I had originally hoped to have an entire calf cooked in the South American style by my Argentine grillmaster, Ignacio Mattos. You see whole hogs cooked all the time, but how often a whole calf? Given my lifelong love of veal, and the fact that Bev Eggleston, our Grand Marshal, has now developed a new line of veal that he maintains is the most humanely-raised in the world. I thought, why not give Ignacio a whole calf to do? One of Bev’s? But then he sent me this link, and I realized that it was probably not that great an idea. The images here are not gory by any means; they are safe for work and save even for the sight of vegans. But they are, unquestionably, strange. I can’t see someone getting excited by them.

At least not somebody normal.

Which brings us back to Buffalo. Originally, I was thinking of the full-size buffalo, a 1300 pound behemoth. To cook a think like that would require cranes, block and tackle, a specially fabricated iron grill, some halbred-bearing footmen, and perhaps an on-site Medivac squad. Sadly, I’ve had to rein in the idea to a mere 500 pound young buffalo. The animal comes to us from one of our sponsors, Wild Idea Buffalo, and I’ve entrusted it to the most brilliant culinary commando going, Mike Cirino of A Razor, A Shiny Knife. Mike and his partner Daniel are the lunatics who, in case you missed it, served a six course fine-dining meal on the L train last month, so if anybody can pull this thing off, it will be them. Ignacio will just do full veal rib racks and sweebreads over Argentine coals – a less dramatic dish, maybe, but one guaranteed to be as delicious as it is traditional.

I must be out of my mind. Last year’s Meatopia, at Governors Island, drew 5000 people and nearly gave me an aneurysm. There was meat of every kind, and a wildly good time in a pastoral setting you needed a boat to get to. We got approximately three times as many people as I had planned for. And I didn’t plan for much. Make no mistake. I was a figurehead in last year’s Meatopia, a Hollow Man, a “host” about as hands-on in the organizing as the Venus di Milo.

All that has changed.

In the aftermath of Meatopia 2010, I realized that we dodged a bullet. The event could easily have turned into another Altamont. This year there will be no long lines, no running out of food early, no boat rides to an Island accessible only by ferry. I am capping attendance at 3500; instead of 26 chefs, I have 45+; and those chefs will be making a lot more (and better) food than last year. Nobody should have to wait 20 minutes or more for a little plate of meat; that’s not the spirit of Meatopia. And nobody should have to wait for a boat to get to this event. So this year we are on the Brooklyn waterfront, which you can walk to or take a taxi to or ride your bike to or get to via the subway. And once you’re there, you’ll be surrounded on three sides by water, cooled by river breezes, which intermingle with the fragrant fumes of hardwood smoke. Because there is no propane at Meatopia. I’ve also hired the top culinary event producers in the business, CREaM, to do the event. These are the guys who produce events for the South Beach and New York Wine and Food Festivals, so Meatopia is officially grown up.

And I’ve done my part too. I don’t believe anybody has ever put together a roster of meat chefs like this. The Animal boys are coming out from LA, Naomi Pomeroy of Portland’s Beast (and of Top Chef: Masters fame), Chris Hastings of Alabama’s revered Hot and Hot Fish Club, and the brilliant Sean Brock of Husk and McCready’s will be there too, doing a whole Ossabaw hog from our man Bev Eggleston. Bev is just as out of his mind as ever, and will also be getting behind an amazing yet-to-be-announced Argentine grill program as well. And think of our New York Chefs: Aaron Sanchez on whole spicy Mexican goats! Seamus Mullen doing Spanish spit-roasted lambs! April Bloomfield on whole hog! Jewish banh mi from Mile End. Porchetta alla Morini. BZ Grill’s legendary pork gyros. Mangalitsa pork steak from Edi and the Wolf, in one of our many special chef-and-farm pairings. Holy god, am I excited. And that’s just the food.

Our presenting sponsor, Amstel Light, will have some of the coldest, most delicious, and healthiest of beers flowing freely. It will be available at fair cost to everybody, and all-you-can-drink for our “Carnisseur” and VIP ticket holders. Whole Foods will be a major presence, and Nate Appleman has something super cool cooked up representing our friends at Chipotle Mexican Grill. (Think house-ground chorizo tostadas, not to spoil the surprise or anything.) I am linking up various musical acts to perform, too. If you have any suggestions, write us. And keep checking back. The Meatopia Diary (I am boycotting the word “blog”) will be updated every few days or so.