True, the meat industry is not particularly known for having a sense of humor. But a 12 page cease-and-desist letter from a law firm in response to an April Fool's joke? About unicorns?

Seems that on April 1st, online retailer ThinkGeek launched a unicorn meat product — under its Radiant Farms label and looking like a can of Spam targetted to 8 year-old girls — and described it as “the new white meat.” Also, an “excellent source of sparkles.” It was a joke, not unlike other ThinkGeek products that have launched on the first of that particular month, “My First Bacon,” a talking stuffed toy that looks like a piece of bacon, for example.

The Pork Board was not amused. According to the Associated Press, Ceci Snyder, vice president of marketing for the National Pork Board, had this to say: “We certainly understand that unicorns don't exist. Yes, it's funny. But if you don't respond, you are opening your trademark up to challenges.” Right. Like from the business-minded parents of those 8 year-old girls. Or maybe J.K. Rowling.

This week ThinkGeek offered a public apology, and went on record to clarify the qualities of its nonexistent canned unicorn meat, as — unlike pork — being somewhat sparkly, a bit red and not approved by any government entity. But if it did exist, it would work very nicely in this recipe for savory unicorn & heirloom tomato bruchetta.

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