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Who likes Foie Gras???

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
Chicago Gets Worked Up Over Foie Gras
ANNA JOHNSON, Associated Press Writer

CHICAGO - In the city once known as the world's slaughterhouse, restaurants, politicians and animal rights activists are worked up over a goose liver delicacy.


A proposed ban on foie gras has divided Chicago's fine restaurants and stirred a two-pronged debate: whether it is humane to force-feed geese and ducks to plump up their livers, and whether politicians should be telling diners what they can and cannot eat.

"Our laws are reflection of our culture, and in our culture it's not acceptable to torture small animals," said Alderman Joseph Moore, whose proposed ordinance would affect at least 19 restaurants in Chicago, by one count.

Chicago was once "hog butcher for the world," as the poet Carl Sandburg so famously put it. The vast Union Stock Yards were the setting for Upton Sinclair's muckraking novel "The Jungle," about conditions in turn-of-the-century meatpacking plants.

While that era is long gone, Chicago is still very much a city of carnivores, with its steakhouses and its Chicago-style hot dogs with all the trimmings.

"I never thought this would happen in my lifetime. It feels so politically driven," said Rick Tramonto, the chef and owner of the four-star restaurant Tru. "We're the meatpacking part of the country. We're the Midwest. We're farming states. It's strange to me that this is happening."

A City Council committee approved the ordinance last month, and the full council could vote this month. But Mayor Richard M. Daley has made it clear he does not like the idea of banning certain foods, grumbling, "Pretty soon, you can't drink."

Rich and buttery, foie gras, pronounced fwah-GRAH and French for "fat liver," often is served sliced and pan-seared, frequently with fruit or atop greens or a cut of steak or veal.

To fatten the liver of waterfowl, a tube is inserted into their throats twice a day and partially cooked corn is pumped down the esophagus. Only three foie gras farms — two in New York and one in California — operate in the United States.

"Force-feeding birds to have livers up to 10 times their size is appalling and most citizens are shocked to learn this," said Gene Bauston, president of the animal rights group Farm Sanctuary, which is part of a worldwide movement against foie gras.

But Guillermo Gonzalez, who owns operates Sonoma Foie Gras, a foie gras producer about 80 miles east of San Francisco, contends the process is not abusive.

"The images using a tube to feed is duck is not pretty, but the fact of the matter is the anatomy of ducks and geese are perfectly adaptable," he said.

Several Chicago restaurateurs oppose the ban and say they do not want politicians meddling with a product steeped in tradition. However, Charlie Trotter, Chicago's most famous chef, has stopped serving foie gras at his namesake restaurant. And Bistro Campagne's chef and co-owner Michael Altenberg also dropped the delicacy, after a customer sent him a DVD produced by an animal-rights group.

"This is outright cruelty," Altenberg said. "It's cruelty just for gluttony."

In October, a restaurant that serves foie gras, Cyrano's Bistrot, was vandalized after its owner testified against the proposed ban. A window was smashed and a door was smeared with a blood-red liquid.

California is the only state to vote to ban the force-feeding of birds to produce the gourmet liver product, passing a measure that would end the practice by 2012. Israel, the world's fourth-largest producer of foie gras, also banned production of the delicacy on the grounds of cruelty.

France has stood firm. About 80 percent of the world's foie gras comes from France. French lawmakers last month unanimously passed an amendment pronouncing foie gras part of France's cultural heritage.
 

peter6061

Turbo Monkey
Nov 19, 2001
1,575
0
Kenmore, WA
N8 said:
"Our laws are reflection of our culture, and in our culture it's not acceptable to torture small animals," said Alderman Joseph Moore
As long as they don't start going after those baby cows next, it's okay by me.

Mmmmmm, veal.
 

amydalayna

Turbo Monkey
Aug 16, 2005
1,507
0
south lake tahoe, ca
my favorite part was: French lawmakers last month unanimously passed an amendment pronouncing foie gras part of France's cultural heritage.

force feeding birds with tubes down their necks are part of their country's heritage? a bit odd.
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
stinkyboy said:
Organ meats are disgusting.
i disliked the lamb kidney i ate.

foie gras is tasty.

sweetbreads are ok, but in small quantities

chicken livers are ok, but i was violently ill (i thought i was gonna rupture my eardrum while puking, no lie) the last time i ate them and haven't had them since.

i've never had brain or heart or lungs or other stuff, unless you count haggis.
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
It's a tough one, I like the taste but don't like what it takes to produce it. On balance I am not sure it's that much worse than the treatment of all the other animals most of us eat. It's just that this particular method is easy to point to as an example of cruelty.

Everyone draws their own lines. My girl is a carnivore but won't eat duck even though she likes the taste. The reason: Ducks are cute. :rolleyes:
 

amydalayna

Turbo Monkey
Aug 16, 2005
1,507
0
south lake tahoe, ca
OGRipper said:
Everyone draws their own lines. My girl is a carnivore but won't eat duck even though she likes the taste. The reason: Ducks are cute. :rolleyes:
that's silly. not because dusk is tasty... because it is delicious... but because most animals are kinda cute. except chickens. not cute.

but i think lamb is tasty, and a little lamby is adorable.

to each his own. i buy my meat at the butcher shop, which means it is all natural.
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
amydalayna said:
that's silly. not because dusk is tasty... because it is delicious... but because most animals are kinda cute. except chickens. not cute.

but i think lamb is tasty, and a little lamby is adorable.

to each his own. i buy my meat at the butcher shop, which means it is all natural.
Oh yeah, I know. But it's not a rational decision, so a rational argument doesn't work. She won't eat rabbit for the same reason. But like you said, to each his (or her) own. We gorge on lots of other cute animals instead. :thumb:
 

valve bouncer

Master Dildoist
Feb 11, 2002
7,843
114
Japan
narlus said:
i disliked the lamb kidney i ate.

foie gras is tasty.

sweetbreads are ok, but in small quantities

chicken livers are ok, but i was violently ill (i thought i was gonna rupture my eardrum while puking, no lie) the last time i ate them and haven't had them since.

i've never had brain or heart or lungs or other stuff, unless you count haggis.
Apparently that is quite common with chicken liver. Did you eat it raw?
Lamb kidneys:drool:
Tongue is good too. Cow liver is OK if nice and fresh. I like the taste (same as kidneys) but not the texture.
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
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behind the viewfinder
valve bouncer said:
Apparently that is quite common with chicken liver. Did you eat it raw?
not quite, but almost; they were seared.

valve bouncer said:
Lamb kidneys:drool:
Tongue is good too. Cow liver is OK if nice and fresh. I like the taste (same as kidneys) but not the texture.
the kidneys i had were lamb kidneys...they were a bit, er, crunchy at times. not my thing.

i've never had tongue; the time i wanted to order it (beef tongue burrito in the Mission district) they were out.
 

valve bouncer

Master Dildoist
Feb 11, 2002
7,843
114
Japan
narlus said:
not quite, but almost; they were seared.



the kidneys i had were lamb kidneys...they were a bit, er, crunchy at times. not my thing.

i've never had tongue; the time i wanted to order it (beef tongue burrito in the Mission district) they were out.
Yeah chicken livers have gotta be so fresh they're still clucking.
Tongue is good. We eat corned tongue in Australia which is foul but in Japan they barbecue it in small slices (yaki-niku style if you know Japan) and it's good although a little chewy sometimes. I often eat cartlidge here both chicken (usually) and pork (ocassionally)...that's good too.
 

laura

DH_Laura
Jul 16, 2002
6,259
15
Glitter Gulch
i've never had it. i'm not sure about eating an organ that removes toxins from the body. i would taste it, and probably like it, but it wouldn't become a staple even if it was affordable.
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
laura said:
i've never had it. i'm not sure about eating an organ that removes toxins from the body. i would taste it, and probably like it, but it wouldn't become a staple even if it was affordable.
for a wild animal (esp a bottom feeder like lobster or top of the food chain type like tuna) i would definitely not eat liver. but for a domesticated animal whose feed is controlled, it shouldn't be a big deal.
 

Mani_UT

Monkey
Nov 25, 2001
644
0
SLC, UT
Foie gras rules!!! With a toast and a glass of Sauternes....

Torture my ass, the animals are actually not suffering and get more or less addicted to the force feeding. They definitely have a better life than 10 000 battery chicken stuck in a dark room. Whatever.. Some people just pick the wrong battles
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
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behind the viewfinder
SkaredShtles said:
Can you get lobster foie gras? :D
the tomalley (that nasty green goop from the carapace) is the liver.

2 entries found for sweetbreads.

sweet·bread Audio pronunciation of "sweetbreads" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (swtbrd)
n.

The thymus gland or pancreas of a young animal, especially a calf or lamb, used for food.



sweetbreads

n : edible glands of an animal [syn: sweetbread]
 

S.K.C.

Turbo Monkey
Feb 28, 2005
4,096
25
Pa. / North Jersey
I've read the article and I don't get it:

Force feeding geese = The most awful thing in the world.

Cuttin' up cattle to make steaks = Delicious!

...what about the thousands of fu@king cattle and chickens?!?!

If you're gonna get up on your corn-fed, free-range, high horse at least be consistant.:D

To the citizens of Chicago: Your tax dollars are being well spent.

...on next weeks docket: Milk Ban - The wrongful violation of a cows' body for dairy products.
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
Well, a lot of the people that complain about foie gras are vegan or vegetarians. But I agree, for meat eaters to complain is pretty hypocritical, it's only a matter of degree.

And I don't know about you guys but I can hear the sprouts and the wheat grass scream when they are forced to drink too much water and then ripped from their hydroponic beds. :blah:
 

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,839
15
So Cal
stinkyboy said:
Organ meats are disgusting.
:stupid:

Absolutley nasty, especially the liver and kidneys. Why would I want to eat something that is basically a filter?

Sadly the way most food animals are kept is pretty nasty and can be considered cruel, depending on your point of view.
 

Qman

Monkey
Feb 7, 2005
633
0
amydalayna said:
but i think lamb is tasty, and a little lamby is adorable.
And it's amazing how tender the meat is when they kill 'em before they can walk....
 

spoke80

Turbo Monkey
Nov 12, 2001
1,494
0
SkaredShtles said:
I don't like chicken liver much, but it's *the* secret ingredient in really good bolognese....... :drool:
I have a brother who is trained in French cuisine so I dig on Foie!

One thing to try is Foie mashed potatoes, Foie and tuffles served with a fresh lobster tail in a foie lobster sause!

Sure it is pure fat but that's what makes it sooooooo good!
 

DRB

unemployed bum
Oct 24, 2002
15,242
0
Watchin' you. Writing it all down.
amydalayna said:
my favorite part was: French lawmakers last month unanimously passed an amendment pronouncing foie gras part of France's cultural heritage.

force feeding birds with tubes down their necks are part of their country's heritage? a bit odd.
A bit odd? That's freakin' hilarious.
 

Qman

Monkey
Feb 7, 2005
633
0
SkaredShtles said:
Ahhhhhahahhahaha. Why even call yourself a veg if you're not? :confused:

Kinda like how Tom Cruise calls himself a hetero and he's not.....
:blah:
 

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
OGRipper said:
Well I don't agree, but if you eat sausage I guess you prefer to eat actual buttholes rather than something you think tastes like it? Yum.
I'm not down with sausages, they taste like ass. An ass stuffed with ass.
 

VDfree

Monkey
Feb 18, 2005
103
0
germantown
Mani_UT said:
Foie gras rules!!! With a toast and a glass of Sauternes....

To They definitely have a better life than 10 000 battery chicken stuck in a dark room. Whatever.. Some people just pick the wrong battles
Right-On! Chickens are the dirtiest animals in the world and we eat them like they are the best thing in the world...Ask old Perdue over in salsbury how much he pays a year in TOXIC WASTE fees.

Foie Gras is Awesome. This time of year with a little pommegranate and blood orange reduction, aged balsamic and a little Mache as a cleansing note! As rediculus as that sounds, it is true. Who cares how it is raised! We are meat eaters...we have eyes on the front of our heads, not the sides. God and/or evolution made us that way. So stop your crying and enjoy on some brioche!
 

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
(btw please don't take my food posts seriously, I live w/ a professional food snob, so these things are forced upon me)
 

FlipSide

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2001
1,376
804
Foie gras is like drinking a very good Champagne or an exceptionnaly good white wine. It's almost a life changing experience...I love it. :thumb: