But Can It Slice and Dice?

Fleisher's co-owner Jessica Applestone has a necklace with an unusual pendant: a miniature meat cleaver. In this video interview, she talks about how she got it, who made it, and the role of cleavers in today's butchery.

I have my own cleaver. It belonged to a longtime friend of my mother's, who was a vegetarian. I like to think that it's happy to be owned by a carnivore now, even though I don't use it that often. I'm not sure what caused all that pitting in the blade, but I like it -- looks extra-rustic, no?

One thing I love meat cleavers, including mine, is that they usually have a hole in the blade. So while all my other kitchen tools hang by their handles, my cleaver hangs by its blade, indicating its special status as a serious implement, not to be trifled with. And as you can see below, the standard cleaver hole is perfect if you happen to be making a necklace pendant.




Meanwhile, meat-related crime continues to spread. The latest trend: a rash of hog thefts. Can't make it up, people.