BlogTO has a listing of what the readers voted as the best butcher shops in Toronto.

Also worth checking out is their list of the best fruit & vegetable shops and best cheese shops in Toronto.

Please advise ASAP if this item is a danger for consumption and/or being recalled. Purchased in San Leandro, California.

Thank you.

E.Yee

I agree with you that the problem is really that this is one of the problems with a food production system that’s been scaled to handle present-day needs. My hope is that we’ll figure it out, the way we did with with refrigeration, clean water and an understanding of microbes.

While I do like my meat, I try to keep the veg ratio of my meals up. Things work better that way. But you will take my dead animals when you pry them from my cold dead fingers!

As for my bitching about Le Commensal: it’s more about the top-dollar prices they charge for what is essentially a cafeteria. Last time I was there — a couple of weeks ago — I forked out $25 for my plate. At those prices, I expect something a little more upscale.

And finally, if there’s time, I’d be up for a veg dinner in Boston!

If that doesn’t put you at ease, you can always simply throw it away — it’s a small price to pay for lower risk and peace of mind.

But seriously, the entire food distribution system is broken, but it’s so huge there’s no economically feasible fix in sight. It’s worrisome that it will probably take a really bad outbreak to change it — and, as an American, I’m not sure what our government could do besides labeling all food as a terrorist threat and allowing no food at all to be sold or possessed within 20 miles of an airport.

As for canine teeth, we also have nails on our fingers and toes, to claw at enemies and shred meat from freshly-killed carcasses. Since we have them custom-made for this purpose, we might as well use them that way, right…?

—

And finally, I was brought out of lurking because I felt the urge to comment, but realized that my words could be taken as combative. But I have no wish to be a troll, and would like to compliment you on your always-excellent blog. Next time you and the GN are in Boston, I’d like to invite you to a vegetarian restaurant, on me.

We’re omnivores, my friend. That’s what we have canine teeth.

Perhaps your memory lapse comes from a meat-free diet. Eating meat is what caused us to evolve to become smart in the first place; it doesn’t take much brains to sneak up on a carrot.

The next day, you posted the first version of “A Full List of Recalled Maple Leaf Meat Products.”

On August 24th, you updated the list to include more recalled tainted meat products.

Today, you again published a vastly expanded list of Maple Leaf meats that will make you sick if you eat them.

Looking forward to your next disparagement of vegetarians.