Girl on the Block: A True Story of Coming of Age Behind the Counter

Gabrielle Hamilton meets April Bloomfield in a raw and rollicking memoir that pulls back the curtain on life as a female butcher.

When 16-year-old Jessica Wragg applied for a job at the local farm shop in her hometown of Chesterfield, England, she never expected to land a position behind the all-male butchery counter. Young and enthusiastic, and fueled by a newfound fascination with the craft, Wragg quickly realized that she was an outcast in a world of middle-aged men who spoke a secret language to fool customers and were reluctant to share the tricks of their trade with a novice.

A decade later, against all odds, Wragg is pulling back the curtain on an industry that is still problematically set in its old-school ways. Like her female counterparts in the restaurant world, she has had to fight to establish herself in the meat industry, memorizing muscle and bone and tendon, while battling sexism and ageism.

Girl on the Block is a fish-out-of-water story that blends Wragg's personal journey with an exploration of the sanctity of her craft and an honest look at the modern meat industry. A tour through one of the oldest, dirtiest, and most fascinating professions, Girl on the Block is Wragg's tale of returning home with blood on her boots at the end of fourteen-hour days and finding her way in the end.

When sixteen-year-old Jessica Wragg applied for a job at her local farm shop in Derbyshire, England, she never expected to land a position behind the butchery counter. Wragg was younger than many of her colleagues by decades and she was one of the few women on staff, struggling to earn her keep among colleagues who were reluctant to share the tricks of their trade with a novice. Breaking down carcasses by day and studying animal anatomy by night, Wragg was soon hooked and determined to establish herself in an industry that is steeped in tradition and often resistant to change.

From the English countryside to the streets of London, Girl on the Block blends Wragg’s personal coming-of-age story with a lyrical exploration of her craft and a rich history of butchery. She also takes an incisive look at the modern meat industry and the ever-changing ideologies around ethical meat consumption, as an often-conflicted carnivore who has spent time in an abattoir and witnessed slaughter firsthand. A raw tour through one of the world’s oldest, dirtiest, and most fascinating professions, Girl on the Block is Wragg’s tale of returning home with blood on her boots after fourteen-hour days and finding her way in the end.

“This debut memoir offers a solid behind-the-scenes look at the meat industry […] Foodies will appreciate Wragg’s honest take on the evolving world of butchery.” - Publishers Weekly

"Wragg's writing style is approachable and engaging, and her insights into a world that will be foreign to most readers are detailed and at times gripping. Foodies will love her insider's perspective, and home chefs especially will enjoy her book's practical aspects, which included descriptions of process and technique as well as recipes that dot the text. All readers will be enlightened by Wragg's experiences working in a largely male-dominated profession. This foodie memoir is a cut above."  - Booklist (starred review)