Horse meat gained widespread acceptance in French cuisine during the later years of the Second French Empire. The high cost of living in Paris prevented many working-class citizens from buying meat such as pork or beef, so in 1866, the French government legalized the eating of horse meat, and the first butcher's shop specializing in horse meat opened in eastern Paris, providing quality meat at lower prices. During the Siege of Paris (1870–1871), horse meat, along with the meat from donkeys and mules, was eaten by anyone who could afford it, partly because of a shortage of fresh meat in the blockaded
Horse meat stands, sold in a bread roll. Dumplings can also be prepared with horse meat, spinach, or Tyrolean "Graukäse" (a sour milk cheese). They are occasionally eaten on their own, in a soup, or as a side dish. In Belgium, horse meat ("paardenvlees" in Dutch and "viande chevaline" in French) is popular in a number of preparations. Lean, smoked, and sliced horse meat fillet ("paardenrookvlees" or "paardengerookt"; "filet chevalin" in French) is served as a cold cut with sandwiches or as part of a cold salad. Horse steaks can be found in most butchers and are used in a variety of