Seattle: Photos And A Report From Burning Beast

Last weekend, in a field outside Seattle, a group of chefs and hungry eaters gathered to pay homage to meat. They burned a 20-foot wooden elk, fired up the grills and cooked up chickens, ducks, goats, bison, lamb, salmon, oysters and beef heart at the annual Burning Beast.

Italy-trained chef Mike Easton of Seattle's Il Corvo served up a Sardinian-style roasted goat braised with lardo drippings, cured fat and rosemary, and served over chickpea flat bread.

Reached via email, Easton told us about his experience at Burning Beast. "As a first timer, I wasn't sure what to expect from Burning Beast. It had all the earmarks of something that could go disastrously wrong: possible showers, open fire cooking, a kitchen that consisted of 20 cinder blocks and a 10 x 10 canopy, a seemingly endless supply of alcohol and 600 people who were ready to eat—most of them even brought their own plates and utensils! Luckily, I had mentally prepared for the challenge, and on three hours sleep, I set to building my fire about 7 a.m. At around 10:30, when the coals were ready, we put our goat on the rack, popped open a few bottles of wine, and did what comes natural: feed the fire, imbibe, laugh and roast meat! The event itself, was planned and executed to perfection, beasts were roasted and merriment was had by all."