I recently read a book entitled "Fats: A Global History". In it, the author explained that in ancient human history, and in some still existing hunger/gatherer cultures, only the men get the fatty cuts. The women and children get what is left after the men take their fill.
At first, as a fatophile and a female, I was outraged to think that had I been born in a different era or place, I would have to suffer with lean meat, or no meat at all, and no fat!
But then I read further, and understood that this was a sacrifice the women were intentionally making so that the men could be strong and well-fed to do the hunts. In some cultures, in fact, plant matter was/is considered "women's food" and men would shun it, because they needed to be strong and focused, and they needed the fat!
Of course, the global warming that occurred around 10,000 BC changed human culture significantly. It allowed for humankind to grow crops, and domesticate animals. "Women's food" became everyone's food, and actually, sometimes only the very wealthy would get to enjoy fatty meat at all.
This agricultural revolution, I think, probably eventually led to the feminism that we enjoy today. We don't have to subdivide labor anymore into the hunters and the gatherers. A little woman like me can enjoy the fattiest, finest cuts that only the strongest male hunters would have enjoyed back in prehistory. The times sure have changed!
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Grassfed beef brisket with sea salt flakes
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