Normally, it would be unthinkable to consume meat that's over a few days old, but thanks to French butcher Alexandre Polmard it is actually possible to enjoy 'vintage' meats from cows that were butchered decades ago!

正常情况下，人们是不会考虑去吃放了几天的生肉的，但多亏了法国肉铺老板亚历山大·波罗玛，事实上要享用几十年前从奶牛身上砍下来的“陈年”牛肉已成为可能。

Polmard offers his customers the world's most expensive meat, aged through 'hibernation¹', a special process that his grandfather and father invented in the 1990s. Cold air is blown over the meat at speeds of 120 kilometers per hour, in a -43 C environment, making the meat theoretically last forever. It will not rot with age, and will continue to taste fresh indefinitely.

波罗玛给顾客提供的肉举世最贵。20世纪90年代，波罗玛的祖父和父亲发明了一道特殊工艺，通过“休眠”，零下43度的环境中，冷空气以120千米的时速吹拂牛肉，这样肉理论上可以永久保鲜，不会因岁月流逝而腐坏，当然，也能持续保持新鲜口感。

Meat prepared through Polmard's process obviously doesn't come cheap. The 2000 vintage cote de boeuf (rib steak), for instance, costs about 3,000 euros. The steep price not only covers the 'hibernation' process, but also the cost of raising an exclusive breed of cattle called 'Blonde Aquitaine'.

用波罗玛工艺保鲜的肉类价格不菲。2000年的复古肋排要价约三千欧元。这一天价不但涵盖“休眠”工艺的成本，也包括养“金毛阿基坦”精品牛的成本在内。

Polmard also talks to his animals every day, to ensure that they remain stress-free and comfortable, right down to the very end. He explained that when a cow is stressed it results in higher levels of glycogen and lactic² acid, making its meat flavorless and tough. So Polmard spends millions of dollars on infrastructure³ to take care of his cows, and ensures that only four cows are killed every week.

波罗玛每天都和动物谈天，确保其直至终了都远离压力、舒适自在。他解释道，奶牛有精神压力的时候，会引发糖原和乳酸含量升高，肉风味尽失、口感粗糙。所以，波罗玛在基础设施上投资数百万元，悉心呵护奶牛，确保每周只宰杀四头牛。

In fact, the amount of meat he produces is so small that the Polmard boucherie in Paris looks more like a vintage wine shop . There's a long list of people who've put down their names months in advance to try some of the rarest, most aged meats.

事实上，肉产量小之又小，波罗玛在巴黎的肉店看起来更像是家年代久远的葡萄酒店。很多人提前数月就预约，要尝尝这稀世罕见年代久远的肉,排队名单长之又长。

Just like with wine, the different vintages that Polmard produces have different flavors and characteristics. The most exclusive and expensive cuts are reserved for a handful of Michelin-star chefs, but Polmard says he personally visits them to make sure they understand the nuances and subtleties⁴ of the meat.

和葡萄酒一样，波罗玛所制不同年代的牛肉风味不同、特色各异。最精品最昂贵的那几刀肉是给好些米其林星厨师特别保留的；但波罗玛称他会亲自造访，确保厨师们懂肉质的细微差别。