I wonder what caused the current brouhaha about eating horsemeat.

I know horses are beautiful animals, but what is done with their carcasses when they die? I guess their hair is used, as are their hides, but what happens to their flesh? Does it become dog food?

Consider the following:

At the end of World War II, my outfit was encamped on a farm just outside of Modena, Italy. A few of us became friendly with the farmer, his wife and his family. We would pay the wife to do our laundry and give the kids candy and the farmer cigarettes.

One day, the farmer invited me and one of my friends to supper. We were reluctant at first but finally decided he was trying to be nice to us so we accepted. After supper, we were sitting around sipping some superb wine, (homemade), and I happened to mention that they were lucky since most of the other people around had to eat horsemeat — if they could find it.

The farmer said, “What do you think you ate tonight?” I said, “Huh?” And he laughed.

Horsemeat, when properly prepared, is delicious.

Robert W. Vitolo

Waterville