The culinary side of the veal story

You've heard the arguments from PETA and other animal-rights groups, and you've seen the pictures. Now comes the culinary side of the story about how calves are raised for veal.

Humane or cruel?

Chef Dan Fluharty presented the case on Wednesday, saying that calves being raised for veal are, indeed, restricted in movement. But it's not cruel, he implied.

Calves are kept in clean environments that are well lit and heated, and they are fed a formula of fats, carbohydrates, proteins and minerals for 3 to 4 months before they are ready for human consumption. Those facts were part of Chef's presentation for the veal part of our curriculum in Culinary Foundations III.

My view: While I don't eat veal often, I know that like other meat, it's here to stay in the human diet. I am OK with how it is raised. Decent treatment of the animals being raised for food makes good business sense as well as good moral sense.

Final tasks practiced; more practice in the offing

Two five-course meals -- one led by a grilled pork chop, the other by sauté of veal scaloppini -- will be required of us on the second day of our two-day final exam in Culinary Foundations II next week.

Chef Dan Fluharty demonstrated preparation of the protein for both and vegetable for one in class today. We then we set about to prepare the full plate for practice over two hours.

In that time, I plated both meals with a fair level of success. I do need more work, on the veal dish most especially, but also on plate presentation overall. That work will begin this weekend, not only for these two dishes, but for the two that must be plated on the first day of the final next Thursday -- roasted chicken and poached salmon.

Look for the complete rundown on the menu for the two days' dishes in the blog this weekend.

(Photo shows my pork chop dish and accompaniments waiting to be plated. Top center, the service plate warming; top right, pork chop being kept warm; lower center, braised fennel and apple in final stages of cooking; left, sauce chasseur just before straining.)