The generally mutton-headed Prince Charles can usually be relied upon to be on the wrong side of almost every issue, but on this topic he has a point. Whatever happened to, well, mutton? Once a great treat, it now seems to have vanished from British dinner tables. Now there’s a campaign to bring it back. The British Academy of Culinary Arts (oh, stop laughing, Lopez) seems to be heavily involved in this effort. Its website has more details:

“Mutton is defined by the National Sheep Association as an animal over two years of age (in its third spring) and with four broad teeth. Careful rearing, post-slaughter handling and particularly traditional hanging (for at least two weeks) helps mutton achieve its unique mix of flavours. Once a great British favourite, mutton is characterised by its intense taste and complex meat texture. Long slow cooking allows flavours to develop further but it can also be cooked rapidly where the capabilities of the chef allow.”

Mouthwatering.

The last time, I enjoyed this meat of kings (or, it seems, princes) was nearly twenty years ago on a hill in Scotland – gray meat, between two slabs of gray bread, eaten amid the gray glories of a gray winter landscape as the rain lashed down.

It doesn’t get better than that.

Good recipes can be found here.