New York Times realizes T.O. is total sausage fest

The Times is a bit late on the meat craze, with its magazine recently running a travel piece on some of Toronto’s carnivorous hot spots. Writer Adam Sachs went straight for brunch at the Hoof Café and had the stewed rabbit with blueberry-buckwheat pancakes, grilled cheese with tongue, eggs Benny with suckling pig and even more tongue. He also visited Sanagan’s Meat Locker in Kensington before heading to Caplansky’s for a smoked meat sandwich, a meat-filled knish and the famously large poutine.

In a follow-up e-mail interview with owner Zane Caplansky, the meatmonger recalls selling his sandwiches out of the Monarch Tavern on Clinton before saving enough money to open his own place; Caplansky also says we can credit such chefs as Jamie Kennedy and Mark Cutrara with starting the snout-to-tail phenomenon. Looks like Hogtown’s living up to its name.

• Canadian Bacon (plus): Smoked Meat in Toronto [T Magazine – New York Times]