If I didn't have to worry about money, I would travel and eat, learning what works for that part of the world. Chances are you won't be traveling to the parts of Canada where seal is eaten. I thought I would get to eat seal in Newfoundland in 2015, but that didn't work out.
Ku-kum Kitchen in Toronto is bringing those tastes to an urban audience in very southern Canada. The seal tartare on the menu has drawn a few protests and counterprotests.
Eating meat can draw protests, but most meats don't draw a protest for the specific meat. Seal is a trigger.
Seal burger controversy validates need for sensitivity to local eating customs
Temptation of the Week: Eating out 365 days in Canada
BalanceofFood.com coverage of Canada food policy
I've learned a bit about the seal hunts in my travels, and how the indigenous population has been damaged by uninformed protesters over seal hunts.
We can learn so much about any society through food. Saltless bread, tripe, and rare steak can easily be found in Florence and Tuscany in Italy. A goat stew might lend some perspective as opposed to a beef stew in North America. I would rather have seal than tripe, but I might like both foods.
For more on this story, check out this column from our sister blog, CanadianCrossing.com.
photo credit: Ku-kum Kitchen, Toronto
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