Chicago overturns foie gras ban

by julie on May 14, 2008

In 2006, Chicago enacted a ban on foie gras because of cruelty to animals. Today, that ban was overturned. Thoughts on this?

copyright 2008, winemedineme/Julie Niesen. All rights reserved.
  • valereee

    Well, I don’t eat foie gras myself (or veal) because of ethical concerns, but banning doesn’t seem like an efficient way of dealing with those concerns. Ban the treatment of animals that produces it, maybe. B

  • Cin Twin1

    Ok help a newbie foodie out:

    Foie Gras is goose liver?
    What makes it so special?
    Is it like pate?
    Where is the best in the city?

    Thanks!

    BTW, I could google this stuff, but it is fun to ask “the experts”! :)

  • Julie

    Foie Gras is goose liver?

    Foie Gras is duck or goose liver.

    What makes it so special?

    The breeds of ducks and geese naturally gorge themselves, causing a fatty liver. It’s really flavorful (not really liver-y) and unctuous and has an amazing mouth-feel. The ethical issues (that Val mentions) are that the producers use a method called gavage, which is putting a tube down duckie’s throat to force-feed it. There are also producers that allow the ducks to naturally gorge themselves. The argument is that gavage is cruel; others say that it isn’t.

    Is it like pate? Foie gras can be seared like a piece of meat, or it can be ground up into pate.

    Where is the best in the city?

    I say Hugo, Terry says Red. Both are really, really good and I highly recommend them.

    Best foie gras to buy? Hudson Valley. http://www.hudsonvalleyfoiegras.com/

    You can buy duck fat from them too, which I intend on doing to duplicate these potatoes I had in Paris. Someday!

  • valereee

    Julie, I didn’t know there were breeds of duck/goose that would gorge themselves. That wouldn’t bother me. I figure as long as they’re fat and happy, why should I worry? How do I find “gavage-free” foie gras?

    (Naturally-raised veal doesn’t bother me, either. I’ve told a couple of the dairy farmers I know that I’d be happy to buy humanely-raised veal.)

  • Julie

    Valeree, I believe the ducks that Hudson Valley uses naturally gorge themselves– it’s a pre-migration thing. However I don’t know if it’s “free-range” gorging or still forced gorging. Apparently some guy in Spain allows them to “free-range”, and Schlitz Farms http://www.roastgoose.com/ also does “ethical” foie gras.

    From what I’ve read, in France it can’t be foie gras unless it’s been force-fed, though some producers use rubber tubes instead of steel pipes as that’s far more comfortable. I guess, like anything else, you have to find out where it comes from and how it’s produce.

    I’d be interested in humanely-raised veal, too. It has to taste better!

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