The New York Times recently published an interesting look at the world of butchers today.  It seems that after a slowdown in the art of good butchery in the 60s, there has been a resurgence of interest and an infusion of talent.  This is in part, no doubt, to the increasing numbers of people curious to know where their food comes from.  Consumers are also becoming more accepting of lesser-known “off cuts” and “offal,” viewing their consumption variously as respect for a life, a gutsy novelty, and simply delicious.  Such “nose to tail eating” is a subject discussed with fervor in various foodie communities.  One of my favorite foodie blogs recently began a new column called “The Nasty Bits,” and if you’ve got time, the first two posts are an interesting (and I’d say fairly gentle) introduction to cooking offal.

While I’ve never really embraced offal, I’m intrigued at the idea of cooking it.  I may even try out blogger Chichi Wang’s recipe for cow tongue.  However, I’m not sure I’d be inclined to order offal in a restaurant.  Any restaurateurs out there have opinions on the topic?  Many of these “off cuts” have the advantage of being fairly cheap cuts of meat, but will they sell?