I am a great eater of beef, and I believe that does harm to my wit.

— William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

With all the who-knows-what added to meat these days, it seems that eating a lot of it could potentially harm much more than one’s wit. That’s why Organic Lands, the first " organic charcuterie, " thinks its burgers, franks, meatballs, beef jerky, bologna, and pepperoni are better off without the standard infusion of creepy chemicals and additives. We think the company’s on to something. No preservatives. No antibiotics. No growth stimulants. No hormones. No pesticides. No nitrates. No kidding.

Just try the " Bravo Meatballs! " , light, Italian-style aggregates of meat with a pleasingly piquant, surprisingly full flavor. (And they have 70 percent less fat and 40 percent fewer calories than most meatballs.) Organic Lands’ " Hall of Fame Franks " have half the fat of regular old hot dogs; they also, not insignificantly, taste great. The flavor can only be described as kind of like other beef franks, but somehow ... more so. (Which raises an interesting question: have additives and preservatives come to define the taste of a hot dog?) Our only complaint is the dogs’ thick skin — a response to the ceaseless jeers of the veggie crowd, we suppose.

Organic Lands beef products can be found at selected supermarkets, or ordered online at www.organiclands.com