EVERY SO OFTEN, an item on a menu that has been a constant for years will suddenly vanish. You might still be able to order it by special request, but sooner or later you will ask yourself, Whatever happened to the Waldorf salad? What happened is it became extinct. In “Kitchen Confidential,” chef Anthony Bourdain remembers such dishes from his days in the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) circa 1975, including “cauliflower in Mornay sauce, saddle of veal Orloff, lobster thermidor . . . chicken Hawaiian, grilled ham steak with pineapple ring and old-style lumbering classics like beef Wellington.” All of which have been relegated to the ash heap of culinary history. Could a true American classic like the chopped steak be next?

So far as we know, the first recorded case of mad cow disease in the United States is also the only case. And while Congress will continue scrutinizing the USDA’s surveillance system, the general public can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that for now, nothing will stand between them and a juicy steak. But what about ground beef? After all, the one cow with BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or “mad cow”) found its way into eight states plus Guam as hamburger patties. Wary consumers may opt for steak sandwiches rather than chopped steak–a choice that could ultimately lead to its extinction from the menu.