I cross-posted this from my post to the Kitchen Stadium tribe (about the Iron Chef America TV show). I thought it might be of interest to this tribe and would love to hear any responses.

From tribes.tribe.net/kitchenst...17c8c4db7e

I think this ranks as the most interesting "secret ingredient" on Iron Chef America yet. I was very disappointed, however, that the ingredient itself--a very unusual one in modern America--was not discussed at all, nor did any of the dishes reflect the long culinary use of wild boar in Europe and Asia. Where was Alton Brown's usual analysis?

I'm not up on the history of wild boar in Asia, but I know that it was considered prize game in medieval Europe, though I think it may now be considered a pest there (after all, it really is just a wild and very dangerous form of pig). Out of curiosity, I did some Google searches and learned that the wild boar is not native to the New World, but was introduced by Europeans and ultimately crossbred with domestic pigs, so "wild boar" in the Americas is probably not what you would have seen centuries ago in Europe and Asia.

I found this very recent Austin, Texas newspaper article about this episode, which Iron Chef fans might enjoy (it puts to rest the question of whether the contestants know the ingredients in advance--they knew it would be one of three):
www.austin360.com/food_drin...nchef.html

I also found the wild game farm in Texas that supplied the wild boar for this episode:
www.brokenarrowranch.com/Artic...ar.htm

If their website is to be believed, this ranch practices sustainable and humane methods. But I uncovered something else, a bit disturbing, in my brief Internet forays on this topic. Apparently there are a number of private hunting "resorts" in the southern United States and Canada that set up wild boar to be shot by trophy hunters. This type of "sport" is hardly news, and as a carnivore, I'm not questioning hunting, nor am I ignorant as to where my meat comes from. But am I the only one who finds this troubling?

This one in Ontario is pretty loathsome:
www.bigtusks.com/

Especially bad is this part of their "FAQ":
"Q: What happens if I just can't get the wild boar?
A: Have faith in yourself! But, should you feel you may require assistance, WildBoar Reserve can guarantee your success. We have trained boar dogs, if/when requested, to find the wild boar for you. When a wild boar is found you can take it while it is distracted by the barking dogs. The dogs guarantee you'll get your wild boar."

I know boar dogs were used in medieval Europe, and yes, I know bow hunting was done then, but aren't we in the 21st century? Do we really need to make an animal suffer like this these days just so some wannabe "big-game hunter" can hang a pair of tusks on his wall?

Here's another one that made me positively ill, from south Texas:
www.huntinfo.com/hht/

Perhaps this is why Alton Brown didn't discuss the ingredient on the show--too likely to cause controversy? I will cross post to the Food History and Ethical Carnivore tribes as well, to get more input. I'm open to any opinions on this subject; I'm just curious about it.