Buck Says

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Osso Buco-Christmas and Boulder

Veal Shanks

I just found out why there are very few Italians in Boulder Colorado. It is a veal issue.

We are having a family gathering for Christmas dinner of our Western family members. Not a giant crowd but ten is enough.

Even though we are basic Irish types we decided to do osso buco as the featured item rather than the usual rib roast or ham. I lived too long in Philly to be prepared for the challenge of finding veal shanks in Boulder.

I drove down from the mountains to visit a small quality market in Boulder as my first place to try .At the meat counter after the obligatory Merry Christmas greeting I stated my need for 10 veal shanks.

You would have thought I had asked for an illegal drug. The manager came quickly to my position at the counter leaned over and in whispered tones said “ Buck this is Boulder and if we carried any veal we would be in trouble. We might be picketed with posters stuck to our meat case by the objectors. We are not big enough to take the chance.” He then gave me the name of the large national chain where I might obtain my veal shanks.

My question was : How can they sell them and you can’t?. :It seems the store that can sell them is organically correct and has some sort of an arrangement with the veal police.. The veal has had a short life of comfort and luxury with counseling of a sort before they are moved to a status which can fill the public need for veal picata, scaloppini, cutlets and osso buco.

I could have easily become upset over my conscience having to wrestle with an animal rights issue just before getting ready to prepare for the happiest day of my year. My immediately conceived strategy in deference to the season, was to avoid possible confrontations with any coalition of Animal rights and Vegan groups that might be planning a veal shank assault. I located the store with the goods and bought my veal shanks. I had them wrapped in a plain brown wrapper and took a zig around the cheese counter ducked down and zagged as I passed the pomegranates and clementines. I maintained a steady pace that did not make me stand out and quickly slid out the in door between two slow moving shoppers.

Now at home with the shanks I feel that my canyon lair is safe from incursions and I am taking personal steps to settle in for an enjoyable Christmas with family and osso buco.

I will deal with the broader issues in the New Year.

The first thing I will do to calm my psyche and erase the tension over veal shank issues is to borrow a neighbor’s banjo to hold for a while. Everyone knows it is impossible to hold a banjo without smiling.

Merry Christmas to all. Let Peace and Good Will be the goal for each of us in 2009.

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