Lobel's Meat Bible

And it came to pass that Stanley Lobel, son of Morris, and his own sons and nephew, did toil on the island Manhattan, and grew wise in the ways of butchery, of the cleaver and of the cutting board, so that they may bring unto us this season these eight chapters and lead us into temptation. They tell of the beast that chews its cud so that we may know the difference between the shell steak and the tenderloin, the hanger steak and the skirt. And that we may know the proper ways to beget steak tartare, beef jerky and carbonade of beef in Belgian beer. Lo, the cloven-hoofed animal shall be known by its pancetta and prosciutto. It will lieth down in an Alsatian pork-and-potato casserole and riseth up in Kansas City–style baby back ribs. That which cock-a-doodles shall ne'er be overlooked, but shall be stewed in a spicy tomato-peanut sauce with okra. And its sister, the guinea hen, shall ramble in rosemary and white wine when it is braised. And so it is also with the veal and with the lamb, the hare and the quail. Stocks, sauces and chutney will make covenant with the flock so that chimichurri sauce might enliven beef, and Russian dressing make whole a Reuben sandwich. Recipes number 135, well photographed and indexed. And it is good. (Apr.)