The Canadian Champn, Tuesday, July 7, 1998- 3 PONTIAC *BUICK *CADILLAC* ee"ec*e 199AI85 * OnIy 67,000 km. 6 month / 10,000 km camp. warr. Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Nadine Lauren (Ieft) an d Heather Cass-Kerr, proprietors of Down Unders, display emu meat items available t their newly opened Highway 25 food stand. Emu burger anyone? It's not just like chieken By STEVE LBLANC The Champion Local burger chains now have a feathered foc fighting for a piece of the action. Emus, the flightless birds that are native to Australia, are now available for consurnption thanks to an adventurous farming foursomne. Longtirne friends in rural Moffat Nadine and David Lauren, and Heather and Rob Kerr, were looking for a new business venture - one they could eventually pass down to their children - when the idea for ernu burgers presented itself in the spring of 1995. "I saw an article in the Toronto Star about this farner in Whitby who was raising them," recalled Ms Lauren. 'The concept interested us very much. We' oe ail professionals with other jobs but w're also entre- preneurs at heart and wanted to try somnething new." Their business hatched almost irnmediately. Within six months baif a dozen ernus had been transported to the Moffat faim where time-consuming, painstaking barvesting has been done over the last two-and-a-half years. Now the fun part begins as the Kerrs and Laurens eap the rewards through Down Unders, their Hwy. 25 food stand located next to Tim Horton' s. They opened just three weeks ago and already they're doing steady - if not spectacular - business. Said Ms Kerr, "Business bas mostly corne frorn good word of moutb. We're not going to turn a profit ovenight, but things have been pretty good. "In addition to the four owners, we've got three employees who're helping nin the stand. My 13-year- old son Jonathan will probably work there this sum- mer as well." On the surface emu burgers are hardly distinguish- able from their beef counterparis. They look identical and taste rernarkably similar. Add a little ketchup or mustard and it's tough to tell them apart. The only différence lies in nutritional value, which is one of the key selling points for Down Unders. Emu contains less cholesterol and fat than any popu- lar red or white meat. A 100 grarn serving has just 54.7 mng of cholesterol and a mere 2.4 g of fat. Chieken bas 80 mng of cholesterol and 4.3 g of fat while top sirloin has 61 mng of cholesterol and 4.4 g of fat. The Australian delicacy - which has become known as the red meat of the future - also has less calories and slightly higher protein than chicken, sir- loin, pork, veal or lamb.à And while Down Unders rnostly deals in burgers, vaiious cuts of frozen ernu meat aie available as well. "We've got steaks, sausages and fillets. We've even got recipes available at the stand," said Ms Lauren. And if that doesn't occupy enough of their tirne the Kerrs and Laurens also sell emu oil. Rich in fatty acids and anti-inflarnratory properties, emu ou is billed as an effective alternative to control- ling carpal tunnel syndrome, aithritis and shingles. Explained Ms Lauren, "We've got custorners from as fai away as the east coast. Our main priority is the emu burgers though. It's sornething we're hoping to leave for our kids. "Maybe it'll even turn into a franchise someday." For more information on the group's emu rneat and oil products, cal (519) 836-9128. Down Unders is open seven days a week frorn Il arn. to 8 p.rn. **1&Làe BERE17A One Owner, Purple/Grey Cloth, Auto, Air, P Locks, Tilt, Cruise, AM/FM Stereo cossette. OnIy 67,000 km. 6 month / 10,000 km camp. worr. Mmmd