MEAT: THE ULTIMATE COMPANION

ANTHONY PUHARICH & LIBBY TRAVERS, MURDOCH BOOKS, H/B, $95

Meat eaters can feel like pariahs these days, so it’s refreshing to see an encyclopaedic book that is unapologetic about the pleasures of the flesh. Building on the ethos of eating better-quality meat but eating less of it, the authors believe that thoughtful consumption requires one key ingredient: knowledge. Puharich is a fifth-generation Australian butcher who delivers a ton of information about breeds, feed, methods of butchery and cuts and how to choose your meat, while Travers takes care of how to cook it. More than 100 recipes focus on classics from the world’s major cuisines. There’s also a section on techniques, with a show-and-tell on boning, a steak-doneness comparison and sections on barbecuing, roasting and braising. If that red meat tax does come about, we’ll want to make the most of every morsel, and this comprehensive book has it all covered. TW