Why Is Swan Meat So Expensive?

[Markxxx]

I found this site with exotic meats

Swam Meat

It says:

1800Steaks Regular price: $1,499.99
1800Steaks Sale price: $999.99

Why so much?

If you look at other "exotic meats

Exotic Meats

They aren’t nearly as much

[AHunter3]

Maybe that’s the price for 1,800 of them?

[AHunter3]

(answering my own conjecture) No that’s not it, they all list as 1800AnimalName Price

[JThunder]

Good grief. Wouldn’t it be cheaper to just buy a duck and then beat it with an ugly stick?

[levdrakon]

Wow, basically $1,000 for one, shipped live if you live outside of California. I need to start raising some of those.

[Terrifel]

@the Swan Meat site

[URL=“http://www.brentwoodtradinggroup.com/swmeandswmer.html”]
The mute swan has been a royal bird since at least 1186 and was formally assigned royal status in the Act of Swans in 1482.

It was the duty of the Royal Swanmaster to organise the annual swan-upping on the Thames, when the cygnets are rounded up and marked, which survives in symbolic form to this day.

*Today, the Queen still has ownership of all swans in the UK except in one small corner of the British Isles - the Orkney Isles. Under Udal Law, the ancient Norse system of inheritance and law, which the Viking settlers brought to Orkney, the swan is the property of the people, rather than the Crown.

The case was proven in 1910 by a Kirkwall lawyer who, accompanied by his friend, the Procurator-Fiscal, went out to Harray Loch and shot a swan. The case went to the High Court and the Crown lost. Nowadays, Orcadians do not shoot swans, but the principles of the old Norse Udal Law still stand.*

So there’s your answer. Swan meat is costly because the swan market is dominated by insane people.

Raise your own swans for fun and profit! Declare yourself Royal Swanmaker under Viking law! Travel to Orkney and befriend the Procurator-Fiscal, then symbolically round up and marry your swan during the annual swan-upping, in accordance with the Act of Swans!

Swan swan swan swan swan swan swan swan swannity swan wonderful swan…

[Laughing_Lagomorph]

@levdrakon

Wow, basically $1,000 for one, shipped live if you live outside of California. I need to start raising some of those.

I can see it now…“Swan, the new ostrich!”

[levdrakon]

@Terrifel

So there’s your answer. Swan meat is costly because the swan market is dominated by insane people.

Yeah, but these swans are California swans, so the Queen doesn’t have much say. A queen might be involved, it being California and all.

[chappachula]

@Terrifel

So there’s your answer. Swan meat is costly because the swan market is dominated by insane people.

you win the thread

[Hunter_Hawk]

With all due respect, there is a mailto link right at the top of the page. You could contact the company and ask for the official answer.

[Wallenstein]

I imagine swans do not take well to captive breeding?

IIRC they don’t live in big groups, so it’s not the same as keeping a flock of geese in your back yard.

Plus they are viscious buggers when they want to be… not easy to pick one up (even if they don’t break your arm with their wings, as we were told as kids).

[NDP]

Is swan meat even that good? I’ve never had any but I would think it would be like goose meat but greasier, bonier, and with less flavor.

@Markxxx

Exotic Meats

They aren’t nearly as much

I clicked that site and was halfway disappointed they didn’t have komodo dragon meat.

[DanBlather]

@NDP

Is swan meat even that good? I’ve never had any but I would think it would be like goose meat but greasier, bonier, and with less flavor.

Goose is really greasy.

[Jophiel]

From what I’ve heard about the taste of swan meat, it’s so expensive because no one orders one twice.

[Terrifel]

@chappachula

you win the thread

Oh I have my sights set much higher, I assure you.

Hwaet! I hereby declare myself Official Swanmaster of the SDMB.

I have fiscally procured an official letters patent from the Procurator-Fiscal of Udal-on-Orkney which certifies my authority under the Act of Swans; with all rights, royalties and jurisdictions adhering thereto, given and granted to mine heirs and assignee forever.

As my first formal act of office, I therefore ordain and establish the First International SDMB Swan-Upping!

[JThunder]

@Jophiel

From what I’ve heard about the taste of swan meat, it’s so expensive because no one orders one twice.

Rumor has it that they taste remarkably like princess meat.