickens as more than skinless breasts running around on drumsticks. This tradition is found in almost all of the world's cultures, dating back thousands of years. Whether you are eating chickens' feet and duck tongue in Shanghai, fish cheeks in Tokyo, haggis in Edinburgh, menudo in Mexico City, chitlins in Salley, South Carolina, or snacking on a panino di lampredotto (the lining of a cow's 4th stomach) in Florence, you are participating in one of the world's greatest gastronomic practices: you are celebrating the variety of tastes, textures and nutritional value of the whole animal. Brief History of Odd Cuts & Guts Offal and variety meats have been an important part of the human diet since the beginning of recorded history. Nobility in Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Persian, Aztec, and Chinese societies all placed culinary and symbolic value on various animal parts, including kidney, liver, tongue, intestines and heart. For most of the world's population, however, the practice of skillful preparation of and dining on "lesser" cuts of meat and offal was borne of economic necessity. In many societies organized agriculture once functioned via a feudal system.  Families worked land and livestock and paid their lord or landowner an annual rent consisting of the majority of their farm's output. As market-based economic systems developed, outright feudalism was replaced by economic servitude, as the same farmers worked the land to produce goods for sale in the local market.  In either system, most of those raising livestock for food were forced to pay or sell their prime cuts of meat for either survival or economic viability.  More often than not, the farmer was left with heads, tails, feet, and innards. From these humble ingredients, many of the world's most delicious, creative, and nutritious foods sprung forth. Slow cooking techniques based on low, moist heat, such as braising and stewing, were employed to break down the connective tissue and muscle meat of tougher cuts. Other meats were chopped or ground into forcemeats, from which sausage making and charcuterie emerged. Marinating meat both to tenderize and flavor it prior to cooking was another response to the product at hand. As a side benefit, many of these meats were particularly rich in nutrients, which were made more accessible to the human digestive system by slow cooking techniques. Over time, these techniques entered the culinary mainstream, in large part thanks to odd cuts and offal. The Right to Taste Today's modern world is very different from the one that gave birth to these food traditions. Economic specialization has removed humans further from their food sources than at any time in history. Moreover, few of us in the Bay Area have our diets dictated to us by economic necessity.  Why then should we go against the grain and choose to eat foodstuffs that aren't always readily available at our local supermarket, are more difficult and time-consuming to prepare, and are not socially acceptable? The answer brings us back to Slow Food.  There are three Slow Food values that directly relate to why we at Incanto are so committed to serving odd cuts and offal: The central theme in the Slow Food manifesto is "protection of the right to taste."  Those who insist that these types of food are socially unacceptable, not healthful, and disgusting are challenging the right to taste. Those who believe that beef comes in two forms: steaks and hamburgers are not experiencing the world of beef taste; they are participating in the homogenization of taste.  If society succeeds in limiting taste to a few meager, socially acceptable choices, then we will lose the variety and diversity that the world of food has to offer. We are already heading down this path and are worse off for it. Second, eating these foods relates deeply to our cultural and culinary heritage. Whether or not you grew up eating any of these foods as a child, odds are that your parents, grandparents, or prior ancestors did. Over the past hundred years, perhaps starting with Upton Sinclair's The Jungle in 1906, these foods have fallen out of favor in our country. We are now raising a second or third generation of children who are almost completely ignorant about these foods. The stigma associated with these foods is so deeply ingrained that most Americans will live their entire lives actively avoiding foods that they have never tasted and will never taste. For those of us who believe that food traditions are one of the most meaningful ways we can honor our ancestors, this is a tragic situation. Finally, Slow Food is based on the principle of "eco-gastronomy." Ironically, some people argue that eating these foods is dangerous and irresponsible. We argue the opposite: that not eating these foods is dangerous and socially irresponsible. One of the reasons that eating offal is taboo in our society is that it requires the diner to identify more closely with the animal they are consuming. Most of us would rather have the relationship be completely disembodied and anonymous. Yet a closer, more personal relationship with our food is exactly what we need to heighten consumers' awareness, increase our respect for food sources, and raise consciousness of the importance of eco-gastronomy. Another way of looking at the current beef crisis, as it relates to eco-gastronomy, is that if humans consumed all edible portions of the cow, rather than only the socially desirable cuts, we would need to raise and slaughter fewer cows to feed the same number of people. This would unquestionably be better for the world's environment. Perhaps there is also the possibility that, if they had fewer non-saleable byproducts, the farmers would not feel the need to grind up their "waste" and feed it back to their remaining cows, which was the genesis of BSE. Philosophy and politics aside, we are pleased and honored that you have chosen to dine with us this evening. We look forward to providing you with a memorable dining experience, full of lively discussion and the conviviality that distinguishes Slow Food. About the Food Antipasto Platter of Salumi Misti In the best rustic Italian tradition, tonight's meal begins with an assortment of house-made salumi misti, slices of cured and cooked meats. Coppa di testa, also known as head cheese, is found in several European countries including England, France, and Germany. It consists of meat from a pig's head and trotters, which have been slow cooked for several hours in a liquid seasoned with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, orange peel, and aromatic vegetables.  After the meat is cooked, the cooking liquid is reduced to intensify its flavor, mixed with the meat and a bit of gelatin, poured into a casing and cooled to form a log. Salame cotto d'agnello is a cooked lamb salame, made from lamb stock, heart, shoulder, tongue, sweetbreads & marjoram. Lardo is made from the fatty sides of a pig, skin removed. The slabs of lardo are cured with salt, spices and herbs, then hung in a cool place to air-dry for approximately two months.  Lardo is made in many regions of Italy, among the most famous are Lardo di Colonnata from northwest Tuscany, Lardo di Arnad from the Aosta Valley, and lardo made in Piedmont's Langhe district. Cured pork liver showcases what is perhaps the most flavorful of all animal livers. Ours is cured for at least six weeks.  The thin shavings of cured liver have an intense, rich, yet balanced pork flavor.  The pork terrine is made from onion, garlic, pork shoulder, spleen, kidney, white wine, and thyme. The ingredients are seasoned and marinated twelve hours, then coarsely ground, placed in a terrine mold, and cooked in a water bath. The terrine is then cooled and left to set for 24 hours before slicing. Heirloom Chicory & Winter Citrus Salad with Crispy Pig's Ear & Tripe Croutons This dish contrasts the bitterness of winter chicories from County Line farms, the sweet-sour flavors of mixed citrus, and the crunchy richness of fried pig's ear and tripe. The pig's ears were cooked with the pig's head while making coppa di testa, then julienned and deep fried in olive oil.  The tripe was rinsed in water for 24 hours, slow cooked for four hours in a cooking liquid that included white wine, vanilla, lemon, and spices.  Finally, the tripe was cut into croutons, battered, and deep-fried. Confit of Beef Heart Ravioli with Wild Nettles in Oxtail Brodo The stuffing for these ravioli consists of beef heart and kidney that have been cooked confit-style in olive oil with fennel and garlic at a low temperature for six hours. The wild nettles were sautéed with garlic and olive oil, then roughly chopped with the heart and kidneys to make a stuffing for the delicate fresh pasta. The ravioli are served in an oxtail brodo that incorporates braised oxtail meat into the broth. Milk-Braised Pork Shoulder This dish consists of the front shoulder of the pig, typically tough muscle from lots of use.  The cooking method utilizes the enzymes in milk help tenderize the meat while cooking. In addition, the milk curdles and then partially caramelizes during the cooking process, creating a delicious sauce. Shaved Italian Ice & Assorted Pork-Lard Cookies Shaved ice is a traditional Southern Italian specialty, which also pays homage to our collective childhoods in Italian-American communities in Philadelphia, Rhode Island and Connecticut. June Taylor's syrups showcase her old-world sensibilities, in which fruit comes first and sugar is minimized, creating refreshing, clean flavors. Used as a shortening agent, pork lard has a lower melting point, resulting in more delicate pastries. The cookies include a star anise and chestnut flour pig cookie, a pinenut tuile, a gianduia cigar cookie, and fiorelli, which are shortbread cookies, flavored with grapefruit peel, sandwiched with pastry cream, and rolled in crushed hazelnuts and almonds. About Tonight's Hosts Incanto Incanto restaurant and wine bar opened in June 2002, bringing California-Italian food and an exceptional Italian wine program to San Francisco's Noe Valley neighborhood. Incanto's rustic Italian setting, with handcrafted stone-, brick- and woodwork, 16th century Latin parchments, and private dining room dedicated to Dante Alighieri, provide a uniquely romantic dining environment. In 2003, Incanto was recognized by the National Restaurant Association with the award for "America's Best Wine List, Casual Dining: 100-250 Wine Selections" and by San Francisco Magazine as the "Wine Director of the Year" and "Bay Area's top 75 Best Restaurants." Chef Chris Cosentino, whose passion for variety meats and offal drove the concept for tonight's event, planned and prepared this evening's menu. Sommelier Claudio Villani selected the wine pairings. Prather Ranch Prather Ranch is a sustainable, 15,000-acre livestock ranching operation located in the shadow of Mt. Shasta.  Their philosophy begins with the understanding that a low-stress approach to animal handling, a deep understanding of their herd, and an all-natural environment will yield the finest, purest beef available on the market.  Travis Potter manages sheep, hogs, and goats for Prather Ranch, living with his wife and children on the ranch. Michael Recchiuti Confections Recchiuti Confections is known for its blend of contemporary San Franciscan style and traditional European technique. Natural ingredients with global influences create the freshest, most unique flavors you'll find anywhere. French artisan methods and small batches yield uncompromising quality. Careful preparation and elegant packaging make each confection stunning to the eye, as well as the palate. Husband and wife, Michael and Jacky Recchiuti, established San Francisco-based Recchiuti Confections in 1997. Over the past years they have built a reputation for creating American confections that rival those of Europe.  Michael is an ardent and knowledgeable fan of Italian food; he assisted Incanto's chef, Chris Cosentino, in the preparation of tonight's meal. Slow Food Slow Food is an international movement with more than 60,000 worldwide members, founded in 1986. The definition contained in its Manifesto conveys a very clear message: a movement for the protection of the right to taste. More information about Slow Food's mission and membership can be found at www.slowfood.com.