Corn-fed beef.
Episodes of the Planet Green show, meanwhile, feature Lagasse promoting handmade goat cheese, pasture-raised chickens, and grass-fed beef.
Hold it right there.
Did we say "grass-fed beef"?
Indeed we did.
Far from being a mere cattle-ranching or meat-tasting preference, corn-fed vs. grass-fed is a vital distinction. In many ways it defines the struggle to find sustainable methods to mitigate the damage inflicted by an over-industrialized agriculture system.
Here's Emeril now, getting all moist extolling the virtues of grass-fed beef!
In case you're too busy to chew on that entire clip, here's how Green Emeril nutshells the advantages of grass- over corn-fed:
"Yep, grass-fed beef is definitely the way to go. It not only helps the environment, it gives you leaner, healthier meat from cows that are humanely treated."
So on the one hand we have Lagasse admonishing us to Green up the Planet with grass-fed beef, and on the other we have him shilling for his own brand of corn-fed steaks.
Phone messages and e-mails to Red Marble Steaks and Allen Brothers seeking clarification on product origin went unanswered.
Besides assuring that his steaks come from grain- and corn-fed cattle, Emeril's Red Marble site informs us that the company ships orders via UPS "frozen in a styro-foam cooler with dry ice" to all 50 states, Puerto Rico and, in some cases, Canada."
Thousands of miles in Styrofoam! How green is that?
Here's an idea: Let's ask Planet Green!
We'll leave you with this, from Planet Green's Emeril FAQ:
Whenever possible, Chef Emeril uses locally sourced ingredients of all kinds -- that would be one factor that determines their "greenness." When local products, in this case products that have traveled less than 150 miles to get to the market or grocery store, are not available, Emeril opts for organic products which have a smaller environmental impact than conventionally grown ones, all things being equal.
