By Colin Kearns

Last Saturday, I boarded a ship and traveled to a foreign land—a small island 20 minutes from Manhattan. I’d heard from a friend and colleague, David Draper, that this was a land rich with gastronomic heritage and, therefore, deserved to be explored. Neighborhoods with names like Carcass Hill, Offalwood, Beaktown, and the Game Preserve were said to announce the eclectic culinary traditions.

Wanting to visit this place and witness it for myself, I embarked on a journey by train and foot and boat. When I touched down on land, I followed my nose to the gates. On the other side, Josh Ozersky, the founder and mayor of this land stood high on a stage beside men in aprons slicing into carcasses with large, sharp knives.

“Welcome to Meatopia!” Ozersky shouted. “The Woodstock of edible meats!”

I had arrived. Come join me on my journey for a taste of what life is like in this blessed barbeque pit, this glutton’s heaven-on-earth, this rotisserie realm, this Meatopia.

Click for Meatopia photo gallery.