Calves Brains...Apparently I Am Satan? Still too taboo?

Call me crazy, but I (during my recent trip to the DMV) was reading through my Larousse Gastronomique, and came across a recipe that required using calves brains. Now, I realize that when these recipes were written, the onslaught of mad-cow disease had not occurred; however, I did not realize that I would be given the stare of death from the butcher at Whole Foods (oh yes, I was so bold as to ask the WF butcher if I can even get my hands on these delectable parts.) He looked at me with disdain and said, "No! No, you can't find those anywhere. We only have the tongue."

So, I still sit here baffled as to why this is still such a sore subject - even in the butcher community (or maybe I caught this guy on a bad day?)