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I don't like to tell people what to do but I would stay away from anything with "exotic meats" in the title. While you may be looking for llama, other people may be looking to your "exotic" butcher for animals that are usually in zoos because they are endangered. There are some sick people out there on both ends of the trade and I don't think we need to encourage them. There was somebody in Chicago who was shut down for selling lion meat not too long ago.

OMG art thatmakes me so sad/mad. People are messed up. I may go cry now.

I definitely agree with art.

First it was kangaroo meat as a trend, now Llama???? What is wrong with people... I swear, if HUMAN tasted like foie gras, it would be a hit.

Actually, I think that llama and kangaroo meat are often more sustainable than beef. Instead of trying to rear cattle in places that aren't suitable (like cutting down rain forest to make pasture), using local fauna as food makes sense, as long as it is done properly. The problem, of course, is that once these meats are trendy, we'll once again try to raise them in unsuitable environments.

I heard a radio interview with Michael Archer about kangaroo meat, among other things, and it was really informative. See: http://www.hha.com.au/books/0733615228.html

My dad used to live in Australia.

He used to tell me this funny story about cooking kangaroo meat.

He said, "to cook kangaroo you need a big rock. When you get your kangaroo steak you tie a nice rock to it. Then you cook the steak with the rock. When it's done, you eat the rock."

O.k. so it's not hilarious. I think it means kangaroo is a little on the tough side. Or maybe it means why eat a jumping and boxing marsupial?

An Australian friend -- who may have been pulling my leg -- told me that kangaroos are over-running the continent and are regarded as a pest.

If we're going to bring up the issue of sustainability, I suggest the following: Millions of cats and dogs are killed in shelters each year - that's a lot of possible meat. Why don't we utlize this excess by replacing kill-shelters with slaughterhouses?

Obviously, not a serious suggestion...I just don't understand people's willingness to eat animals in general, and rare/unique ones in specific.

Just the thoughts of another crazy vegetarian.... :)

it's one thing to eat a llama steak in Bolivia where llamas are all over, another to find some in the US where not so many llamas live, and certainly not their natural environment.

Eat locally!

I just don't think we should be judging the question-asker. Tons of people eat beef from Australia, NZ, South America - those cows most definitely aren't in their 'natural' environment either, and they aren't local to NYC.

Besides, there probably is local llama meat to be found.

I am a vegetarian, and I love cats and dogs as pets, but I think humane treatment and the environment are more important than cultural hang-ups over what animals are pets and what animals are food. As long as it's not a species that is at risk, (and I totally agree with art on not supporting places that deal in that kind of meat) I don't see it as a big deal.

There are plenty of llama farms around. I know of two within 30 minutes of my place in Connecticut. I don't think I could find two farms raising cows anymore if I had to, now that I think of it.

I come from a dairy farm family, and I guarantee you that the cows came to America with Europeans. Although it may look good to have a drawing of happy Vermont cows on a Ben & Jerry's label, the truth is there's no native environment for farmed animals.

Not that I have any desire to eat one, but llama farming did experience a boom a number of years ago. I'd imagine it's because they produce coats in addition to meat.

I don't see how eating llama/lion/kangaroo is any different to eating cow/pig/chicken. Or cat/rat/dog for that matter! I may be a sentimental tree-hugger, but at least I'm consistently sentimental!

Please carefully consider what you are asking. Exotic meats? With all of the discussion of choosing tap water over bottled water in an effort to be more eco-friendly...