What a title...

"Pork : Preparing, curing and cooking all that is possible from a pig". Although I have been vegetarian for north of thirty years, I am not so naive, as to think that there is no-one out there who enjoys a sunday roast on a regular basis. I also realise that chefs, and cookery 'experts' - of whom the Q has it's very own! - will pen books of recipes for carnivores. But for those of us who find consuming animals, who have been slaughtered for that very purpose, abhorrent and unthinkable, the title of this book, imo, emphasises that pigs' main reason for being is to cater for the food market, and the book does, I'm sure, explain in graphic detail how to use up the entire animal.
Just my view dictated, ob iously, by my principles. An added thought : I wonder if Phil Vickery has ever killed his own pig and executed (I didn't mean that as a pun) the entire process 'from field to plate' himself?

I, too, am vegetarian and have been since 1985. Personally I have no issue with other people eating whatever they like, as long as I'm not expected too! And, to be honest, I'd much rather people be honest and realistic about the processes and so on that links the very cute piglets over which we swoon and the meal that lands on our plates. If you're going to eat something, at least be open and honest about where is comes from. There's a brilliant farm near us, that welcomes visitors, and is very open about the processes etc, so that when children go all goo-goo-eyed over little lambs they can at least associate it with the roast lamb they have at Easter. It helps them, and their parents, make an informed choice.

louise66 said:

"Pork : Preparing, curing and cooking all that is possible from a pig". Although I have been vegetarian for north of thirty years, I am not so naive, as to think that there is no-one out there who enjoys a sunday roast on a regular basis. I also realise that chefs, and cookery 'experts' - of whom the Q has it's very own! - will pen books of recipes for carnivores. But for those of us who find consuming animals, who have been slaughtered for that very purpose, abhorrent and unthinkable, the title of this book, imo, emphasises that pigs' main reason for being is to cater for the food market, and the book does, I'm sure, explain in graphic detail how to use up the entire animal.
Just my view dictated, ob iously, by my principles. An added thought : I wonder if Phil Vickery has ever killed his own pig and executed (I didn't mean that as a pun) the entire process 'from field to plate' himself?

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It is very difficult kill a pig. For that reason it has to be done by experts. The RSPCA would prosecute anyone who killed a pig or other large carnivore without the correct tools as it would cause unnecessary suffering. I am totally against some practices for obtaining some kosher meat where sometimes the animals are not stunned before slaughter.

Well at least the title befits the subject matter in the book so people who don`t wish to know how to use up all of a pig can avoid it like the plague. It would be far more shocking if it had a misleading title and then someone opened it to discover pictures of pig parts.
I`m not a vegetarian nor a vegan but my Dad worked on a Canadian farm for many years, 300 miles from the nearest township, back in the 1920`s and I grew up being taught to respect an animal`s life cycle and to need to know the meat I was eating had been properly reared and properly slaughtered. I know non meat eaters might see that as a contradiction in terms but even now many years later it`s still important to me to know where my meat is reared and so on.
I respect a person`s right not to eat meat for whatever reasons they choose but even us carnivores often refuse to eat meat unless we`ve bought it ourselves from a reliable source and that goes for eggs and fish too. My OH says I am a nightmare to take out for dinner or to a function because I often refuse to eat what`s on offer but that`s how it is for me. My daughter in law was raised on a farm in Wales and I know how the sheep, pigs and cows are raised on her Mother`s farm and I have no qualms about filling my freezer with the meat she brings me.

I couldn't even read all the graphic details of the above posts, never mind reading a book or watching a programme where they go into details about how the meat get to my plate. Yes I eat meat but that doesn't mean that I want to know the life history of the animal.... I know we are all different but I could no more work in an abattoir than fly to the moon...

I don't like the title very much, it is a bit gorey even to a nurse like me! I am omnivorous and really do like pork but even so, I think the title could be re-thought. Yes I eat meat, it is a natural human trait but I wouldn't buy a book with that title.

Inge

iloveshopping said:

It is very difficult kill a pig. For that reason it has to be done by experts. The RSPCA would prosecute anyone who killed a pig or other large carnivore without the correct tools as it would cause unnecessary suffering. I am totally against some practices for obtaining some kosher meat where sometimes the animals are not stunned before slaughter.

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I became vegetarian 45 years ago, and am now more or less vegan. In campaigning over the years for various animal welfare issues I've met a number of vegetarians who've worked in UK abattoirs and have been so horrified by the amount of terror and unnecessary suffering on a daily basis that it's changed their eating habits for life. Neither Kosher nor Halal allow the animal to be stunned - they just cut its throat while it's fully conscious. Denmark has recently banned all slaughter where the animal is not stunned first, but our illustrious Prime Minister has said he will keep halal meat “safe in Britain” and would never impose restrictions on religious slaughter as long as he is Prime Minister. So much for Britain being a nation of animal lovers - what a joke. And please don't depend on the RSPCA to protect animals, as anyone who works in rescue and welfare in this country will tell you (take a look at some of the rescue/welfare discussion sites) the RSPCA are a waste of space.

I have no idea why this book title is a problem for people. It is a clear, accurate description of the contents.

I have a genuine phobia of spiders. This involves panic, rapid breathing, raised blood pressure, nightmares and skin crawling distress.

Occasionally I am exposed to the beasties, on television, in pictures and real life.

I don't preach about the evils of arachnids. I don't object to people writing books and taking photos of them. I don't even object to people eating them (tarantula legs are a delicacy in the Amazon). I just switch off, look away, walk away and deal with the inevitable nightmares.

If this pork book bothers anyone, then I suggest using the same approach.

Maybe they should have called it The Oinkety Oink Cookbook - From trotters to tripe, from brains to brawn, from blood to "boudin noir," the essential guide to getting the most of of your pig - quite literally!" by Ben S. Anoids

My DD is vegan and read The Face On Your Plate http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001RVFLIW/?tag=shoppingcom03-21 which was very, very difficult reading. She didn't need to convince herself to stay vegan by reading this book, she felt she owed the animals respect by learning about the process of their demise. She would find nothing wrong with the pig book because it details what it is, which is necessary.

Just an aside, any vegans reading this, please take B12 supplements if you don't already!