It’s good to talk turkey

If you’re going out for a Christmas meal this year, don’t be afraid to ask where your meat comes from, says The Good Food Guide. The Good Food Guide champions local produce and is disappointed that, under current EU rules, it isn’t necessary to give the country of origin for all meat and poultry.

Meat reared in another country but processed in the UK can still be labelled as British*.

The restaurant guide advises consumers who want to actually buy British this Christmas to get their bird or roast from a reputable butcher or farmers’ market and not be afraid to ask about the meat's origin. This applies to dining in restaurants too. When booking, don’t be afraid to ask where the restaurant sources its meat.

Elizabeth Carter, editor of The Good Food Guide, says:

“It’s a shame that origin labelling isn’t compulsory for all meat in shops. But any restaurant serious about food should be able to tell you where their meat is from.”

The Good Food Guide champions restaurants and pubs which serve meat that has been reared in their own backyards. Places like The Mulberry Tree in Kent, which owns Middle White pigs; The Wellington Arms in Hampshire, which has hens in its paddocks; and the Nut Tree Inn in Oxfordshire, which rears Gloucester Old Spot-Tamworth pigs.

The Good Food Guide 2010 can be ordered at which.co.uk/gfgbook or bought from bookshops.

*This is because manufacturers and shops have to show where the main ingredient undergoes a substantial change, not its actual origin. And for most foods, labelling the country of origin is only voluntary, unless it's misleading not to provide it.