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Todd Stein, executive chef at Chicago's
MK, slices up a portion of foie gras.
MK, slices up a portion of foie gras.
Chicago Repeals Foie Gras Ban
May 16, 2008 9:44 AM
by
findingDulcinea Staff
Animal rights activists are crying foul now that the duck and goose liver delicacy will be available to diners again after a two-year ban.
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Chicago’s City Council made the decision on Wednesday to overturn the ban, which was originally passed in April 2006.
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who has called the ban “the silliest law the City Council has ever passed,” ignored the objections of the law’s sponsor and stopped debate on the issue, reported the Chicago Tribune.
Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said that the repeal was due to “shameless manipulation” by restaurant lobbyists. “This decision is a big step backwards for the city, and it goes against the tide of civilized communities who are making the compassionate decision to ban foie gras,” PETA said in a blog post on its Web site.
But chef Eve Felder, in an e-mail excerpt posted on the food Web site Megnut, recounts her experience working on a foie gras farm in France and says that its production is not a cruel event for the animals: “It was an extremely gentle and intimate experience. The animal does not have a gag reflex. They always waddled away perfectly happy and full and ready for a nap.”
One alternative for squeamish diners is to consume only the award-winning “ethical” foie gras made by Spanish company Pateria de Sousa. The company says that it gives its ducks and geese “free-range” to feed instead of force-feeding them to fatten their livers like most other producers of the gourmet dish.
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who has called the ban “the silliest law the City Council has ever passed,” ignored the objections of the law’s sponsor and stopped debate on the issue, reported the Chicago Tribune.
Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said that the repeal was due to “shameless manipulation” by restaurant lobbyists. “This decision is a big step backwards for the city, and it goes against the tide of civilized communities who are making the compassionate decision to ban foie gras,” PETA said in a blog post on its Web site.
But chef Eve Felder, in an e-mail excerpt posted on the food Web site Megnut, recounts her experience working on a foie gras farm in France and says that its production is not a cruel event for the animals: “It was an extremely gentle and intimate experience. The animal does not have a gag reflex. They always waddled away perfectly happy and full and ready for a nap.”
One alternative for squeamish diners is to consume only the award-winning “ethical” foie gras made by Spanish company Pateria de Sousa. The company says that it gives its ducks and geese “free-range” to feed instead of force-feeding them to fatten their livers like most other producers of the gourmet dish.
Headline Link: Chicago repeals foie gras ban
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, after the 37-6 vote, seemed fed up with the press attention the ban has brought to the city: “This has been talked about, debated about constantly by international, national, local press, media, by the whole hospitality, culinary field, all of it. … This has been going on forever.”
Source: The Chicago Tribune
Opinion & Analysis: PETA, chef Eve Felder
PETA blamed restaurant industry lobbyists for the decision. “Unfortunately, in large part thanks to a handful of powerful people, battling wealthy industries can be a long, hard battle, regardless of where the public stands on the issue.”
Source: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Chef Eve Felder, who worked on a foie gras farm in the Dordogne valley of France, says that ducks naturally gorge prior to migration. “They are genetically programmed to make sure they are full for their ultimate flight. People who are taking issue with this have attacked a very small artisanal industry that is easy to target. I am actually heartsick that they have made such inroads. What will be next?”
Source: Megnut
Related Topics: The Holy Grail of foie gras?
The BBC reported in 2007 that Spanish farmers have created an “ethical” version of the dish that doesn’t require force feeding the animals involved. Pateria de Sousa, which says that its foie gras is made from “free-range” feeding of its birds, was awarded the Coup de Coeur award by the Paris International Food Salon.
Source: The BBC
French foie gras makers disputed the award given to “ethical” Spanish farmers, claiming that the Spanish version of the dish is not really foie gras. Pateria de Sousa President Eduardo Sousa responded to French criticism: “It’s normal that they have asked for their prize back because they are scared.”
Source: The Times
Reference: What is foie gras?
Foie gras is the fattened liver of a duck or goose. It is cherished for its velvety and meaty taste and is normally produced by a process in which the animals are force fed.
Source: Hudson Valley Foie Gras
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