FoieBlog

VICTOIRE! VICTOIRE!

2008-05-15T09:58:00.003-04:00

"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."

Two long years, actually, but Chicago Mayor Richard Daly's comment said it all as he watched the City Council vote 37-6 to overturn the city's ban on Foie Gras, which he once called "the silliest law...ever."

FoieBlog commends the unyielding efforts of Chicago Chef's for Choice and the Artisan Farmers Alliance in battling this ban into oblivion and showing the animal activists that they are a force to be reckoned with. Alderman Joe Moore passed the ban in a sneaky legislative move back in April 2006, but his defeat was both public and embarrassing, and should send a message to those who would so blithely take away their constituents freedom of choice to quiet the voices of a few extremists.

We all involved well as they take the fight to Sacramento to overturn California's ban on Foie Gras, which is set to go into effect in 2012.

Hopefully it won't take that long.

FOIE FREEDOM IN THE FREE STATE

2008-03-16T12:36:00.002-04:00

After being force-fed the facts by the Maryland Restaurant Association, Artisan Farmer's Alliance, and the state veterinarian, legislators in both the Assembly and Senate of Maryland decided to pull bills that would've banned the production and sale of Foie Gras in the state.

"We may have gone too far," was how Senator Joan Carter Conway, put it as she tabled the bill she sponsored, and that pretty much sums things up.

Activists annoyed their representatives into introducing the legislation, but well-reasoned arguments from sensible voices showed them the light.

Kudos to the coalition that stood against this absurdity. They say 99% of success is just showing up, but 1% solid information doesn't hurt.

FoieBlog looks forward to enjoying some Foie Gras Crab Cakes Encrusted With Old Bay Seasoning - if anyone is brave enough to make it.

SPECIAL DELIVERY

2008-02-28T09:55:00.007-05:00

FoieBlog would like to apologize for our extended absence. A recent reader e-mail reminded us that we've been remiss in our duties.

Alas, while some aspects of life outside of cyberspace (which we won't bore you with) have distracted us from our mission of late, rest assured, we're still here, and hope to be stirring up trouble again soon.

In the meantime, GrasGuy did something recently that was either unfortunate or ill-advised. We'll recount it as a cautionary tale.

On a inclement winter night he had a craving for a hearty cassoulet, but, being the lazy gourmand that he is, he wasn't about to drag the family out into the bitter cold to satisfy his craving.

It wasn't really a problem, though, because in Manhattan everything is available via delivery.

So it was that with a quick check of the internet, he was able to place an order for a plate of Duck Leg Cassoulet with Coco beans and Sausage from one of his favorite local eateries, Brasserie Julien.

Of course, he couldn't leave it at that.

While perusing the online menu, his eye was drawn to the appetizer list, topped by a Terrine of Foie Gras with Apple and Calvados Chutney and Glaze.

Foie Gras, via bicycle? Did he dare?

He did.

The site of the Foie Gras through the plastic lid of the delivery container was only slightly more appetizing than when it was uncovered and it's adehsion to the aluminum surface was in full view.

Most people would have shut the lid, and shut out the memory of this travesty, but for GrasGuy, Foie Gras left uneaten is Foie Gras that never existed at all.

Surprisingly, it was good.

Not surprisingly, there were consequences.

We will not recount them here.

Other food had been consumed that day, much of it likely of questionable origin given GrasGuy's propensity to eat things even Andrew Zimmern would think twice about, but the finger of suspicion must point to the terrine.

Somehow we don't think this will stop him from placing another order if a similar mood should strike again.

If so, we hope something else won't strike again either.

CELEBRITY CHEF BEATS UP GERMAN SHOPKEEPER!

2007-12-14T15:32:00.000-05:00

If you're a subscriber to the Wall Street Journal, be sure to check out today's article (12/14/07) on the battle over Foie Gras.

Several famous chefs give Wolfgang Puck's efforts against Foie Gras a well-deserved dressing down, including Anthony Bourdain, who proves once again nothing can hold back his tongue.

"I think he should stop worrying about cruelty to animals and start worrying about all the customers he's flopping his crap on at airports...He got squeezed and pressured and phone-called from all angles, and like a good German shopkeeper he folded and sold out the people hiding in the cellar next door. I got no respect."

Yep, nothing like referencing the Holocaust the raise the level of a debate. At least he didn't swear.

Daniel Boulud and Jaques Pepin also toss their two cents into the mix - though with a bit more reserve - and the article actually gives the Foie Gras supporters the kind of fair shake you don't see much in the broadsheets.

FoieBlog is sure it's only a coincidence that this article appeared on the first full day of Rupert Murdoch's ownership of the paper, aren't you?

TONY DISHES IT OUT

2007-12-11T09:15:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time Anthony Bourdain went to his brother's house for the holidays, and put on a pretty good show in the process. So scripted, so contrived, so entertaining.

And he did a good deed for Foie Gras along the way.

Sure, the fair and balanced way he went about it - stacking the deck with our favorite purveyor, D'Artagnan's Ariane Daguin, and that cuddly old veterinarian of unknown credentials for his in depth expose of Foie Gras production at Hudson Valley Foie Gras - made Fox News look like NPR, but what the heck, it sounded good to us. And damn if that Foie Gras didn't look tasty - even those crazy kids from Queens of the Stone Age looked like they were enjoying it.

Once again Bourdain provides us with a reasonable sounding argument in support of Foie Gras. No, he won't convince everyone. As he says, there are "these f****** people [who] are not really all about us not eating duck liver. No, no, no. They don’t want us eating any animal product whatsoever," and they're a lost cause. But if you listen to Uncle Tony, the next time you run into a flock of them, at least you'll have some verbal ammo to go hunting with.

Happy Holidays!

THE PART OF PERRY COMO WILL BE PLAYED TONIGHT BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN

2007-12-10T14:32:00.000-05:00

Boy, the things having a kid will do to you.

Tonight (Dec 10) at 10pm the Travel Channel presents - wait for it - Anthony Bourdain's Holiday Special!

FoieBlog isn't sure if Tony will be leading his family in a rendition of the Ramones' "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)", but we hear everyone's favorite holiday treat - Foie Gras - will be featured on the menu he's preparing, as he travels to deepest darkest Connecticut - via D'Artagnan and Hudson Valley Foie Gras - for Thanksgiving with the family.

Bourdain has been over many rivers and through countless woods these past few years, but we're sure nothing has prepared him for this.

BUT STEAMING CRABS TO DEATH ISN'T A PROBLEM?

2007-12-06T16:55:00.000-05:00

The Veggie Vigilantes are putting the squeeze on Maryland, and at least two chefs don't have the stomach for it.

The Columbia Reporter reports that Michel Tersiguel of Tersiguel's French Country Restaurant in Ellicot City will be taking Foie Gras off his menu with the New Year after members of the Baltimore Animal Rights Coalition threatened to start protesting out front. The Iron Bridge Wine Co. - run by Steve Wecker - in nearby Columbia has also cleared it's kitchen of Foie Gras after complaints from customers. Such a shame to see these guys go down without a fight. Tersiguel said he had no choice, and it was a "no-win situation for us."

FoieBlog disagrees.

Just ask AAEFAAA award winner Parind Vora of Jezebel Restaurant in Austin, Texas, who has been fending off a twice a week protest for several months now and is no worse for wear.

Yes, it's easy for us to say go for it since we don't run a restaurant ourselves. Just don't be surprised, Mssrs. Tersiguel and Wecker, when you're faced with another "no-win situation." The name of the group is the Baltimore ANIMAL Rights Coalition. Not the Baltimore NO FOIE GRAS Coalition.

They'll be back.

Actually, they'll be at Louisiana Restaurant in Baltimore on Dec 7th where you can currently get a Veal Tenderloin En Croute Stuffed With Foie Gras Over Wild Mushrooms With Madeira Sauce and Truffle Oil.

Let's see if you still can in 2008.

FAUX GRAS SPREADING LIKE PATE

2007-12-04T09:48:00.000-05:00

Perhaps it's time to buy stock instead of Foie Gras.

British supermarket chain Waitrose has introduced a new faux gras product. The Scotsman reports that after taking Foie Gras off it's shelves six years ago, the purveyor has developed a pate that includes the naturally fattened livers of free range geese and ducks - raised in, of all places, Foie Gras-free Britian.

Hmm, sounds to us that someone at Waitrose got this idea after reading Pateria De Sousa's press. In any event, FoieBlog will continue to follow this development, as this "alternative" has now spread to at least three countries (UK, Spain, and Schiltz Goose Farms in the USA).

While we have yet to try any of this ourselves, most reviews say it's an alternative, but far from a replacement for Foie Gras. Still, our accountant is starting to think we should get in to this business on the bottom floor. It's no Google, but maybe our retirement will have to settle for Goosegle.

FOUNDING FATHER FOIE

2007-11-23T11:34:00.000-05:00

OK, so it's not Foie Gras, but while going through the giblets from our Thanksgiving turkey, we couldn't help but toss a bit of the liver in a pan and have an impromptu snack.

Not as good as the real thing, but with a little olive oil and rock salt, not too bad either - and still better than a dry turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving!

THANKSGIVING TURKEYS

2007-11-19T09:31:00.000-05:00

Ahh, the holidays in New York City, there's truly nothing like it anywhere else. The Rockefeller Christmas tree, Tiffany's crystal snowflake over Fifth Avenue, and, of course, carolers from Farm Sanctuary.

FoieBlog passed by Fairway on Manhattan's Upper West Side yesterday and was greeted by the latest chapter in the on again, off again No Foie Gras protest outside one of the cornerstones of the city's culinary heart. Thankfully, the activists didn't seem to be making much headway with the throngs of shoppers coming in and out of the store, and FoieBlog was actually impressed by the level of decorum being exhibited by the protesters - at least at the time we were there.

Come on, guys, do you really think such a flaccid exhibition is going to sway anyone to your side? At least try to come up with some catchy holiday-themed slogans, or hire a Santa Claus to attract attention to your efforts. Oh, that's right, you probably don't agree with his enslavement of reindeer and diminutive humans.

In any case, FoieBlog readers in the neighborhood can show their support by dropping in the the store and picking up a bit of Foie Gras in one of the many forms available, including a very easy and affordable 2 medallion package from D'Artagnian.

It makes a great gift for your favorite bloggers. (Hint, hint)

LOBBYING LOSING IT'S LUSTER IN THE UK

2007-11-06T14:10:00.000-05:00

As GrasGuy will tell you from his days in DC (as an observant and poorly-paid underling), one of the great perks and attractions of being a lobbyist - aside from an enormous salary and access to the highest levels of power - is all the free food you have access to at events around the Capitol.

While most consist of the same, huge, uninspired smorgasbord of fatty meats, cheeses and pastas offered with a perfunctory salad to make you feel slightly less guilty about consuming a day's worth of calories in one sitting - knowing full well you'll be eating dinner when you get home anyway - occasionally you come across an event planned by someone with an interest in food and a big enough budget to have an actual restaurant cater it rather than the generic 'pick 5 items from each column per 20 guests' purveyor used by the guy from across the aisle.

These meals, while never quite four-star, are created with the sole intent of placating the guests' palates in such an absolute way that they lower all of their defenses and and let the lobbyist in for the kill to influence whatever bill they're after that week. Washington represents the epitome of this kind of lawmaking, attracting the most effective lobbyists the world has to offer and lawmakers ready to be entertained by them, but it's the same system seen in one form or another in every city in the free world. Unfortunately, in three of those cities in the United Kingdom you won't be seeing Foie Gras on any buffet tables - at least not in city hall.

In the past couple of weeks, the cities of Bolton and Norwich have joined Paul Blanchard's cronies in York by passing largely ceremonial laws banning Foie Gras from council chambers and events. The councils, of course, have no power to ban the sale of Foie Gras in city restaurants and shops, but hope to set an example for the ignorant townsfolk who continue to enjoy unfettered access to the delicacy - save the occasional protester outside their favorite eatery. Unfortunately the people who really suffer here are the poor lawmakers, lobbyists and political hangers-on who will be deprived of this dish so often served at political functions in these cities - we're sure. FoieBlog readers thinking about getting into politics will want to look elsewhere for employment, and those already working in these cities will have to steal away from their meetings early to head off to their local gourmet for a Foie Gras fix when necessary. This having an obvious adverse affect on the well-oiled and well-fed lawmaking processes in these cities eventually leading to the demise of United Kingdom as we know it.

All joking aside, the casual way these symbolic bills made their way through council remind us of Chicago's passge of the 'silliest law', and stand as yet another warning against apathy from Foie Gras lovers, chefs and purveyors on this issue.

DEADLY BLAZE AT HUDSON VALLEY FOIE GRAS

2007-11-01T14:21:00.000-04:00

Late Tuesday night (10/30/07), Hudson Valley Foie Gras suffered a terrible tragedy when a fire of unknown origin swept through a structure housing 15,000 breeding ducks, killing the entire flock. The blaze appears to have started in an adjacent building where the mechanical and climate control equipment for the structure was located. Sullivan County fire officials are investigating the blaze and an exact cause has not been determined at this time. Arson has not been ruled out, but HVFG owner Izzy Yanay says he believes the fire was accidental.

Our best to the folks at HVFG as they recover from this event. While they assure FoieBlog their business will survive, the emotional scars inflicted by it will surely take some time to get over. Any responsible farmer will tell you how difficult it is to see the animals they care for injured in any way, and a disaster like this is unimaginable to anyone who hasn't lived through something similar.

The wonderful people at Farm Sanctuary, however, wasted no time in taking advantage of the tragedy to further their goal of putting HVFG out of business. FoieBlog won't give them the benefit of linking to their press release on the fire, but their statement that "as horrible as the suffering of the ducks who burned must have been, the suffering that awaits the survivors is equally horrific," is appalling beyond words. Such rhetoric is devoid of any semblance of accuracy or propriety, and is a further indicator of the lows activists will stoop to in order to influence their audience.

HALLES OF FAME

2007-10-26T09:33:00.000-04:00

GrasGuy is a fan of Anthony Bourdain. I've admitted it before, and will do so again. I've read the books, enjoyed the shows, but I'm ashamed to say I haven't eaten the food. So, after passing by Les Halles dozens of times on my way to one of the newer, hotter restaurants in the Park Avenue South/Madison Square neighborhood - many of which are already out of business while Les Halles soldiers on - I finally decided to drop in for a bite. It's the least I could do for the man who penned the most honest and reasoned defense of Foie Gras ever put to paper (or, more likely, to computer screen.)

If nothing else, Les Halles lives up to its name. Belying the Manhattan-standard postage stamp-sized sidewalk cafe out front, the capacious interior that confronts you upon entering hits like a tidal wave of open space. There's actually room to stride between the tables without ever having to say 'excuse me' as you bump into yet another handbag hanging off the back of a chair. Still, you can't help thinking they could probably squeeze in another 10 or 15 two-tops if they filled it to the brim like most restaurants in NYC. It smacks of a business with a very old, relatively cheap lease that will come up sooner or later and force them to sell out to a billion-dollar chain like Starbucks or UniQlo. Then again, Les Halles is itself a chainlette, with locations in Washington, DC and Miami, and as long as Tony's star power keeps driving celebrity-chef suckers like me to the restaurant, they can probably fend off the certain doom of Big Apple real estate for a few more years, at least.

OK, enough with the business analysis from someone owns nothing but a set of Henkels knives and an out-of-tune guitar that's been unused only slightly longer than the cutlery.

Bourdain often extols the virtues of straightforward, honest food, and his writing - when not off on some hyperbolic tangent about exploring deepest darkest wherever or in the midst of some passive aggressive assertion of what defines good cooking - follows this mantra as well. This fact was obvious as soon as I was led to my table and seated on a banquette upholstered with torn brown vinyl that was repaired with brown duct tape - clearly the product of a restaurant held together by System D, Bourdain's beloved catch-all term for the mysterious methods restaurants use to fix things without actually fixing them. Who even knew brown duct tape existed? Nevertheless, take one star off for ambiance, but award one happy face for ingenuity.

On the other hand, Les Halles' lunch menu flies in the face of the simplicity Bourdain often espouses, and would give Gordon Ramsay a true kitchen nightmare if he were confronted by it on his show of the same name. There are no less than 50 dishes listed, not counting the separate Brunch menu also available on weekends, but which any reader of Bourdain's would steer clear from if his warnings about the original fourth meal are to be believed. It's hard to imagine any chef turning out this many different plates with any consistency on a Saturday afternoon, but this is the home of Anthony Bourdain, a man who's never been on Iron Chef, nor really claims that his stuff is all that great, so there you go.

Of course, my first instinct was to order the Foie Gras Sauteed with Apple, Walnuts and Calvados Sauce and follow it up with a nice Cassoulet Toulousain, and be done with it. But as I began to put down the menu, my gaze was caught by the intriguingly-named Hamburger Rossini. Who is this Rossini? And how dare he serve a burger with Foie Gras Terrine Melting on Top and a Black Truffle and Red Wine Sauce on the side!

Damn, and I really was in the mood for Cassoulet, but for $19.50 I really had to find out.

Charting this new course, and imagining a thick slice of terrine the size of that bun McDonalds puts between the two burgers in a Big Mac, but made in house with creamy D'Artagnan Foie Gras, I backtracked on the appetizer and went with the Fresh Wild Mushrooms and Salsifis in Puff Pastry instead, fearing an afternoon Foie Gras overdose and feeling a need to continue my exploration of salsify at French brasseries. I'm glad that I did.

Besides being a surprisingly large plate for an appetizer, fitting of the surroundings, the pastry was perfectly done and the filling very flavorful in a home cooked kind of way. As the usually white salsify was as deep brown as the mushroom sauce, this had clearly been stewing for sometime, and the entire dish was infused with all of the underground goodness of it's ingredients. Delicate? No, but why should it be?

Unfortunately the Nicoise Salad my wife ordered wasn't nearly as successful. A nice dressing undone by some big, sloppy red leaf lettuce and an overambitous, oversized, and overcooked piece of tuna that wouldn't have seemed out of place in an Astoria diner. Thankfully, the Hamburger Rossini would.

No, my vision of the ultimately decadent Foie Gras-laden sandwich was not to be, the melted terrine in reality only a small schmear on top of the beef patty - but oh what a schmear. Offering just enough Foie Gras flavor to stand up and be noticed over the perfectly-cooked meat and truffled wine sauce, the Foie Gras makes this a burger to be reckoned with in a neighborhood known for it's burgers. No, Danny Meyer's Shake Shack, down the block in Madison Square Park, doesn't need to worry about the competition - they play to different audiences - but the latest Best Burger In New York at Resto, a Belgian Beer pub just around the corner, is easily bested by Rossini's creation, although, even in this town, $19.50 feels a little steep. Sadly for Bourdain, despite his incessant claim that Les Halles makes the finest Pommes Frites in the world, the Flemish Walloon crowd at Resto do a better job. There's nothing wrong with the frites at Les Halles, they're as good as any, just not the kind you find yourself daydreaming about weeks later. I'm thinking of Resto's right now.

If a restaurant is truly a reflection of it's chef, then it's obvious that Anthony Bourdain must be more than merely a titular executive toque at Les Halles. Like his writing, it's a little rough around the edges and a bit uneven, but entertaining overall. Yes, I'll return one day for that Foie Gras and Cassoulet, but I'll still pass on brunch.

I'm sure Tony will understand.

NOT THINKING LOCALLY

2007-10-12T12:40:00.000-04:00

If you grew up near a town with an IGA grocery store, you probably have fond memories of it.

Usually smaller, always more personal than the big supermarkets, IGAs are in essence mom and pop outfits that have banned together as a group to get more competitive pricing from suppliers and distributors. Without the alliance many of them could not survive on their own, and would be replaced by whatever behemoth chain has taken over the neighboring towns.

Well, as if they didn't have enough trouble dealing with their major competitors, now the Concordia Animal Rights Association (CARA) - the same folks who take credit for ridding Canada of the scourge of evil teenage farmhands - has started targeting IGA stores in the Quebec province as part of their effort to ban Foie Gras.

The very unbiased McGill University Daily (note their pointed and painful description of gavage in paragraph 12) reports that CARA has begun protesting outside of IGA stores in an effort to get them to stop selling Foie Gras.

Call us at FoieBlog cynics (you won't be the first) but we wouldn't be surprised if most of the CARA crew, when not saving the Canadian goose population from extinction, have been to their fair share of anti-globalization protests as well. We've been berated for years about how small, locally-owned companies are the answers to all the world's ills. We've gotten the message. Too bad whenever it's "save the animals" week in activistland they conveniently forget this mantra and set up their soapboxes in front of stores like IGAs and independently-owned restaurants that employ many of their hard working, low-income neighbors while providing the community with the products and services that it demands, which in many places, includes Foie Gras.

BATTLE FOIE GRAS!

2007-10-09T16:14:00.001-04:00

We all have our heroes.

For chefs there are Escoffier, Robuchon, Adria.

For lazy, untalented, imitation bon vivants like us at Foie Blog, there is only one:

Chairman Kaga.

Oh, to be able to summon the greatest chefs in the world before us to craft the finest dishes for our amusement and gastronomic approval. It is the dream.

Sadly for us, it is likely to stay just that.

Thankfully, there is Iron Chef.

Thankfully, there is also You Tube.

Battle Foie Gras.

Enjoy.

Segment 1
Segment2
Segment3
Segment4
Segment5

(Skip to segment 5 if you can't wait to see the tasting)

BLANCHARD IS BACK!

2007-10-08T16:22:00.000-04:00

As we have noted before, many years ago GrasGuy lived in Washington, DC, where he circulated in the highest circles of power - it's a frightening thought.

A good amount of that time was spent in and around Capitol Hill, and he often found himself buying lunch in the various cafeterias of the US Capitol building. The food there was very typical cafeteria fare - burgers, sandwiches, mac and cheese - and nothing much to get excited about. So it is with much surprise that a dinky little government outfit like the Council of York, UK, has banned the sale of Foie Gras in their city hall.

According to our favorite birdcage liner, The Guardian, our old friend Paul Blanchard has managed to get a motion passed in Council banning Foie Gras sales on the premises, and condemning it's sale elsewhere in the country. Fortunately for everyone other than Blanchard, the Council recognizes that they do not have the power to ban the sale of Foie Gras in shops and restaurants around town. Still we are saddened by the passage of the motion.

Oh for the days when Foie Gras vendors would ply the steps of York city hall hawking their lobes to legislators and barristers alike. "Care for a bit of the goose, guvnor? It's right fresh today it is."

Right fresh, indeed.

CHEAPEST GOOD CAUSE EVER

2007-09-26T09:34:00.001-04:00

Ok, helping an old lady cross the street is still free, but no one is trying to ban helping old ladies across the street...yet.

However, if that old lady is on her way to a nice restaurant in Philadelphia you might have to help her past some loud-mouthed protesters trying to ban Foie Gras, and if they have their way one day you could find yourself being arrested as an accessory to a crime. But now, for the low low price of $5, you can help stop this draconian future from coming to pass and save yourself the expense of hiring a high-priced attorney.

Next week, a group of Philadelphia restaurateurs who have joined forces as Philadelphia Chefs for Choice (sorry, Chicago Chefs for Choice was a bit catchier) are hosting Freedom Foie For Five (ok, now that's catchy.) From Oct. 1-7 all of the participating restaurants will be offering Foie Gras dishes at only $5 a creamy, luscious pop.

The goal of the event is to spread the Foie Gras as far and wide as possible, so those who've never had the opportunity to enjoy it before will spread the word and influence the public opinion needed to keep City Councilman Jack Kelly's proposed Foie Gras ban from coming to pass. Hopefully some of Philly's lobbyists will be happy to shell out the extra fiver when they're out to lunch with other members of the City Council - or at least slip it under the table. Wink, wink.

FoieBlog wishes Philadelphia Chefs for Choice the best of luck. Hugs for Puppies is going to have their work cut out for them next week staying on top of 20 restaurants dishing out more Foie Gras than ever before - up until now they've barely been able to muster up a protest at one eatery at a time.

We also encourage our readers not to look at this as just an opportunity to save a few bucks, but to spread the joy among your friends. Just think about it, for the price you usually pay for Foie Gras, you can introduce 3 or 4 of your gastronomically-naive friends to our favorite dish.

Philadelphia Chefs for Choice say you'll be enjoying the kind of freedom Abe Lincoln would be proud of - we only wish they'd chosen George Washington. Democratic Ducks for a Dollar!

Maybe next year.

JEZEHELL

2007-09-20T10:27:00.000-04:00

FoieBlog has never seen a restaurant faced with such an onslaught of animal activism as Restaurant Jezebel in Austin, TX. Twice a week for months now, Noah Cooper's gang from Central Texas Animal Defense have continued their annoying protests, threats, and vandalism against Parind Vora's establishment. Nevertheless Parind tells FoieBlog he will never take Foie Gras off his menu, and we have no reason not to believe him. Heck, Foie Gras sales are up as a result of the controversy, so he says.

Now, Vora's plight is finally being recognized nationally, as the Center For Consumer Freedom has thrown it's weight behind him. If only they could get that trans fat ban in NYC overturned, then we'd be really happy.

If FoieBlog gave out an Award for Achievement in Excellence in the Face of Animal Activist Adversity, Parind Vora would be our top candidate this year. In fact, lets go ahead and establish that award right now. Tickets for our gala ball will be on sale later this month, and we'll be sending out invites to all of Hollywood's finest vegetarians just as soon as we get around to it.

I wouldn't expect Moby to be performing at the awards ceremony, but maybe Ted Nugent will be available.

ON THE MENU: JUSTICE

2007-09-13T09:28:00.000-04:00

After a quick chase on Tuesday, Austin police apprehended Josh Rosenberg, the animal rights activist accused of defacing Restaurant Jezebel, as he tried to run out of his backyard. Kudos to the fine officers of the APD for tracking down this creep. Rosenberg now faces felony criminal mischief charges and is being held on $20,000 bail.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT

2007-09-11T10:03:00.001-04:00

FoieBlog doesn't expect much decorum from animal activists, but this is pretty bad.

According to their website, the illustrious Central Texas Animal Defense has scheduled yet another protest outside of Restaurant Jezebel in Austin for this most solemn of days. No, we are not trying to draw any parallels between the 9/11 terror attacks and the feeble activists of CTAD, but there are days for this sort of thing and and there are days that aren't. 9/11 should not be one of those days. We doubt this will sit well with the residents of 43's home state.

In any event, there could be some action outside of Restaurant Jezebel this evening worthy of an episode of COPS. KVUE reports that Austin police have identified the person responsible for vandalizing the establishment on at least 2 occasions. According to the report, Jezebel's owner, Parind Vora set up a surveillance camera to catch the creep in the act. He did, and the cops cross-referenced the video with one taken at a recent protest outside of the eatery where the suspect, Josh Rosenberg was present. Despite Noah Cooper of CTAD insisting that the ones responsible for the vandalism "are putting themselves and the perception of animal rights activists are risk," it looks like they are a bit closer than Mr. Cooper would otherwise admit.

FoieBlog would also like to thank one of our readers (JS) for pointing out that CTAD has started taking their dog and pony show outside Austin and is now harassing Bistro Vatel in San Antonio. Run by a Damien Watel, who claims to be the descendant of a chef of Louis Quatorze, Bistro Vatel features Foie Gras et Pain Perdu as an appetizer on a very nice-looking bistro menu that also offers Duck Breast with Rhubarb and Sauteed Sweetbreads in Bernaise sauce. Protesters are expected this Saturday, 9/15.

For Watel's sake, FoieBlog hopes the police in San Antonio are as diligent as Austin's finest.

FOIEBLOG GOES XXX!

2007-09-10T09:16:00.001-04:00

Like a struggling actress in Hollywood looking for her big break, or a simple blogger overwhelmed with bills for website hosting and T1 lines, FoieBlog has taken the inevitable step of going into porn.

We know, whatever sliver of credibility we may have had is history, but when you take a look at the pix, we think you'll be as persuaded as we were.

Enjoy!

(Our thanks to MH in upstate NY)

DISGUSTING!

2007-09-07T08:24:00.000-04:00

No, we're not talking about the cockroaches.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that our friend, Didier Durand of Chicago's Cyrano's Bistrot was the target of some pests who decided to rat him out to the health department for supposedly serving Foie Gras in defiance of the city's ban.

While they came up empty in their search for the contraband, a few creepy crawlies were found - apparently due to some construction going on elsewhere in the building - and the restaurant was shut down.

FoieBlog hopes whoever the snitch was feels good about what they've done. Not only have they initiated the massacre of some poor helpless creatures (what, you guys don't care about insects, or not soft and cuddly enough for you?) but they put several hard working waitstaff, cooks and dishwashers out of work for a couple of days. Nice to see these lousy activists care so much about their fellow Chicagoans.

THAI HIGHS AND LOWS

2007-09-04T14:04:00.000-04:00

GrasGuy doesn't get French Thai.

It's not that I don't like the concept. Who wouldn't? Two of the world's great cuisines mixing to create a culinary atom bomb combining the creamy, buttery fatty goodness of traditional French cooking with the powerful, sinus-dissipating spices of traditional Thai, it's hard to imagine a better idea.

No, GrasGuy doesn't get French Thai, because he can't get it, because it pretty much doesn't exist.

Yes, there are "French Thai" restaurants aplenty, but take a look at the menus. More often than not they're straight-up Thai with a Steak au Poivre or Bouillabaisse thrown in for good measure. Maybe the chef even uses a little French technique on his Pad Krapow, but true fusion? Rarely. And that's a shame.

Sure, I'm making a broad generalization, and many of you will disagree. But it's not often I've seen baguettes in Bangkok (so to speak), and if you think about it, you probably haven't either.

So how did Foie Gras end up on the menu of one of my favorite Thai restaurants in New York?

Thai food in Manhattan is very much like Chinese food in Europe. Terrible, and unauthentic to a fault. So I'm not surprised when people tell me they don't like Thai food. Saddened, but not surprised. I'm equally upset when someone tells me they love Thai food, and then tell me where they had it. More often than not its called Thai Somethingorother 3.

Thankfully there are a few exceptions. Places like Kittichai, Pooket, and Land, where you can experience all the wonderful flavors Thai cuisine has to offer, rather than the greasy, bland trash most restaurants dumb down for us Farang.

One restaurant that manages to straddle the line between accessibility and taste is a very lively spot called Highline. No, this isn't your Thai neighbor's grandmother's food, but it's a lot better than Bangkok Thisandthat 5 in Midtown, and just as cheap - a miracle, given the swank ultramodern decor of it's three-level layout, not to mention it's location in the high-priced Meatpacking District. While the menu includes many Thai classics like Basil Beef and Green Curry Chicken, it also takes some chances. Pad Thai Spring Rolls is a signature dish you'll likely find nowhere else, but not as surprising as the recently added Foie Gras Puffs.

Filled with Curried Foie Gras and served with a Smoked Soy Reduction flavored with Tamarind, a bite of one of these flaky babies will knock your proverbial socks off but leave you asking - where's the Foie Gras? There's a familiar flavor in there somewhere, I think, but doused in all that curry it could be anything. After dissecting the insides of one of these, I discovered very small pieces of what I assumed was ground Foie Gras and just decided to leave it at that and bask in the whole of this outstanding $8 appetizer. Then, just as I was about to finish, I poked around one last time and, sure enough, came up with a forkful-sized hunk of Foie Gras. Biting into it I was instantly transported to a far away place from my past - my mother's kitchen, as she handed me a fried piece of the liver that comes in that little bag of giblets you get with an oven stuffer roaster.

Yea, it was that bad. But what do you expect for $8.

I know, it's my own fault. I should've just enjoyed the dish for what it was, but being GrasGuy I just had to go deeper, trying to unwrap the dish and find something clever to say about what I found. As it turns out I'll always remember that last, disappointing bite, rather than the first, which made me say "wow!" Lesson learned.

Would I order it again? Sure would. In fact, I've never had a bad dish at Highline. Their version of red snapper with sweet Thai chili sauce is one of the best in town, and the noodle dishes are spot on. And while I could live without the trendy bed/tables on the upper level, there's nothing like drinking a ginger mojito poolside with a disco ball in your face - head downstairs and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Korp Koon Krap, Highline, Korp Koon Krap.

BLOOMBERG BIAS? PART 2

2007-09-04T10:08:00.000-04:00

FoieBlog knows it was just one line, a statement of fact, in fact, but it's placement turned us the wrong way, perhaps with good reason. Turs out we aren't alone.

In an earlier post, we voiced our concern over a line inserted into a Bloomberg News interview with Mark Hix, Chef Director of The Ivy restaurant in London, that went out of it's way to point out that his restaurant had been targeted by anti-Foie Gras protestors - in an article that had nothing to do with the subject. To this date, neither the writer nor the Bloomberg editorial staff has responded to our e-mails. However, sources in the UK culinary community similarly concerned about the article tell us that it was not the work of the writer, Richard Vines. Our apologies for any offenses made to him. On the other hand, we understand that it was the editor of the article that was responsible for its inclusion - which raises even more concerning questions. Was this merely the work of some overzealous newsroom hack trying to look smart, or, worse, make his own point? Or was it that said editor was following an internal directive on the subject?

FoieBlog will continue to try to get to the bottom of this, but we urge our readers to be wary in the meantime, and send in tips on any similar occurrences you come across. History has shown that even one sentence, however small, can have great effects.

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." - Ronald Regan, 1987

"Can't we all just get along?" - Rodney King, 1992

"I'll be back." - The Terminator, as played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1984

British restaurants are under a full-on assault from the anti-Foie Gras activists - including many in the liberal media there - and it's going to be up to the restaurateurs themselves to man the battlements. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, "we shall fight in the press."

(OK, doesn't have the same ring without the Cuban cigar and Siren Suit, but you get the point.)

UPDATE: GrasGuy finally heard back from Richard Vines and we can confirm that it was not he who was responsible for the line. While he did protest its inclusion, Mr. Vines says the editors added it for purely "informational" purposes. Again, we apologise for any offenses made to Mr. Vines and appreciate his forthrightness on the issue. We of course still have questions about the editor's motive behind including this "information," but for now will leave the issue alone and keep it in mind while perusing the news outlets of the world.

FoieBlog's motives, of course, remain no mystery.

BLOOMBERG BIAS?

2007-08-29T10:01:00.001-04:00

The Ivy restaurant in London may be overrated, and overpriced, and overexposed, but we at FoieBlog would still go there if given the chance. We may keep a low profile, but we get giddy at the idea of rubbing elbows with celebrities while enjoying a plate of Sautéed Foie Gras with caramelised apples and a raisin jus. Who's that sitting with Sienna?

As such, a recent Bloomberg News article, Ivy Chef Hix Reveals Tips On Getting A Table, caught our attention - and kept it until the end of paragraph three. In the offending paragraph, the restaurant's Chef Director, Mark Hix, muses about what a laid back, casual experience The Ivy is, despite it's revered status. It reads:

'You can have a hamburger, you can have a Caesar salad, bangers and mash, you can eat foie gras.'' (An animal-rights group has protested outside the Ivy, saying foie gras is produced by cruel force-feeding of geese.)

This is exactly how the text appears in the article. The parenthesis are provided by Bloomberg, not FoieBlog. If you read the article in full, you will see that it is nothing more than an interview with a chef about his restaurant that neither poses the question of protests to him, nor raises the issue of Foie Gras in any context. Yet Bloomberg felt the need to include this line without giving Hix the chance to respond.

FoieBlog is not familiar with the writer's, Bloomberg restaurant critic Richard Vines, position on Foie Gras, nor do we know what Mark Hix thinks of this added line. However, it it is so off subject, so gratuitous, it can be nothing more than a political statement, whether by Vines' or the editorial staff at Bloomberg.

At the bottom of the article, as is the case with all of Vines' reviews, there is a disclaimer (also in parentheses) pointing out that the opinions in the article are Vines' own. Since the line in question isn't presented as an opinion, but is presented in parenthesis, it's hard to tell who's responsible for it.

In any case, it's not an isolated incident in the world of "journalism." FoieBlog has come across this sort of offhanded comment before in other publications, so often, in fact, that we've started to ignore it, attributing it to the uninformed masses of reporters thrust upon a subject they've only heard bad things about. To be fair, many of those articles are actually about the Foie Gras debate, but some are reviews like Mr. Vines'. We will no longer be so lax.

Irresponsible, activist, and just plain bad journalists are at as much fault as our pals at Farm Sancutary and VIVA! for misleading the public on the Foie Gras debate. Even the smallest inclusion can lead to tainting the uninitiated reader's opinion on the subject.

Please, Fourth Estate, leave that to us bloggers.

UPDATE: FoieBlog has tried to contact Mr. Vines and the Bloomberg editorial staff on this issue, but they have failed to respond to our inquiries. FoieBlog is not surprised.

A YEAR WITH(OUT) FOIE GRAS

2007-08-22T11:53:00.001-04:00

Nice little article in the Chicago Tribune about the continued availability of Foie Gras in Chicago Restaurants - ordered and served sotto voce, of course.

Not much new info here, but a good guide on where to go to recognize the one year anniversary of the ban. There is no better way to show your support for the brave restauranteurs who have defied the ban and have been working so hard to get it overturned than to choose to patronize their establishments, which include some of the finest restaurants in the city. The article in the Trib is far from comprehensive, though, so check out http://www.chicagochefsforchoice.com/ for more ideas. The group's spokesperson, Didier Durand of Cyrano's Bistrot, says this about the current state of fowl affairs:

"Countless 'Duckeasies' are spreading through out Chicago, serving foie gras as a side dish! This delicacy has been pushed aside from the main stage, the position it previously held, and is now being outstaged by the formerly boring, super expensive accompanying salad."

Generally speaking, if a restaurant served it before the ban, they may still have some scraps left in the kitchen that they're looking to give away, so ask nicely and tip well.

WHERE'S MITT?

2007-08-16T08:32:00.001-04:00

Admittedly, FoieBlog is not familiar with, presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney's position on Foie Gras, but as a Republican running on the requisite small government platform, we're working under the assumption that the idea of a ban on Foie Gras is about as foreign to the ultra-rich Mormon as the idea of one man, one woman - just kidding, pal, we had a great time at the 2002 Winter Olympics, nice job.

And that brings us to Salt Lake City where the Illinois based group SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness) has been trying to get Foie Gras off of area menus by trotting around the questionable activist classic DVD "Delicacy of Despair" to area restaurants, according to the Deseret Morning News. So far one restaurant, La Caille in nearby Sandy, UT has succumbed to the effort - although it's the kids at Farm Sanctuary who are taking credit for that one.

While we don't expect this most conservative of states to pass anything resembling a Foie Gras ban, Park City does attract quite a large contingent of that most despicable type of activist - the Hollywood Liberal - and, sure enough, that's SHARK's next stop, with plans to protest Grappa and Chenez this weekend (8/18-19). Since we can think of no better way to end a long day of mountain biking than by devouring a big plate of Duck 3-Ways with Crispy Skinned Boneless Breast of Duckling Served with Duck Confit and Peach Ravioli,Sautéed Asparagus, and Foie Gras Brandy Sauce, why not head over to Grappa this weekend and order yourself up a plate of this menage a troie of our favorite bird.

Heck, with Lindsay Lohan staying at a rehab clinic in Orem, Utah, maybe you can snap yourself a paparazzi photo to pay for the trip.

DAFFY DUCK

2007-08-09T12:59:00.000-04:00

For those of you who don't follow NHL Hockey (sadly, we'll assume that is most of the people who read this blog) Scott Neidermayer is a tough-guy defenseman who recently won the Stanley Cup championship as captain of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks - which took their name from a Disney film staring Emilo Estevez (we'll hope that most people who read this blog are not familiar with that.)

Well, while he doesn't mind beating up opposing players on a regular basis, it seems old Neids has a soft side for our fine feathered friends.

CBS SportsLine reports that Neidermayer recently sent a PETA-backed letter to the members of the Chicago City Council, telling them that "As an Anaheim Duck, I hate to see real ducks tortured so that a handful of wealthy chefs can serve their diseased organs...Please uphold this compassionate law," in reference to the city's Foie Gras ban.

Please, indeed.

FoieBlog can't help but question Mr. Neidermayer's sincerity or education on this issue. Hard as we've tried, we can't find any evidence of his support for Satanism during the years he was a New Jersey Devil, and we find it hard to believe his transformation into a duck is so complete that the species deserves any more of his support than the prince of darkness - or at least the flying hoofed creature that calls the Pine Barrens of New Jersey it's home. Of course we're Ranger's fans, so go figure.

BUT WOULD DIANA APPROVE?

2007-08-09T11:06:00.000-04:00

FoieBlog doesn't know a lot about Mohamed Al-Fayed, but clearly he is someone to be reckoned with.

As if he didn't have enough to deal with on the 10th anniversary of his son Dodi's death by the side of Princess Diana, the owner of Harrods department store now has to put up with the crowd from VIVA! knocking on his shop door. As one of the remaining high-profile outlets that refuse to give up Foie Gras sales, Harrod's is set to be targeted by a planned national protest by the activists later this year. In the wake of Harvey Nichols' suspension of sales, The Independent reports that Harrods won't "dictate to customers what legal purchases they make," the store's spokesperson gratuitously adding that they still sell fur - which is the equivalent of saying "bring it on" to the protesters.

FoieBlog would like to attribute Al-Fayed's steadfast support for Foie Gras to his Egyptian background, his ancestors having been the first to enjoy the delicacy. Unfortunately, it's more likely this is a guy who doesn't like to get pushed around by a bunch of whiny Brits and is more than happy to ruffle a few feathers in the process.

In either case, good show.

RUE BRITANNIA

2007-08-03T09:17:00.000-04:00

Every time the United Kingdom is beset with adversity - like floods or terrorism or the loss of David Beckham to Spain and now, gasp, the USA - all we ever hear about is the wonderful British resolve, or pluck, if you will. As if the rest of the world just gives up whenever a little trouble comes their way.

Well, it turns out not all of the upper lips in Jolly Ol' are so stiff after all.

Harvey Nichols, the upscale purveyor of fine foods and goods, has joined a growing list of shops that can't handle a couple of protesters from animal rights group VIVA! hanging out in front of their stores. They've made the "economic" decision to do away with Foie Gras to avoid being the target of a upcoming nationwide protest organized by the group. And they're not alone. Another supermarket chain, Makro has "suspended" selling Foie Gras while it investigates VIVA!'s claims of cruelty.

FoieBlog is quite sure that if Makro's investigation comes to the logical conclusion that Foie Gras is in fact not cruelly produced and reinstates Foie Gras sales, VIVA! will not leave them in peace. We cite as example another British supermarket chain, TESCO, who also ceased Foie Gras sales, but is now being harassed by VIVA! for selling live turtles in their stores on the other side of the world in China.

The lesson? Give them an inch and they'll come back for seconds.

Asda, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer and Co-op have also thrown in the towel, so if you're going to be spending your hard earned pounds on some luxury eats, make sure you do it at a place like Fortnum and Mason or Harrods while you still can.

FEEDING YOU-TUBE

2007-08-01T11:31:00.001-04:00

FoieBlog is sorry to say that we missed the CNN/YouTube debate. Not due to a scheduling conflict, but to avoid watching that idiotic snowman complaining about global warming. Duh.

Still we are fans of the website, and forever in debt to the folks at FoodTVBlog for posting Janet Street Porter's report on Foie Gras which aired on Gordon Ramsay's "The F-Word" a few weeks ago. (Until you kids start clicking on those ads, we'll never be able to upgrade our cable to include BBC and see these things first run!)

In the piece, Porter goes on a quest to find an "ethical" alternative to Foie Gras for Ramsay's restaurants, and makes her way to Pateria de Sousa in Badajoz, Spain to sample Ganso Iberico. On the way, she stops at a traditional, but unnamed, Foie Gras farm in France. There, she witnesses gavage first-hand and doesn't enjoy it too much, even though the ducks look to be very healthy. Of course she shows one pen that appears - out of context - to be avoiding the farmer and the feeding tube, but you'd expect such drama from a Gordon Ramsay production. She never tries the Foie Gras.

Pateria de Sousa, on the other hand, comes off as a luxury resort for geese. One big all-you-can-eat grassy hillside. Porter has no issues here and gives the Ganso Iberico it a try, enjoying it enough to recommend to Ramsay.

Unfortunately, the video ends here, but we understand that the show continues with Porter bringing some back for Ramsey to see if it's a worthy alternative to Foie Gras. One look at the current menus of his restaurants will answer that question for you.

It's always hard to tell if Porter truly goes into these projects cold, or merely plays the role of a nave, though we suspect the latter is the case. People in TV don't often do things blindly - believe us, we know.

In any case, it's hard for our jaundiced eyes to judge what kind of affect this story would have on the truly uninitiated viewer. Sure, some people are just never going to be able to stomach (sorry) seeing those tubes inserted into the ducks, but they otherwise look to be in a pretty good situation, and you know that cute old French couple are taking good care of them - they're straight out of the book of French stereotypes, sans the Gauloises.

FoieBlog expects it will be some time before Ganso Iberico makes it to this side of the pond, and GrasGuy dropped the ball last year when he was travelling in Andalucia, not far from Badajoz. Still, we look forward to trying it as soon as possible, so if you hear about any heading this way, or get a taste yourself, please drop us a line.

Though we suspect we'll side with Gordon.

COWBOY UP IN AUSTIN

2007-08-01T07:31:00.000-04:00

Protesters from Central Texas Animal Defense hit Restaurant Jezebel in Austin, TX last night, once again regaling the eatery's patrons with their anti-Foie Gras diatribes...and they'll be back.

One thing FoieBlog likes about organized activist groups is that they're just so, well, organized. In CTAD's case, they've been nice enough to post a schedule of their upcoming protests on their website. Looks like they'll be out front of Jezebel's every Saturday and Tuesday night in August at 7pm sharp.

So if you're looking for a night on the town, why don't you buy one of those "Stop Tofu Abuse, Eat Foie Gras" t-shirts that often show up in the Ads by Google boxes on this blog, and head on over to Jezebel to show your support for Parind Vora and all of the Austin restaurateurs who've been standing tough against Noah Cooper and his CTAD cronies.

JACQUES ASS

2007-07-31T13:20:00.000-04:00

Quebecois Foie Gras producer, Elevages Perigord, has fired an employee seen mistreating ducks on the farm in an undercover video shot by an activist group, the Montreal Gazette reports. Enforcing what they say is a zero-tolerance policy against animal cruelty at the farm, the company determined this guy had to go after an internal review. They do not plan to take action against any other workers until an official investigation by state authorities is completed.

While FoieBlog things it's a real shame this happened at all, its even worse that it was brought to light by a flunky from Global Action Network. We would hope that a well-regarded company like Elevages Perigord would do a better job policing themselves, but things do happen and we give them the benefit of the doubt. That said, we hope intelligent observers will not lose sight of the fact that this is not in any way an indictment of Foie Gras production or gavage, but merely the case of a Jacques Ass of the highest order.

Still, what exactly do we know about this guy? How long did he work at Elevages Perigord? Who did he know? Could he have been a plant himself?

FoieBlog hates to practice yellow journalism, but, what the heck, we're just a blog. What do you expect?

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD

2007-07-31T09:39:00.000-04:00

Being avid world travellers and aspiring bon vivants, it's no surprise that we at FoieBlog are great fans of Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations." Sure, the episodes can be a little hit or miss at times, but unlike many TV journeymen, Bourdain consistently "gets it," and he remains head and shoulders above the banal travellers of pretty much every other food centric travel show. $40 a day? We'll gladly pay more.

But wait, what's this? Advertisements for a "No Reservations" movie? Where's Tony? Who's that guy in the toque?

We may never understand how a country with such excellent copyright protections allows this sort of thing, but the folks in Hollywood clearly have no remorse hacking titles from respectable properties on to their made-by-consensus drivel like this formulaic romantic comedy. Still their onslaught of advertising is hard to ignore, and that Catherine Zeta Jones is one spicy meatball, so we thought we'd take a - slightly - closer look.

No, we couldn't bring ourselves to actually go to the theater and plunk down $25 to sit through this heartbreaker about a couple of bickering chefs who fall in love and all that, but we did discover a very interesting plot twist that may earn this one a spot in our Netflix queue six months from now.

It seems those West Coast smutmeisters managed to sneak not one, but two four-letter words into this PG-rated family film. Apparently, there's a scene where Zeta Jones' perfectionist chef, Kate, storms into the restaurant to confront a patron who's complaining that his Foie Gras isn't done properly. We can feel our thumbs starting to point upwards - at least we think those are our thumbs.

Considering that the deals that led to this film were probably made over lunch at some of Wolfgang Puck's LA eateries, having Kate's restaurant serving Foie Gras is like standing outside Buckingham Palace singing the Sex Pistol's God Save the Queen. Maybe we've been a little hard on the liberal Hollywood elite. Nah, we haven't, but we'll take what we can.

Sadly, the film's setting, 22 Bleeker Street, only exists in the imagination of No Reservation's screenwriters, but don't fret. To prepare for her role, Zeta Jones spent an evening working at New York's Fiamma Osteria where you can enjoy a Pan Seared Duck Foie Gras with Roasted Garlic Rhubarb, Vin Santo Zabaglione, Brioche and Marcona Almonds.

Down in front!

STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND

2007-07-26T10:45:00.000-04:00

GrasGuy has been to some shady places in his day. Afghanistan, Iran, the Gaza Strip...it's true. But before this weekend, I've never been somewhere that I've felt so out of place in...and I didn't even leave the United States.

Forced against my will by the bonds of marriage and friendship (sometimes I really wish I could go just up and go Ted Kaczynski and live in a cabin in the woods with nothing but a typewriter and a flock of geese to answer to) I was dragged to the one city on earth that I dare not go.

Chicago.

Imagine being stranded in a desert, on a planet with no oxygen, populated by Puritans, and you're wearing a great big scarlet "A" on your lapel. Imagine wishing that was the case.

I know, I know...the identity of GrasGuy is largely unknown and all those thousands of windburned eyes watching my every move surely were unaware they had a fox in their hen house, but the world eventually found out who Deep Throat was, so anything is possible. Then again, perhaps the deficiency of Vitamin A due to a lack of Foie Gras intake was affecting my own eyesight. Combined with an onset of sensory disturbances due to low B12 levels, an advanced state of paranoia was likely. Or am I being paranoid? In any event, a safe haven needed to be found. Thankfully, one was not far away.

Double-timing it off the beaten path and into the low rise section of River North, I made my way to the one place I knew I would feel at home. Cyrano's Bistrot. Sure, that slim guy in the ripped jeans and Woodstock '99 t-shirt on my tail might have confirmed my identity when I stepped through the door, but at least I was in a safe haven where I could hole up for a few days if things got hot.

Cyrano's is run a real live French chef, Didier Durand. Sadly, he's been distracted from his work in the kitchen by his duties as spokesperson of Chicago Chefs for Choice - the alliance of eateries fighting Alderman Joe Moore's Foie Gras ban. A photo of the esteemed Alderman, with the phrase Tru Du Cul, greets visitors to this otherwise friendly and charming French Bistro, adding a bit of authentic Resistance to the very authentic bistro experience.

Faced with a gaping hole on the menu where Foie Gras should be, the intriguing Country Ostrich Pate immediately caught my eye. I opted instead for the Three Rilletes of Rabbit, Pork and Duck - needing to find at least some gastronomic association with what I truly craved. On the plate they were hard to tell apart by sight - maybe that Vitamin A issue kicking in again - but their flavors were quite distinctive. While the Duck with Olives and Herbs was very light and tasty, and the Pork with Garlic was as good as pork and garlic tend to be, it was actually the Rabbit with Lemon that won the day - the citrus enhancing the surprisingly strong rabbit flavor of the Rillette. Paired with a bottle of Lucien Albrech Pinot Gris Tokay, I was almost able to forget the trials I was facing outside the confines of this charming restaurant. If only I'd been there before the ban to sample Didier's Foie Gras. Perhaps one day. Perhaps one day soon.

You see, while I can't go into detail now, what I learned in this den of Liberté, égalité, fraternité, is that the movement to restore Foie Gras freedom in this city is alive and well, and the days of the ban may be numbered. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, if you find yourself at Cyrano's for dinner - and I hope that you will - be sure to try the Grilled Country Bread. I can't tell you exactly what's in it, but it's both gluten and carbohydrate free, and like no baguette you've ever had.

Vive la Revolution!

PHILLY ACTIVISTS RESORT TO DIRTY TRICKS - AGAINST EACH OTHER!

2007-07-19T11:33:00.000-04:00

FoieBlog loves a good fight with anti-Foie Gras activists, especially when it's the activists fighting among themselves.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer (check the second item on the page), at 8am on Saturday July 14th a small group of people from Philadelphia Advocates for the Animals stood outside the home of chef Guillermo Pernot vocally protesting his use of Foie Gras at Pif restaurant. Unfortunately for PAFA Mr. Pernot doesn't work at Pif - which coincidentally went out of business the following day - and the restaurant he does work at, Cuba Libre, does not serve Foie Gras.

How could this happen?

Well, according to the PAFA folks, they got a tip from Nick Cooney at the illustrious Hugs For Puppies that was either meant to intentionally embarrass the competing group, or was just plain wrong. Cooney denies the charge and says PAFA screwed up on their own. In any event, it's amazing either of these groups can organize any kind of event, even in the wrong place.

This is somewhat reminiscent of recent happenings in Austin, TX that we've told you about, where Central Texas Animal Defense has been getting an even worse name because of some renegade anti-Foie Gras vigilante who's been vandalizing restaurants by spray painting offensive statements on their windows and facades.

While it's hard for FoieBlog not to feel a bit of schadenfreude about all of this, we also thank the activists for providing such an important lesson for our readers. To paraphrase Patrick Henry - who was surely stealing someone else's line - 'united we stand, divided they will fall.' We'll continue torturing the catch phrases of America's patriotic past by adding 'remember Chicago.' Many in the Philadelphia culinary community are doing just that and taking it to the activists head on - we'd expect nothing less from Rocky Balboa's hometown.

GUILTY BEFORE BEING PROVEN GUILTY

2007-07-19T10:05:00.001-04:00

Farm Sanctuary is going after Amazon.com, calling for a boycott of the popular "we have everything" website for selling Foie Gras from the Elevages Perigord farm in Quebec, Canada. Good luck with that, Jeff Bezos probably loses more money in the laundry each day than a Farm Sanctuary boycott could possibly take away from him.

This all started a few days ago when the group released a video they claim was shot undercover at the farm, one of North America's largest, depicting what they allege is an employee treating the birds under his care in quite a harsh manner. The video is admittedly disturbing, and the company has since suspended at least one worker while investigators from the Canadian government look into the matter. What's unclear is how much of the video was actually shot at the farm, and how much of it that is presented out of context. The narrator makes many "observations" outside of the realm of what's seen on the tape. Farm Sanctuary isn't exactly an unbiased news outlet and has been accused of misrepresenting "evidence" in the past.

While FoieBlog too is decidedly biased, we have no love for those who would go out of their way to torture animals of any sort. However, we wish Farm Sanctuary would take a breath and give the proper authorities the opportunity to investigate the situation before they get ahead of themselves calling for across the board boycotts. FoieBlog preliminarily applauds Elevages Perigord for taking swift action in this matter and fully cooperating with authorities. We trust this will turn out to be nothing more than one bad egg in an otherwise respectable operation, but will wait for the outcome to the investigation before passing final judgement. Too bad Farm Sanctuary won't do the same.

As usual, the danger here is that Jeff Bezos only hears the story from one side and decides to cut off Elevages Perigord or other Foie Gras products as a public relations stunt. Vote with your wallet, folks, and if you don't feel comfortable buying Elevages Periord products until more is known about the situation, never fear, Amazon also markets products from always above suspicion outfits like Hudson Valley Foie Gras and D'Artagnan.

BASTILLE BALL

2007-07-14T21:22:00.000-04:00

If you're a Snapple drinker, you'll be familiar with the little bits of trivia they print inside the bottle caps. There's one that's always caught our eye, stating that there are more French restaurants in New York City than there are in Paris. FoieBlog has never fact-checked this, but, come on, there's no way. Maybe 50 years ago, but today with all of the "ethnicity" in the NYC restaurant scene? Non impossible.

Still, despite challenges from Northern Spain and Asia, the French Method lives strong in Gotham, and the culinary community is one to be reckoned with - both in the kitchen, and with the boule.

Saturday July 14th marked Bastille Day - the French version of Independence Day. To celebrate, a group of French expats and francophiles gathered in Bryant Park for a tournament of that most French game of Pétanque. Sponsored by the good people at D'Artagnan foods, and organized by La Boule New Yorkaise, 16 teams of three gathered to vie for the title of D'Artagnan Pétanque World Champions - a hyperbolic sobriquet to be sure, but New York is still the Capitol of the World, so what the heck.

Played on courts carved out of the gravel walkway surrounding Bryant Park's lawn, once could easily feel as though they've been transported to the Tuileries, what with all the French in the air and cloudy water bottles that look suspiciously like they're spiked with Pastis.

Pétanque is a simple game - get your team's balls closest to a target ball - but one that requires a deft hand and laser-like focus on perfection. So it's no surprise that teams made up of staff members from the kitchens of restaurants like Jubilee and Petrossian were well represented. The team from the Upper West Side's La Mirabelle was particularly intense, decked out in their matching Bastille Day 2007 T-Shirts.

D'Artagnan fielded two teams, and the fix looked like it might be in as the trio led by the company's founder, Ariane Daguin - dressed in an outfit reminiscent of Le Tricolore, disposed of the competition. However, in the end Petrossian prevailed, taking home the cup and all of the glory that goes with it.

VIVE LA FOIE!

2007-07-13T23:11:00.000-04:00

The idea of a nation based on the concept of personal freedom was born in Philadelphia on July 4th, 1776. With a little help from our friends in France - we were much closer back then - that dream became a reality, and the shackles of British Imperialism were cast off forever, or at least until the British Invasion of the 1960's. While France was no help in fighting back that onslaught - we're sorry, but French pop music is decidedly non bon - we continue to share a special bond. On July 14th, 1789 a band of Parisians stormed the city's bastille and began a revolution that would mark the beginning of the end of feudalism and initiate the spread of constitutional democracy across Europe. This year, the battle for freedom comes full circle, back to the streets of Philadelphia.

FoieBlog has been following the debate over Foie Gras in the City of Brotherly Love - most notably the trials and tribulations of The London Grill, one of the restaurants targeted by local animal activists that has refused to relent to their demands. In short there's been a series of protests, insults, epithets, and restraining orders that the Philadelphia Inquirer has done a great job of reporting - so we won't try to recount the saga here. Suffice it to say, Terry Berch and her coworkers have taken up the gauntlet of the city's culinary community and has refused to give up an inch to the crowd at Hugs For Puppies.

Although FoieBlog is perplexed as to why a restaurant called The London Grill would celebrate Bastille Day, Ms. Berch has a tradition of dressing up like Marie Antoinette and recreating the events of that day. Perhaps it's the presence of the nearby Eastern State Penitentiary, perhaps it's something better left to a professional to determine. Since we at FoieBlog are rank amateurs, we will forget about trying to figure out this puzzle and merely tip our hats to the folks at The London Grill and wish them our best in Saturday's endeavors. A judge has limited the number of protesters and told them to keep in relatively quiet - we shall see.

As for us, we hope to be spending the afternoon in New York City's Bryant Park at the Bastille Day Pétanque Tournament at Bryant Park, hosted by our friends at D'Artagnan. If you don't know what Petanque is, think lawn bowling with berets and striped shirts and you get the idea. Many of the teams competing are made up of staff members from some of New York's finest restaurants like Petrosian and Le Mirabelle, so it should be a lot of fun. Look for a full report after the Bastille has been stormed - and by Bastille, we mean wine cellar.

AUSTIN ACTIVISTS ATTACK

2007-07-10T10:11:00.000-04:00

A group by the name of Central Texas Animal Defense has begun targeting restaurants in the otherwise fun town of Austin, Texas. Fox 7 reports that the group is protesting outside restaurants serving Foie Gras and shopping around PETA's "undercover" video of the operations at Hudson Valley Foie Gras. Unfortunately for CTAD, someone named "V-Gangster"has begun vandalizing some of the same restaurants, spray-painting vulgarities on 7 eateries serving Foie Gras or Veal, making all the activists look bad - as if they needed any help.

None of this has deterred one owner, Parind Vora of Jezebel, who's made the pilgrimage to Hudson Valley himself and says the activists and vandals have it all wrong and are presenting their video way out of context. FoieBlog is shocked by the accusation!

What also shocks us is the sound of Vora's Pan Seared Lapsang Tea Crusted Ahi, with a Honey - Shoyu Gastrique and Seared Foie Gras. Quite the combination, and at $49.95 in a town where $5 BBQ dinners are the norm, we'll hope it's as good as it sounds.

EAT 'EM WHILE YOU'VE GOT THEM

2007-07-05T15:47:00.001-04:00

The Associated Press reports that Bird Flu has once again reared it's ugly head - this time in France. So far it's been confined to just 3 swans found in a pond in the town of Assenoncourt. However, the Agriculture Ministry is taking no chances and wants to nip the problem in the bud, avoiding a repeat of the scare they experienced in 2006, when poultry exports - including Foie Gras! - were affected by the discovery of the disease.

Typically, bird flu is not a food borne illness and requires contact with a live infected bird or its - oh joy - feces. The virus usually doesn't make its way out of the intestinal tract, and is easily killed by cooking. That said, nothing is impossible, particularly if food has been handled properly, but as far as Foie Gras is concerned - there probably is no concern at this point.

Nevertheless, until this blows over, maybe now is a good time for you Foie Gras Francophiles out there to give one of the American producers a try.

Freedom Foie Gras anyone?

HUNGARY FOR FOIE GRAS

2007-07-04T11:37:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine is on her way to Hungary this week for a family affair of some sort. While not everyone who knows me is aware of my dedication to Foie Gras, they are well aware that GrasGuy plans most of his vacations around eating, and they'll usually check in before they head out. Having travelled to Budapest last year, I was more than happy to oblige when she asked for recommendations, and one restaurant was at the top of that list.

Muveszinas on MuvenBajcsy-Zsilinszky ut is about as classic a Budapest haunt as you can get - the interior looking so old and filled with so much memorabilia that there's a good chance it is haunted - all the better. Serving up an extensive menu that is pretty much an encyclopedia of Hungarian cuisine, it's the place to go if you're only going to one place. Even better, you can go there every day and run the gamut of local dishes, many of which feature Goose in it's various forms.

I'd heard the legends about the good old days in communist Hungary - good for visitors at least - when Foie Gras was available for a pittance. $5 a pound? Hard to believe, but it was cheap, nonetheless. Unfortunately, this was in part due to the more industrial nature of the business back then, and GrasGuy is more than happy to pay a bit more for Foie Gras raised in a more proper fashion. Still, Hungary remains an affordable destination for the American dollar, and while Muveszinas isn't exactly cheap, for what you get, it won't break the bank.

What I got I'm afraid I don't exactly remember as I've lost my notes and some brain cells since I was there. What is seared in my memory though, is a plate with two slices of seared Foie Gras the size of tenderloin steaks - not the kind of thing you'll likely see outside of Eastern Europe these days. It was so substantial and so decadent that I hardly needed my entree, a very large pile of sausage and peppers and lots of paprika who's name also escapes me.

If you find yourself in Budapest anytime soon I hope you'll see through this rather pathetic account of my experience at Muveszinas and recognize the true enthusiasm behind the clouded picture.

Truly the most memorable meal I can't remember.

UPDATE: Just received a text message from said friend who was enjoying a Foie Gras en Papillote w/Mushrooms and couldn't get enough. Foie Gras in parchment sounds very interesting, and is definitely not what I had - but there's always a next time.

NOT SEEN ON TV

2007-06-28T15:00:00.000-04:00

One of GrasGuy's earliest introductions to fine cuisine was not a flavor or aroma, but a word.
"Julienne."

As seen on TV.

As in, "It slices, dices, and EVEN Juliennes!"

As if slicing tubers into long thin strips is something exotic, a skill one should aspire to when purchasing cutlery from an 800 number. At least they gave you two for the price of one.

One thing those Japanese knives couldn't do was Salsify, and I guess that's because Salsify isn't a verb, but who knew. When I went with a few friends to Brasserie Julien on NYC's Upper East Side to sample their Stuffed Rabbit Loin Medallion Au Foie Gras With Salsify and Braised Endive, the conversation was more about what was "Salsified" rather than the usual dinner blither blather regarding work and derisive comments about people who aren't there.

For those who are interested, Salsify is a white root vegetable that some say reminds them of oyster when steamed or boiled. If a white asparagus had relations with a heart of palm you're probably closer to what it actually tastes like. In any event, it's long and cylindrical and would be the perfect subject for Julienne-ing. Sadly, in this case, it was not. But it was a fitting accompaniment to the dish who's name was also misleading.

Expecting small pieces of rabbit tenderloin that were actually stuffed with Foie Gras, I was surprised to see what looked like an overturned can of tuna with a piece of sauteed Foie Gras on top. I'm still not sure what part of this was stuffed - unless they meant the chips of rabbit were stuffed into a mold. In any case, rabbit and Foie Gras typically work very well together and even this odd mish mash was pretty tasty, despite the run of the mill quality of the Foie Gras.

Brasserie Julien is a casual, sometimes boisterous restaurant that looks like the movie Moulin Rouge run through an Art Deco converter, Palm Trees and live Jazz included. There's a great bar and cafe style seating on the sidewalk. A nice wine list and menu filled with Brasserie staples like Moules, Fondue and Steak Tartare make it a dependable though slightly pricey option in a neighborhood flush with Parisiennesque eateries.

Shame they can't spell Julienne.

PHILLY FOIE FAMILY FIGHTS BACK

2007-06-27T13:42:00.000-04:00

A number of Philadelphia restaurants serving Foie Gras have found themselves under assault from a local activist group called "Hugs for Puppies." Several restaurants have already caved just to get these very vocal and physical protesters away from their premises, but a few are holding firm. Restraining orders have been issued to keep the protesters at a distance from the businesses, and a some pro-active restaurateurs are taking the issue to city hall before a proposed ban becomes law.

This is good.

If there's one thing politicians relate to its votes. Even better when those votes are backed by tax-paying businesses that provide jobs and more votes. Even better when those tax-paying business-backed job-creating votes are also the ones who stuff those politicians' faces on their expense accounts. This is what democracy is all about.

The folks over at the London Grill, led by Terry McNally and Jennifer Holcomb have penned a well-argued letter that's being sent around to the City Council and other civic leaders. FoieBlog readers should lend their support by joining in on the campaign:

"We are writing to you as owners and employees of the hospitality industry to express our concerns about the behavior of the activists who participate in protests by the animal rights group, Hugs for Puppies. They have been campaigning to ban the sale of foie gras in the city of Philadelphia. They have been picketing our restaurants, London Grill, Ansill, Amada, and many more. This group has threatened us and intimidated us at every turn. On Monday, June 11, 2007 the group was at London Grill, they arrived dressed in black with black hoods over their faces shouting with bull horns. They came unannounced, without a civil affairs officer and protested in the entryway of the restaurant which directly interfered with the normal course of business. We have been called terrorists, animal abusers and other things not worth printing. Hugs for Puppies has promised to find out where we live and come to our homes.
We are chefs, managers, waiters, bartenders, bussers and dishwashers. We are students, artists, parents, career professionals and voters. We believe that we have the right to come to work, earn a living and raise our families in peace, without fear of intimidation from unlawful protesters.
We are concerned with the lack of support that our industry is getting from the city. Most of us live within the city limits and pay taxes accordingly. While we are aware that this group has the right to express dissent, we believe that their intent is not to use peaceful methods or honest discourse to make their point. We the undersigned, who earn our livelihood from the restaurant industry whether we are owners, waiters, chefs or bartenders, urge you to enforce the law regarding legitimate protest. We the undersigned, urge you to create a forum where all the scientific evidence can be evaluated to resolve this issue with out detriment to our ability to earn a living.
We sincerely hope that our city government and its elected officials will become involved in this matter before it escalates any further."

FoieBlog would like to remind Hugs for Puppies" that one of the most endearing images in Americana is the trusty hunting dog with a duck in it's mouth. If we weren't feeding them Alpo, they'd be chasing us back into the trees. Don't bring them unwillingly into this debate, it's inhumane.

THERE'S NO SECRET TO RAMSAY'S MAZE

2007-06-20T20:58:00.001-04:00

There's a popular new book out titled The Secret. GrasGuy hasn't read it, but the gist of it is that if you wish hard enough for something, you'll get it. Life is as simple as that. It's how Beethoven was able to write great symphonies and how Jimmy got himself a red 10-speed bike for his birthday. I'm not sure if the book is found in the self-help, spiritual, or magic section of bookstores, but there may be a little something to it.

A few weeks ago I wrote about my desire to dine at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant at the London Hotel in NYC, but with a 3 month old baby at home it didn't really seem to be in the cards anytime soon. At least I could enjoy watching him whine and scream in the meantime - of course I'm talking about chef Ramsay on his television show, Hell's Kitchen, not my well-behaved son. So you can imagine my surprise on Fathers' Day when wife and baby told me to get in a cab because we were going out to an early dinner at an undisclosed location - and make sure you dress sharp!

Oblivious to where we were headed, visions of Per Se and Masa danced in my head as we approached the Time Warner Center. We did have a baby carriage in the trunk, though, so I wasn't surprised when the cab took a left downtown on 7th Avenue. But then a quick left on 54th street put us smack in front of the London and I couldn't have been happier.

Arriving at an unfashionably early 5pm, we were the only ones in the London Bar's restaurant - which we discovered had just been renamed Maze after his restaurant in the actual City of London. An attempt, I'd guess, to shore up what has been a less than blistering success since it opened a few months ago. All blue-grey upholstery and mirrors - imagine a cross between Cary Grant's suit from North By Northwest and a 1966 Ford Galaxie if you must - the decor is slick enough to catch the eye, but not so outlandish as to distract from the food or company. Of course, behind a pair of mirrored doors in the back, lies the more formal Gordon Ramsay At The London restaurant and the long-desired Pressed Foie Gras and Game with Port Sauce and Pickled Mushrooms that started this adventure. However, whether it be divine providence or that pesky Secret again, the dish is not currently on the menu so I didn't spend the entire meal longing for entry into those gilded confines.

In fact I was more than pleased with the extensive small-plates menu Maze has to offer - including no less, but alas no more, than 3 dishes featuring Foie Gras. In an attempt to outdo my birthday meal at L'Atelier Joel Robuchon, I ordered them all.

The first was a very interesting Apple Cured Duck Breast with Smoked Foie Gras Terrine and Amaranth. The waiter introduced the duck as only cured, not cooked at all. It was moist and looked like four slices of bacon formed into square the size of a slice of mortadella, a small block of amaranth-sprinkled terrine placed in one corner and a bit of Frisée in the other like a golden gloves lightweight facing off with Joe Frazier. If I've had amaranth before, I couldn't tell you, though I'm sure it's been in many a South Asian dish I've enjoyed along the way. On it's own the duck was unexpectedly mild, but when tasted with the impossibly creamy Foie Gras and malty flavor of the amaranth, the acidic flavor of the brine was brought to the front creating quite a stir on the pallet. I just wish it didn't look like a cold cut.

It's rare that two of the world's top chef's have a dish so similar on their menus, but when I saw Maze was offering a Honey and Soy Roasted Quail with Sautéed Foie Gras and Spiced Pear Chutney I couldn't wait to see how it stacked up against Rubochon's Foie Gras-Stuffed Carmelized Quail. Very different in execution, Ramsay's dish consists of two seared quail legs, one served atop the chutney, the other under a slice of seared Foie Gras, in contrast to the mouse-stuffed breast at L'Atelier. The quail itself is a bit tastier at Maze and the chutney - which I usually have no great love for - was savory enough to make me into a believer, but it was the Foie Gras that closed the deal. While Robuchon's stuffing tasted almost like an aged cheese, the Foie Gras at Maze was pure. Cooked perfectly, it was silky smooth while maintaining all of it's natural consistencies - exactly what one dreams about when they dream about the epitome of Foie Gras - if that one is me. With such different presentations, to compare the two would be apples and oranges, or perhaps apples and prunes - which leads us to #trois of the trio. Twice Cooked Poussin, Roast - Coq au Vin with Prune Purée and Foie Gras Velouté.

I have no idea what goes into making a Foie Gras velouté, but the result is a broth that bears no resemblence to it's treasured ingredient, and it's almost a bit sad to see. But there you have it, two pieces of poussin set a top the prunes, floating in a watery opaque yellow liquid that almost looks like Campbell's Chicken Soup before you add the water. Sadly, this isn't available in a can - yet. Rather than having much flavor of it's own, the velouté lends an essence of Foie Gras to the Coq a Vin which exists as an almost sweet BBQ glaze on one piece of the chicken. The combination is unique in my experience and worthy of merit, though the unglazed roast breast probably worked better with the broth. All in all a nice finish to a poultry-heavy meal that made me feel as if I'd just eaten the haute cuisine version of a Turducken.

Accompanied by my wife's order of curry dusted scallops, the most asparagus intense-flavored risotto ever encountered, and some excellent but surprisingly ordinary lamb chops, my only complaint about the meal was the absence of an amuse bouche. I know, very snobby of me, and a just a few years ago I thought an amuse bouche was something you found on the videotapes under your college roommate's bed. But I've been programmed in a Pavlovian fashion to expect such things these days, and expect I do. This oversight was partially made up for by the peanut brittle and four caramel-filled chocolate balls - of which I had three - served after our dessert of chocolate fondant and almond ice cream.

With all of the dishes ranging from $12-$18 and a relatively reasonably priced wine by the glass list to offset a four-figure heavy collection of bottle$, a meal here can be quite a bargain to boot. Unfortunately the competition for this type of dining has gone from nil to a crowd in NYC recently, and Maze is no better than the best. But while that Pressed Foie Gras is gone for now, I know there are a couple of other Foie Gras dishes waiting behind those mirrored doors, so I guess I'll start my wishing for my next birthday right away. By then my son should be able to talk. I wonder if he'll be able to keep a secret then.

FOIE BLOG BACK IN ACTION

2007-06-20T16:25:00.000-04:00

FoieBlog apologizes for it's recent hiatus. We have bills to pay, and sometimes our day jobs get in the way of this labor of the liver. Keep clicking on those ads, though, and perhaps we can one day loosen the shackles of corporate servitude - and answer to our corporate advertisers instead!

While we were gone, GrasGuy had a few eating adventures and will be posting on them in the next few days. There's also a lot of anti-Foie Gras activity to catch up on as Bro-Town, also known as Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, quickly becomes the new hot spot in the battle for Foie Gras freedom.

VETS TO VET FOIE GRAS

2007-06-05T13:46:00.000-04:00

Growing up everyone knew someone who wanted to be a veterinarian. While FoieBlog is sure only a slight fraction of these people actually followed through on their dream, we encourage all of our readers to track down these people, and soon.

The reason? At the July meeting of the American Veterinary Medical Association, members will be voting on a resolution that would put the AVMA on record as opposed to the "inhumane practice." This is the fourth time in a row the group has taken up the issue. Last year a large majority of members voted against similar wording. That being the case, FoieBlog wonders who is responsible for reintroducing it every year. This session, it is one of only two resolutions being voted on - the other involving privacy issues raised by the use of microchip registration databases for pets. Clearly a minority of members in position to introduce this type of resolution are doing so of their own devices and not the feelings of the general membership.

Forget dogs, level-headed veterinarians can be our best friends in the fight for Foie Gras if they take a first hand, scientific look at the issue themselves. Clearly, they are predisposed to be skeptical about how "inhumane" Foie Gras production is, but if they keep hearing about it at these meetings without getting a look from the other side, eventually they will mimic the Chicago City Council and vote in favor of it without careful consideration of their action.

ISN'T DANIEL CRAIG JAMES BOND NOW?

2007-05-31T09:37:00.000-04:00

Seems James Bond III (never forget ol' George Lazenby), Roger Moore, has sent a letter to all of the British MPs asking them to support Hugh Bayley's efforts to ban Foie Gras in Great Britain.

Mr. Moore has previously appeared in a PETA-produced anti-Foie Gras video, and has been an outspoken opponent of the dish he once loved. Not long ago Gordon Ramsay publicly called Moore a hypocrite for enjoying the good life all those years ago and suddenly turning coat and telling others not to do the same. Ramsay eventually apologized after Moore said that what he did he did out of ignorance and now he knew better.

Ignorance? It's not like he was some flighty 18 year old Lindsay Lohan-type when he was a superstar. He was in his 50's at the end of his stint as Bond. Talk about bliss.

As far as FoieBlog is concerned, as entertaining as Moore's films were, Sean Connery is the only true Bond. If anyone is going to be using the star power that goes with that title it should be him. Seeing as how Connery's a Scot...mmm, Haggis...we'll assume that he enjoys all kinds of offal. Who can ever forget that scene from Never Say Never Again when Connery shuns the hospital food they serve him and breaks out his secret stash of Beluga caviar, quail’s eggs, vodka, and foie gras?

Yea, you're right, it's probably just us that would remember that. But we're sure you'll be watching for it next time the movie shows up on TNT.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...WE DID!

2007-05-30T11:10:00.000-04:00

FoieBlog was sadly unable to view Gordon Ramsay's, the F-Word last night, featuring a report on Foie Gras. We were hoping someone would put the video on You Tube or something, but so far no go.

From what we've been able to find out, however, the piece was about a Foie Gras farm in France followed by a trip to Pateria de Sousa in Spain to take a look at their Foie Gras alternative, Ganso Iberico.

Unfortunately, the only comments we've been able to find on the show have been on animal activist websites - so we'll take them with a grain of salt. If anyone out there saw the program, please let us know what you thought. We'll keep an eye out for more info.

On a side note, Ramsay announced that he'd be taking Bluefin Tuna off of the menus at his restaurants because of it's increasingly endangered status. As always, FoieBlog enjoys seeing a chef with a concious supporting the consumption of Foie Gras. We haven't made it to one of his restaurant's yet, but Mrs. GrasGuy dined at Maze in London and was wholeheartedly impressed. We look forward to trying his Pressed Foie Gras and Game with Port Sauce and Pickled Mushrooms at The London in NYC when we get the chance.

FOIE GRAS, THE NEW "F-WORD"

2007-05-29T10:46:00.000-04:00

If you're a FoieBlog reader in the UK, or can get the BBC from your cable or satellite provider, tune in to Gordon Ramsay's 'The F-Word' tonight for an episode dedicated to Foie Gras.

Ratings should be high as every member of the RSPCA will be tuning in to see Janet Street Porter's report from a Foie Gras farm. The British animal activist outfit is using the program as a rallying point to call for a ban on Foie Gras sales in the UK.

Porter's reports usually focus on investigations into alternative meats, and she's been known to dust things up a bit. On a recent show she caused quite a stir as she tried to serve Horse meat burgers at a racecourse in Britain.

More to the point, she's also looked into Veal production in the UK and determined it to be cruelty-free, much to the chagrin of the RSPCA and their cohorts. FoieBlog is anxious to see where the Foie Gras farm is located as production is illegal in the UK. We're guessing it'll be France since that's were most Foie Gras is imported from into Britain, but we'd love to see her make the trip to the US to quiet down the naysayers on this side of the pond.

On a side note, while vacationing in Puglia, Italy, GrasGuy discovered that horse meat is as common there as beef steak. Entire butcher shops are dedicated to it, and it's widely featured on menus throughout the region. Unfortunately, Mrs. GrasGuy was an equestrian as a girl and forbade him from ordering it on the trip.

He hopes to make the trip solo one day.

JUDGE DECREES FOIE GRAS FUNDING IS "RATIONAL"

2007-05-17T11:23:00.000-04:00

FoieBlog joins the folks at Hudson Valley Foie Gras in breathing a sigh of relief today as we learn that a judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the farm's receipt of a state grant to upgrade their facilities.

You'll remember that the Humane Society was arguing that the Empire State Development Corporation had irresponsibly awarded the money - in an attempt to take the cash back from the Foie Gras producer. Unfortunately for them, Justice Thomas McNamara ruled that the ESDC had "a rational basis" for their decision and that there was nothing unlawful that merited the suit.

Ironically (we think that applies here), at the time of the challenge, Hudson Valley actually noted an uptick in sales as a result of the publicity surrounding the filing of the suit, attributing increased awareness of Foie Gras among people who were otherwise unfamiliar with it.

FoieBlog would like to note that this is the first time we've had two consecutive posts with good news on the fight for Foie Gras. Dare we hope for a Threepeat?

CHICAGO FOIE GRAS BAN MAY BE BANNED

2007-05-16T09:30:00.000-04:00

Seems that Chicago's Foie Gras ban may not be set in stone after all.

The Chicago Sun reports that City Alderman Ed Burke, with the support of several colleagues on the city council's Health Committee, quietly slipped a repeal of the Foie Gras ban into the agenda of this week's meeting. It wasn't brought up for a vote, but the move so angered the committee chair, Ed Smith, that he sent a letter of resignation to Mayor Richard Daley saying that he would leave his position if it ever did. Daley accepted the provisional resignation, pointing out that he believes the repeal will happen sooner or later.

To be fair, Alderman Smith is no Joe Moore, and he is apparently more upset about what amounts to an end run around his authority as chair, rather than defending the Foie Gras ban. However, he's also a long-time foe of the Mayor, so he'll be getting no support from City Hall in his efforts to preserve his vision of legislative etiquette.

FoieBlog hasn't been so happy since we discovered a restaurant serving Foie Gras stuffed Rabbit Loin near our HQ (review to come.) Kudos to our new favorite politician, Ed Burke. Chicago could have easily let this law live on the books with little enforcement like one of those wacky laws you hear about not being able to dance with a chicken in the presence of a kindergarten teacher (or something like that), but clearly there's been enough of a vocal and active opposition to the ban that city legislators now realize they need to serve the people and business of Chicago and not some whiners from Watkins Glen, NY (We're looking at you, Farm Sanctuary.)

FoieBlog urges our Windy City readers to keep up the phone calls and e-mails. The only lost cause is the one that you let be.

FIGHTING BACK FOR FOIE

2007-05-08T11:06:00.002-04:00

FoieBlog regrets that most of the developments that we keep an eye on involve attacks on our freedom to enjoy Foie Gras, but there are those who are out there fighting the good fight, and today that fight made it to Capitol Hill.

David Martosko of the Center for Consumer Freedom spoke before a House Agriculture subcommittee today, warning of the rising influence of animal rights activists and their ultimate goal of eliminating meat from the food chain altogether. Although his was a broad counterattack against the likes of Farm Sanctuary, and not specifically in support of Foie Gras, Martosko stated:

"I have never tasted foie gras...but who are these people to decide I shouldn't have the chance to try it? When zealots ban books because of their politics, millions of people rise up. Why isn't banning food for political reasons viewed the same way?"

A bit over the top to be sure, but no more so than any of the activists' propaganda. Kudos to Martosko and the CCF for taking the time to speak up in front of our nation's legislators.

FoieBlog urges you to join them in battle by contacting members of the subcommittee .

Unfortunately, back in Chicago, things look a bit more bleak. The Daily Herald reports that while there is a mounting legal challenge to the city's Foie Gras ban, the interstate commerce grounds that it's based on aren't looking too firm.

FoieBlog sees this effort less about overturning the ban, and more about preventing similar legislation to be passed in the future. Not a bad goal, but a futile one from our perspective.

If any of our readers are in the legal profession and think you can bring anything new to the table, we urge you to contact the Illinois Restaurant Association and give them your two cents - not that you guys are known for giving away anything for free.

We jest.

Please don't file a slander suit against us.

Please.

BLANCHARD BUCKS BLAIR BUNGLE

2007-05-07T12:12:00.000-04:00

Although it was a down year for Tony Blair's Labour (yea, that's how they spell it, kids) party in last week's UK municipal elections, the City of York proved once again it is on the verge of becoming the Chicago of Britain.

FoieBlog's favorite British whipping boy, York Councilor Paul Blanchard, managed to be reelected in what turned out to be a safe haven for Labor and Liberal Democrats alike. Although he hasn't managed to update his website as of yet, we anticipate that he'll be attributing the victory to his unsuccesful campaign against Foie Gras - that's usually how these things go.

Unfortunately for Mr. Blanchard, his petition to the prime minister only managed to garner 8,500 signatories - a drop in the proverbial bucket and not one likely to be heard by the PM in his last days in office.

LIVER AND LESBIANS

2007-05-03T11:28:00.000-04:00

FoieBlog is not known for stereotyping - except when it comes to skinny, whiny out of work political activists - but this story certainly throws us for a loop.

Rick Nelson of the The Minneapolis Star Tribune has written a review of a new restaurant that caters to the unlikely pair of lesbians and Foie Gras aficionados. Well, not specifically Foie Gras lovers, but Pi offers a burger stuffed with foie gras and topped with aged cheddar and farfalle tossed with pine nuts and lobster that has us checking Orbitz for the next flight to the Twin Cities.

FoieBlog always finds it refreshing to discover Foie Gras dishes in what would otherwise be considered liberal environments, proving that great food can bring people of all stripes together.

The more we read about Minneapolis and its cutting edge food, music and arts scene hidden away in the snowy northern regions of our great nation, the more we want to go. If we make it there, you'll be the first to hear how this magnificent-sounding creation tastes. If you beat us there, please let us be the first to hear from you.

Foie Front: Philly

2007-04-30T12:06:00.000-04:00

FoieBlog always looks forward to the arrival of spring and the blooming of al fresco dining throughout the Northeast. Somehow Europeans manage to do this year round, but diners in the cooler climes of the USA seem to only allow themselves the joy of outdoor consumption after the vernal equinox.

Unfortunately, the same lovely weather also brings out the protests from our friends at organizations like Farm Sanctuary, and this year is no exception. According to their press release, the organization planned a series of events this weekend attacking various Philadelphia restaurants for serving Foie Gras. Unfortunately for them, FoieBlog seems to be the only one who read that press release, as, from the looks of things, they received exactly zero news coverage.

This is unfortunate for us as we have no way of gauging how big of a turnout they managed to round up. So FoieBlog is putting out a brotherly appeal to any of our readers from Philly who had the misfortune of stumbling upon any of these activist activities. Let us know what you saw, or didn't see.

FoieBlog also reminds all of Philly's registered voters that the May 15th city council primaries are fast approaching and At Large candidate, Jack Kelly - the sponsor of a Foie Gras ban currently floundering in the city council - is up for reelection.

Even if you're not planning on taking part in the primary elections, at least drop ol' Jack a line at his MySpace page and let him know how much you enjoy him wasting the council's time with his frivolous bill.

If you don't, Farm Sanctuary will.

COMING TO A THEATER NEAR YOU

2007-04-27T10:52:00.000-04:00

Maybe they just want to be like Al Gore.

Business publication Crain's reports that our pals over at Farm Sanctuary are shopping around a 15 minute DVD about Foie Gras to restaurant owners and activist celebs in and around New York City.

It's interesting that, while the DVD reportedly features a New York State Wildlife Pathologist speaking out against Foie Gras production, state investigators have given a big thumbs up to the Empire State's sole Foie Gras producer, Hudson Valley Foie Gras. FoieBlog is not sure who this guy is, but it appears he didn't have much influence in the halls of government, so we don't know why we should care what he has to say.

Unfortunately, if a propaganda production like this ends up in the wrong hands - like a New York version of Joe Moore or, gasp, Paul Blanchard - it could be trouble.

NAZIS WANT YOUR FOIE GRAS

2007-04-26T09:29:00.001-04:00

It's been said that the enemy of your enemy is your friend. FoieBlog disagrees.

According to The Press of York, our old friend, Councilor Paul Blanchard, has found himself with some unwanted allies in his fight to ban Foie Gras in the UK. It seems that an anti-Semitic group, who reportedly blame the Jews for Foie Gras, has been circulating an e-mail that links to Blanchard's campaign, much to the old boy's chagrin.

Even with all of the bad things going on in the world today, FoieBlog still believes that Nazi Fascism is the most evil political ideology the world has ever seen, and it truly pains us to make light of this situation. Still, it's hard for us not to giggle at Mr. Blanchard's little conundrum.

Fine feathered friends indeed.

MORE MOORE

2007-04-23T08:08:00.000-04:00

It was a close race, but Foie Gras foe, Chicago City Alderman Joe Moore, managed to eek out a 300 vote victory over a surprisingly challening challenger, Don Gordon. The runoff vote was forced when Moore failed to receive the required 50% of the vote in the general election, coming up short at 49%. Unfortunately for those of us who think Moore's ban on Foie Gras is a big bit of nonsense, Gordon couldn't make up the difference in the runoff election, but lost by a mere 300 votes. What's interesting is that of the 22% of the vote up for grabs in the runoff, Moore only managed to pick up an extra 3%, with Gordon scoring the rest. So the opposition was strong, just not strong enough.

FoieBlog fears that this could mark the end of the Foie Gras ban debate in Chicago, unless the ongoing animosity between Moore and Richard Daly pushes the Mayor to find an ally to introduce legislation that would overturn the ban. If not we hope that if there are 300 Foie Gras lovers in the 49th Ward they'll turn out to vote next time around.

FOIE FOR A FEW COINS AT BISTROT DU COIN

2007-04-11T14:13:00.000-04:00

"Good for the money" isn't the kind of review restaurateurs usually covet, but in the case of Bistrot Du Coin in Washington, DC, it's very fitting, in a good way.

Most people see our nation's capital as a boring one-horse town that lives and breathes politics, southern backslapping camaraderie, and little more.

Most people are wrong.

As noted before, GrasGuy spent his early adult years in DC, and I've held an affinity for the sometimes beleaguered city ever since. No, it's not New York, or London, or Paris, or even Los Angeles, but it has all of the things that make great cities like those, well, great. It's all there, the culture, the music, the interesting street freaks. There's just not as much of it, so you have to look a little harder, and you're likely to miss it from the confines of a tour bus.

Even if it this wasn't true, one thing that politicians, lawyers and their assorted hangers-on are good at is spending money. So it's no surprise that Washington has one of the most vibrant culinary scenes in the United States, though it may be a surprise to you.

Home to arguably the finest Spanish (Jaleo) and Italian (Galileo) restaurants in the country, and seemingly more African eateries per square mile than the dark continent itself, there's no shortage of variety to choose from, and thankfully as many French-tinted restaurants as is befitting a capital of the world.

While Michel Richard's Citronelle is the grand dame of DC's Gallic scene, one of my (and apparently his) favorites is Bistro Du Coin in Dupont Circle. An homage to turn of the century Paris, the high-ceilinged, zinc-barred establishment is usually so lively you expect a line of Can Can dancers to burst out of the back room at any moment. Instead, what you get coming out of the kitchen is some of the most solid and accessible bistro food this side of the left bank, with Pates, Moules, and Tartares a plenty at very reasonable prices.

GrasGuy being GrasGuy, the first words out of my mouth in a place like this after 'Pinot Noir' is usually 'Foie Gras, rapide!' In BDC's case, that means an appetizer of Sauteed Foie Gras with Sweet Sorghum Risotto and Truffle. I've never been quite sure what sorghum is, other than some sort of commodity prized by Midwest farmers, but here it makes a mildly sweet yet thick sauce - think A1 without the spices and you've got it. What, that doesn't sound too good? Well, it is, though it's not fantastic. What makes it work is the quality of the Foie Gras that they use, which isn't' too high and is a bit tough and gamy. Again, that's not to say it's bad, it's just not the pinnacle of creamy smooth Foie Gras, so the heavy handed sauce helps it out, while the truffle flavored risotto takes care of the rest. For $14.95 you can't feel too bad about it, it'd be double that in NYC, and here it's the most expensive appetizer on the menu, a full $.20 more than the Duck Confit.

With ten different types of Moules on offer - including Creamy Rouquefort and Au Pistou - it's tough not to go for this house speciality, but on the unseasonably cold April evening that I was there, something heartier was in order, and the very extensive menu does not dissapoint. With no less than six stews on offer like White Bean, Veal and Lamb, I opted for the Rabbit in Mustard Cream Sauce - another weak spot of mine - and was quite pleased. But as with the Foie Gras my satisfaction was not just from the taste, but also the value. At $17.95 the casserole was more than even I could finish, though I wish that I could have - the chef hitting just the right degree of Dijon flavor in the sauce, not always an easy feat.

No, Bistrot Du Coin is not the best restaurant in DC, but it is among the most enjoyable. A place like this would be a welcome addition in any city, even in New York where most of the "Bistros" err on the side of being too fancy and fail to capture the true spirit of the more bohemian flavored of the breed. Bistro Du Coin does just that, and for the money it can't be beat.

BLANCHARD'S BANDWAGON

2007-04-10T09:32:00.000-04:00

Looks like our old pal Paul Blanchard from York, England is becoming a bit of a celebrity in animal rights circles over in the UK.

The Press of York reports that two of Britain's major groups, the RSPCA and Viva, have put their weight behind Blanchard's efforts to ban Foie Gras not only in the city of York - an effort that has failed miserably (if only Chicagoans could be so lucky) - but in all of the United Kingdom.

FoieBlog is not surprised by this development, as it is a no-lose situation for the veggie-killers, but it could throw some weight behind Blanchard's so-far anemic effort to collect signatures for his petition - 4,763 as of now in a nation of 60 million. FoieBlog is pretty sure that we could get that many signatures to ban tap water.

Nevertheless, until influential members of the recently revived British culinary scene step up to support the continued availability of Foie Gras, it's far from impossible that Blanchard's campaign could catch fire. This is a nation that has already blindly banned the production of Foie Gras, so it's not too far of a stretch that inaction on the part of foodies could lead to the UK restaurant scene back into the abyss of boiled meats.

So when you head to 8 York Court, Wilder Street in Bristol to protest outside of the Viva, drop by the Picture House restaurant and let us know how the Maple Glazed Pork Belly with Sauteed Foie Gras, Apple Jelly and Calvados Jus is. Any dish combining the independently magical ingredients of Pork and Foie Gras is worth going out of your way for, and if you can do a good deed by giving the Viva folks a piece of your mind in the process, then bully for you.

NO GEESE TO BE GOTTEN

2007-04-09T16:51:00.000-04:00

The Chicago Tribune reports that Sunday's goose-culling egg hunt in Chicago's parks came up with just one big goose egg.

As the premiere website on all things goose and gander, FoieBlog would like to take credit for the failure of this project, as the geese in question clearly got a head's up to the pogrom by reading our blog.

When it comes to the size of a goose flock, FoieBlog says the more the merrier...just don't forget to call us for dinner.

GOOSE OF THE SEA JUST DOESN'T HAVE THAT RING

2007-04-03T11:54:00.000-04:00

Everyone knows that StarKist Tuna is the "Chicken of the Sea." Well it seems now that Toro - the delectably fatty belly of the tuna widely used to make some of the best sushi dishes in the world is known as the "Foie Gras of The Sea." At least that's the term an Associated Press article uses in a story about Japanese tuna fishing.

FoieBlog has never heard anyone make that reference before and to be technical they should just call it "Ventre Gras," which is "Fat Belly" in French. Unfortunately there's no citation in the so no credit is due. However, FoieBlog is heartened by the fact that someone out there isn't afraid to refer to something as the "Foie Gras" of anything, further supporting our favorite organ's place in the pantheon of the pallet.

FOIE GRAS BAN GOES TO WESTMINSTER

2007-04-02T09:29:00.002-04:00

Looks like York, UK councilor Paul Blanchard has some friends in very high places.

The Press reports that York Member of Parliament Hugh Bayley has tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament calling for a UK-wide ban on Foie Gras sales, citing it as an issue of "public morality." The website of Blanchard's campaign even gets a legislative shout-out in the motion.

FoieBlog is quite sure the 15 British sailors in Iran are happy to hear of MP Bayley's efforts.

While at first glance this would look like things are heating up on the issue in the UK, FoieBlog would like to point out that Early Day Motions are nothing more than symbolic measures. They are the Parliamentary equivalent of an online petition to gauge support for an issue, measured by the number of signatures of support they receive, but are rarely - if ever - considered for debate on the floor and are not a direct line to the passage of any sort of legislation.

Of course, Chicago's Foie Gras ban started in much the same symbolic fashion leading to the passage of the "silliest law" ever, and anyone who's ever watch British TV knows just how silly our friends across the pond can be.

FOIE FINE JUST FINE

2007-03-30T10:24:00.000-04:00

Chicago's "Hot Doug" handed a $250 check over to the City of Chicago on Thursday (March 29th), officially becoming the first person fined under The Windy City's Foie Gras ban.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Doug reached an agreement with the city to avoid the maximum $500 fine for the Feb 16th offense. Both sides agree that Doug probably got the better end of the deal, garnering mucy more than $250 worth of free advertising as a result of the citation.

What FoieBlog loves about this story is that not only does the city health department admit that enforcement of the law is one of their "lowest priorities" and it isn't being aggressively enforced, but that they say they currently aren't investigating any other restaurants. The way the law is written, the Department of Public Health must receive a complaint before they go snooping around for the contraband offal. Seems the people who are finding it sure ain't complaining about it.

Neither would FoieBlog.

BOND BACKING BLANCHARD

2007-03-26T10:55:00.001-04:00

Well, not exactly.

Seems our old pal, York, UK town councillor, Paul Blanchard (AKA English Joe Moore) has posted Roger Moore's PETA-produced anti-Foie Gras video on his website - and managed to get a bit of press out of it.

MI6, an all things Bond website, cites an article from This Is York that says Blanchard has recieved "top-level backing" for his campaign.

Unfortunately for Blanchard - and not mentioned in either of the articles - James Bond III hasn't exactly come out and "backed" anything. In fact, other than Blanchard posting the time-worn video on his website, FoieBlog can find no specific endorsement of Blanchard's efforts by Moore - and Blanchard's website doesn't even claim that he has recieved one.

FoieBlog has little doubt that the erstwhile Bond would sympathize with Blanchard's campaign, but This Is York really gets it wrong by calling this an endorsement. This is no surprise, however, as the article is fully loaded with quotes from people on the anti-Foie Gras side of the debate and not one mention of anyone who disagrees with Blanchard - like the other members of the town council who already nixed his proposal.

Better yet, maybe the editors should drop by Melton's or Melton's Too and talk to the customers of chef/owner Michael Hjort, who's called Blanchard's legislation "gesture politics" and contines to serve dishes like the delictable-sounding Foie Gras with Wood Pigeon at his two York eateries. Unfortunately, while Hjort is committed to using local and regional produce in his eateries as much as possible, the ban on Foie Gras production in the UK forces him to purchase it from elsewhere in Europe.

DOES CHICAGO CARE ABOUT GEESE OR DON'T THEY?

2007-03-23T09:41:00.000-04:00

FoieBlog is confused.

First Chicago bans the sale of Foie Gras because they don't want to be associated with what they call an "inhumane" industry. Now the city government is calling for volunteers to help them thin out the local goose population by searching for eggs in city parks and destroying them. According to the Chicago Tribune they even have the backing of the Humane Society of the United States.

What gives? FoieBlog thought that the ban on Foie Gras was a symbolic measure that showed how much The Windy City cared about our feathered friends. Now it looks more like they were just trying to eliminate these defenseless animals from the city one body part at a time.

FoieBlog wonders if Joe Moore will be signing up for this poultry pogrom.

IT'S OFFICIAL: PUCK BANS FOIE GRAS

2007-03-22T09:05:00.000-04:00

For THE celebrity chef of California, this development was almost inevitable.

Wolfgang Puck announced yesterday that his dining empire would be eliminating force-fed Foie Gras, along with several other foodstuffs that are raised through what he says are cruel methods. Needless to say the Austrian chef made this decision with the help of the unbiased research team at Farm Sanctuary along with The Humane Society of the United States - at least that's what their press release claims.

The activist groups say they've been putting pressure on Puck for over five years to take these steps, and FoieBlog will continue to be skeptical about the timing of Puck's implementation - just weeks after a Hepatitis scare at the Puck-catered Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition release party. That PR nightmare turned into such a big deal that several California legislators have proposed requiring food service workers to be vaccinated against the disease as a requirement for employment. Yep, sounds like California.

FoieBlog also notes that Puck has always touted his hands-on approach to dealing with suppliers and vendors and wonders how much of the cruel ingredients he was using anyway. One thing he was certainly not serving was inhumanely produced Foie Gras. His supplier was Hudson Valley Farms, who's production methods have passed muster with all regulatory agencies and journalists who've seen the farm first hand. Unfortunately, chefs like Puck only seem to hear from extreme activists like Farm Sanctuary, and only get one side of the story. Until they hear from the people who actually pay their bills they will continue to kowtow to the activists' demands in order to avoid the hassle of being protested. FoieBlog encourages Puck to take a trip to New York and check out the operation at Hudson Valley Farms for himself, rather than listen to third-hand information from Farm Sanctuary.

Unlike other food industries like battery-raised chickens and farms that still use confining crates to raise veal, one thing about the Foie Gras business is that there are so few producers of the product in the United States that it's very easy to know who's doing a good job of taking care of their animals. Business that do should be supported and held up as examples of good citizens, not blindly grouped in with the bad guys.

FoieBlog hopes Puck's customers will convince him to reconsider his decision, but with the 2012 ban on Foie Gras looming in California it's doubtful that he will. That being the case, FoieBlog suggests that Puck takes a look at Schiltz Goose Farm's Natural Fatty Goose Liver. I'm sure his customers would appreciate it.

REPORT: PUCK SAYS NO DUCK...LIVER

2007-03-21T16:51:00.001-04:00

This just in: Drudgereport has just added a headline reporting Wolfgang Puck is banning Foie Gras, as well as veal, eggs from battery chickens, and pigs raised in confining crates.

FoieBlog is very interested to hear the details on this high-profile development, but finds timing of the announcement, in the wake of Puck's Hepatitis Debacle, to be highly suspicious.

That said, Puck was the target of a failed Farm Sanctuary campaign to get him to eliminate these very items from the menus of his restaurants, and FoieBlog wonders if the celebrity chef has faced a recent e-mail onslaught.

As Drudge would say: Developing...

AU PIED DE COCHON DOESN'T LIVE UP TO IT'S NAME

2007-03-21T11:57:00.000-04:00

When GrasGuy was just out of college, an exotic meal usually meant a trip to the local Taco Bell. For the rest of my life I will remember one fateful day when I made a run to the border to pick up a Taco Value Meal and Seven Layer Burrito. When I placed my order, the counter person non-chalantly replied "we're out of taco meat." It was the first time in my life I could truly say I was dumbfounded. "Taco" Bell out of "TACOS". Imagine going to a Dunkin Donuts and being told they only have cookies, or finding a Burger King without a beef patty in sight. Imagine the horror.

Had I been a man with ambition, I would have petitioned for legislation requiring food service outlets to, at bare minimum, provide the product that is in their name - I was living in Washington, DC at the time. My organization would be called F.O.O.D., Foodies Organized and Opposed to Deception, and we would stop at nothing to bring truth in advertising to the fast-food community. Sadly, for an aimless 23 year old bridging the time between happy hour and a night on the town, this sort of civic action was not to be. So I ordered a Chicken Burrito and wrote off the incident as a once in a lifetime irony that I would soon find out makes a really dull cocktail party anecdote.

Oh how wrong I was (the part about the irony, not about people trying to avoid me at social occasions).

Flash forward 13 years and I've dragged my seven months pregnant wife to Montreal for one reason and one reason only - Au Pied De Cochon. Few restaurants - let alone one only five years old - can claim such a legendary status in a city's culinary landscape as Martin Picard's temple of comfort food and overindulgence. And surely none have so wholeheartedly given themselves over to the wonder of Foie Gras in such abundance as this bustling little eatery. I've read that Picard serves more Foie Gras every day than all the other restaurants in the Quebec province combined. If it's not true, please don't correct me because I don't want to know.

With reservations made weeks in advance - just to be on the safe side - my wife and I bundled up and made our way through the frigid late-November streets, seeking out the warm embrace of Au Pied De Cochon's open kitchen on the other end of town. Relieved to hear that they had our reservation, I was initially disappointed to see that we were being seated at a cramped two top adjacent to the very busy counter where the waiters pick up their orders. Once we settled in, however, I realized that we had front row seats for a runway show like no other. Plate after piled-high plate pouring out of the kitchen, things we'd never seen before - like Duck in a Can - and things we couldn't identify but wanted to devour just the same. Big messes of ingredients that looked more like leftovers than fine dining, but just as appealing.

One dish that was unmistakable was the one I came all this way to try, the Au Pied Du Cochon (Pig's Foot) stuffed with Foie Gras. As I gave the menu a perfunctory once over - I knew what I was here for months ago - foot after wonderful foot marched out of the kitchen while we waited for our waiter to arrive. I'm not even sure I let my wife order first before bursting out with "I'll have the Foie Gras stuffed Pig's Foot please," to which he replied with a bit of a French-Canadian accent "No, I'm sorry, but we are out of the Pig's Feet tonight."

I was flabbergasted. (I know this for certain because that's the first word I thought of. Didn't even need to use the thesaurus to come up with it. It just came out.)

I asked the waiter for a moment so that I could regroup, my wife looking frightened across the table, not sure what to say to console me. How could this happen? I know Canadians eat dinner earlier than we New Yorkers do, but it was only 7:30pm, and we're not talking about an obscure menu item, we're talking about the restaurant's signature dish.

Never before had I taken a trip with such a singular purpose in mind, and I really didn't know how to proceed. Walking out was the first thing that came to mind, but what would that accomplish? With so much Foie Gras on offer, surely I could salvage the evening. So I grabbed the menu I'd barely glanced at before and madly searched for an alternative - irrationally thinking every entree was in danger of running out and that I needed to make a decision NOW.

The Foie Gras combo - a Foie Gras Burger with a side of Foie Gras Poutine - seemed the logical choice, but I was not being logical. Looking back, I'm sure that I was subliminally trying to sabotage the meal so that I could tell everyone what a terrible place this was. Searching for something less pedestrian I went with the Ploque a Champlain - a seared foie gras with figs, Canadian bacon and maple syrup served on a buckwheat pancake. It sounded similar to a dish that I had tasted in Seville, Spain, and seemed creative enough to showcase Picard's abilities as a chef. After giving the waiter my choice I immediately suffered a bout of order remorse. I'm a savory guy, not a sweet syrupy guy. Disaster surely loomed.

When the dish arrived it was much smaller than I expected. Compared to the monstrosities I'd been watching come out of the kitchen all night, the dish looked about the size of an Egg McMuffin, and thoughts of McGriddles danced through my mind. As I took my first bite, my wife carefully asked me how it was in the verbal equivalent of walking on eggshells. "It's OK," I grunted, not wanting to give any quarter. "I'm sorry," she said in that way she does when she knows she's lost me to a disappointing food experience. She's seen me in this state before, but never to this extent. But after a few of bites in the uncomfortable silence my assessment quickly changed. Though there was no follow-up question from her, I replied again, "It's OK, I guess. It's really not that bad. It's not what I wanted, but for what it is it's pretty good." "Pretty good" quickly became "great" and as much as I wanted to hate this place, I was won over by the unlikeliest of dishes. Mon Dieu.

Still, as rich as it was it wasn't very big. And like anyone else who'd seen Anthony Bourdain's orgy of food when he dined here on his TV show, I was expecting to leave with a belly as full as my pregnant wife's. Lucky for me she's a slow eater, so there was time to order another entree without leaving her completely out to dry. Although Picard doesn't make it with any Foie Gras, the Duck Confit Cassoulets I watched coming out of the kitchen looked great and no dish is more perfect on a cold Canadian night. Flagging the waiter over once more I told him my order and sat back, satisfied that the night was going to turn out just fine.

"I'm sorry, but we have run out."

No word exists to describe how I felt at this point (believe me, I checked the thesaurus this time.)

I told him to forget it, there was nothing else I wanted this time. Just bring the check.
As he walked away I literally brought my hands to the side of my head and dropped it to the table in disbelief. I'd seen one come out of the kitchen a few minutes before I ordered. How could they possibly be out?

Slugging down the last of my Pinot Noir, I tried to collect myself, not wanting my wife to suffer any more of my pain. When I saw the waiter approaching, I grabbed for my wallet hoping to make a quick exit from this nightmare.

"Sir, there is good news, we have found one more confit."

From anticipation to disappointment to surprise to devastation to joy all in one meal. Who knew the Canadians were so dramatic. Surely this wouldn't happen in Toronto.

I'm happy to report that the cassoulet was possibly even better than the Ploque a Champlain, possibly because I had another glass of Pinot as a precaution, but probably on it's own merits. I'd never had a dining experience like this before and I pray to James Beard that I never do again.

I'll always wonder what that Pig's Foot is like, and if I make it back to Montreal I'm sure I won't be able to resist going back to Au Pied Du Cochon to find out, but I won't be making the trip again just for that. I'm not sure that my marriage could take it.

GrasGuy wonders if there isn't still a place in this world for F.O.O.D. to provide the kind of surety in dining that consumers deserve. Yes, I'm well aware that the law would have had no authority in Canada and wouldn't have prevented this predicament, but surely if the United Nations refused to write a resolution to the same effect, a rider could be attached to the re authorization of NAFTA, couldn't it?

Until then I'll be sticking to restaurants named after people and places rather than foods. Unless, of course, the food is as irresistible as Au Pied De Cochon's, then I'll reconsider.

PETA GUNNNING FOR TEXAS SUPERMARKET

2007-03-16T11:57:00.000-04:00

Fresh off of their victory over the Giant Eagle supermarket chain, FoieBlog has learned that PETA is now going after Texas-based HEB.

The group has sent an action alert to it's members urging them to contact HEB and demand that they remove Foie Gras products from their shelves. PETA admits they are taking this step after direct requests to HEB failed to elicit a response. FoieBlog hopes the supermarket will also ignore whatever response this campaign manages to stir up.

However, as we saw in the case of Giant Eagle, thousands of e-mails from people posing as actual customers sometimes carries more weight than an official phone call from PETA. FoieBlog hopes HEB will know the difference, but you can help them by writing to them yourselves at http://www.heb.com/aboutHEB/survey.jsp.

Texas may be known more as a Beer and BBQ kind of place, but you'd be short changing the Lone Star State if you thought fine dining wasn't part of their repertoire. All that oil money has to go somewhere, and there's plenty of great places to spend it on the best food the world has to offer. Still, it is Texas, and they do things in a big way. FoieBlog recently heard about a Houston eatery called Chez George that offers up a big old plate of gallic flavor, topping it's filet mignon with slices of Foie Gras and finishing the dish with a bold truffle sauce.

Yee haw, indeed.

ISRAELI FOIE FARMERS FILE $22MILLION SUIT

2007-03-15T08:25:00.000-04:00

Foie Gras production was banned in Israel in 2005, ostensibly to stop the "suffering" of the geese used in its production. Now the ones who are suffering are the farmers who lost their jobs.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that a group of 45 farms has filed a lawsuit against the Agriculture Ministry demanding 90 million shekels ($22 million) in damages for being forced out of business. The farmers argue that prior to the ban the government encouraged them to invest heavily in their industry, believing it to be a great export opportunity for the nation, and then left them out to dry after the ban took effect. Rather than pay outright compensation, the farmers say that government initially said it would assist them in transitioning to other products to make up for the lost business. Looks like that plan worked about as well as efforts to get Afghan opium farmers to switch to legal crops. Unfortunately for the Israeli farmers, they aren't interested in break the law and are now unemployed.

FoieBlog sees this as a cautionary tale for politicians in all nations who would try to ban Foie Gras production without considering the full impact of their actions. Anti-Foie Gras bills are usually no more than fashionable cause celebs, and politicians offhandedly vote in favor of them to score easy brownie points with the world of the wishy washy. But while localized bans in cities like Chicago probably won't put too many people out of work, statewide or national restrictions could affect a wide swath of industries in the food distribution chain - from farmers to wholesale food distributors. That means people out of work and less taxes in the state's coffers - things that one day can come back to bite you. You'll just have to take your chances that that day isn't election day.

INTERVIEW WITH JIM SCHILTZ, DEVELOPER OF "NATURAL FATTY GOOSE LIVER"

2007-03-14T09:13:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, FoieBlog told you about a new Foie Gras alternative being produced by Schiltz Goose Farm in South Dakota. Rather than force feeding his geese, Schiltz harvests their “Natural Fatty Goose Liver” at a particular time in the birds’ life cycle when the natural process for enlarging their livers takes place. The organ that’s produced isn’t quite as large or fatty as traditional Foie Gras, but offers nearly the same flavor and consistency. A similar product being produced in Spain, known as “Ganso Iberico” has already caused quite a stir in European epicurean circles, where it has received the prestigious Coup de Couer award.

Well now GrasGuy has been given the opportunity to interview Jim Schiltz himself and FoieBlog is happy to share a few excerpts from their conversation with our readers. Enjoy.

GG: Was your product inspired by the success of Pateria de Sousa's "Ganso Iberico," or did this come to you in a flash of inspiration?

JS: We have been working on a novel process for a couple of years as a way to complement our free range approach to raising geese under a natural environment to provide the optimal living conditions for our flocks. I only learned of Pateria de Sousa's product on 2/22/07 when a friend sent me [this article from the] Sunday Telegraph. It was great to see that others are also trying to develop alternatives to force feeding of traditional Foie Gras.

GG: How long have you been producing Natural Fatty Goose Liver?

JS: We have been harvesting geese since 1979, I first noticed the different colored liver in the early 90's on birds that we took to a later harvest date. Also, I noted not only changes in liver color as well as size and consistency occurred when using different food and nutrition content. In February of 2006, we decided to explore the differences in more detail and so we separated and monitored some trial pens of geese and actively tried to produce a liver that had a higher fatty content. The procedure is still experimental and we have attempted to do some test marketing of our method using product samples. The response to samples has been very encouraging for our unique method for producing natural Foie Gras alternative. Actually, it is surprising that others have not discovered our process but I think up until now there hasn't been much interest and what has been in the market probably was not as close to the traditional Foie Gras as ours is.

GG: How much have you produced and sold so far?

JS: As this was our first year, we have produced a small amount of different product samples for test marketing. Unfortunately, because of the seasonality of geese, it only allows an opportunity once a year to perfect our product samples.

GG: Are the geese that the fatty liver comes from raised any differently than the rest of the flock, or do you discover which ones have produced a fatty liver in the course of preparing the geese for sale?

JS: They are reared longer than the traditional flock of around 18 weeks. Because our method is proprietary I can't say much more than this, but it is important to point out that no forced feeding or containment occurs. They are raised under similar condition as the rest of the flocks.

GG: As someone who offers an alternative to traditional Foie Gras, what are your personal feelings about efforts to ban force-fed Foie Gras production and sales in the United States?

JS: My family has been in goose production since 1944. I have personally witnessed Foie Gras production in Bulgaria and Hungary and, in the early 80's, worked with a Frenchman to produce one run of a couple hundred head. I can personally attest to the fact that the goose is not very partial to the idea the first few days. Eventually they calm down (especially if the handlers are gentle) and even look forward to it, but of course they are not permitted to eat on their own any more. That process is totally different from our approach, which is meant to NOT put our animals under any stress and provide a natural environment. But personally I love to eat Foie Gras and that led us to the decision to develop an alternative method to produce Foie Gras like product without force feeding geese. Although our method will not, nor is intended to, replace the traditional method, I believe that our Late Harvest Fatty Goose Liver can be a wonderful alternative and I personally enjoy the taste and texture immensely.

Schiltz says that he believes his is the only farm currently producing this type of liver in the United States. If any of you know otherwise, please let us know. FoieBlog expects big things from this developing product and will be very surprised if it doesn’t start to catch on in the coming months.

In the meantime, check out the Schiltz farms website, http://www.roastgoose.com/, for more information on this product and let us know what you think.

And if you find yourself in New Orleans any time soon, drop by the The Delachaise on St. Charles Avenue, where Chef Chris DeBarr, renowned for his work with pates, has been pioneering the use of Schiltz’ Natural Fatty Goose Liver along with other products from Schiltz Goose Farms.

The Crescent City is one of FoieBlog’s favorite gastronaut destinations and we will be sure to check it out ourselves the next time we head for the bayou. Guarantee.

ENGLISH JOE MOORE AT IT AGAIN

2007-03-13T09:43:00.000-04:00

Talk about stepping it up a notch.

After failing to convince his fellow members of the town council of York, England to take any action on his motion to ban Foie Gras, Joe Moore-wannabe, Councillor Paul Blanchard, is taking his case to the office of lame duck Prime Minister, Tony Blair, according to the York Press.

Well, not quite the office. The Prime Minister's website has recently launched a new function that allows ANY member of the British public to create an online petition right on the website on any topic. Blanchard's reads in full:

"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to ban the sale of inhumane foie gras."

Good Show, Councillor. Very convincing proposal.

Where's that powerful rhetoric you British politicians are known for? The clever turn of phrase? The eloquence? It's a true wonder that he couldn't get his townsfolk behind his ban.

The fact remains that the government of York doesn't have the power to ban Foie Gras locally, nor can the British government blithely ban a product that's legal under European Union law.

Even Ben Bradshaw, the UK minister in charge of animal welfare, says his hands are tied - and he is far from a Foie Gras fan.

But the good Councillor is not deterred, saying the UK is a "sovereign nation" that "can ban anything we like." Very Winston Churchill of him.

Unfortunately, this isn't D-Day, and FoieBlog believes Councillor Blanchard's descent from elected politician to protester is making him look more like a low budget version of Al Gore - without the PowerPoint presentation.

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL

2007-03-12T11:23:00.000-04:00

FoieBlog apologizes for our absence. GrasGuy has been spending the past two weeks tending to his wife and newborn son. A slightly tougher, but decidedly more important job than effusing on all things Foie Gras.

That said, we're back in business, and it's been a busy couple of weeks in the world of Foie Gras. Please bear with us as we play catch up on the most important developments of recent days. First and foremost...

Moore To Face More Votes
As much as FoieBlog hated missing the Chicago Aldermanic elections, we're very please that the finale is yet to come.

On a night when pro-mayor Daley incumbents were soundly defeated by their labor-backed challengers, 49th Ward Alderman, Joe Moore, a favorite of the unions for his support of a big-box minimum wage bill, came up 1% short of being elected outright and now faces a runoff on April 17th. That he was not able to win against a slate of 3 challengers splitting the opposition vote speaks volumes about his waning popularity in a district he has represented for 16 years. Besting his closest rival, Don Gordon, by a margin of 49%-29%, Moore must now face Gordon mano a mano in the runoff elections next month. With the opposition able to consolidate their support behind Gordon, the possibility of a Moore defeat is well within reach.

FoieBlog realizes this election is about many issues beyond Moore's Foie Gras ban, but Gordon and others have managed to portray that legislation as an example of how out of touch Moore has become with the more pressing concerns of his constituency, such as jobs and crime. FoieBlog looks forward to a month of spirited campaigning for this symbolically important seat.

GIANT EAGLE A SHRINKING VIOLET

2007-02-27T07:58:00.000-05:00

P.E.T.A.'s website is claiming victory today, saying an e-mail protest has convinced supermarket chain Giant Eagle to eliminate Foie Gras products from its all of its stores. Giant Eagle operates 216 stores primarily in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and does $5.5 billion dollars in business each year, according to their website.

According to P.E.T.A.'s website, Giant Eagle operates 230 stores and received 230,000 e-mails during the 3 day P.E.T.A campaign, or is it 250,000? It depends on what page on the site you look at. But I guess its alright to trust the accuracy of all the information they have posted about animal cruelty and all that, right?

I don't know how much Foie Gras sales contribute to Giant Eagle's $5.5 billion in annual revenue, but I can't imagine it's too great, so the decision to stop selling it is probably not much of a sacrifice for the bottom line. However, I also can't imagine that in the past three days over 200,000 actual Giant Eagle customers took the time to send letters to the company demanding that they remove Foie Gras from their shelves. That a company this large is so willing to bow to the pressure of an e-mail protest organized by a group that doesn't represent it's real customer base once again highlights the fact that those who act get what they want. And if you want Foie Gras, you'd better start telling people that.

Remember this when you get out and vote in Chicago's 49th Ward today.

READ THE RELEASE:
http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=9560

CHICAGOANS TO FLOCK TO POLLS TUESDAY

2007-02-26T08:31:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday, Chicago will find out if the man behind the Foie Gras ban, Joe Moore, gets to have the goose and the gander - to paraphrase Judge Larry Seidlin of the 'Who Gets Anna Nicole's Body?' TV spectacular.

Challengers for the 49th ward seat have had their election coffers force-fed with contributions from city businesses opposed, not only to Moore's Foie Gras ban, but also to his efforts to saddle big box retailers like WalMart with a $13/hour minimum wage. They are all reaching out to voters in this working class district by painting Moore's war on Foie Gras as an example of how out of touch he is with a corner of the city that has more immediate needs like jobs and fighting crime. But, while Moore is facing his toughest opposition ever, his $300,000 war chest is the biggest of the bunch, and 16 years of incumbency offers him the kind of name recognition money can't buy.

FoieBlog thinks its unfortunate that Moore isn't running in a citywide election, where he would surely get trounced by anyone running against him - living or dead (this is Chicago). But this is a very local election, and the anti-Moore vote is spread out over three candidates, a classic recipe for More Moore.

But no race is won until the last vote is counted, and FoieBlog encourages our readers to do their civic duty and and head to the polls on Tuesday. Moore's ban on Foie Gras is the perfect example of the kind of nonsense our democratic system is capable of when people don't care enough to get involved, and fighting that sort of lax attitude is even more important than re-legalizing Foie Gras (gasp, can't believe I just wrote that.)

As an added bonus for voters in the fighting 49th, the district is at the outer edge of Chicago's city limits and borders North Shore town of Evanston, where Foie Gras is readily available. So after you cast your ballot, why not make a run for the border and hit one of Evanston's Foie Gras-friendly eateries like Narra on Orrington Avenue, which offers an appetizer of Foie Gras and Duck Rilletes on French Toast with Vanilla Syrup, as well as Roasted Quail Stuffed with Foie Gras and Cabbage - a combination FoieBlog wholeheartedly approves of (see earlier post: Birthday Bird Burger).

WHAT DO SPAIN AND SOUTH DAKOTA HAVE IN COMMON?

2007-02-22T07:19:00.000-05:00

It's an age old question that until today had no answer. But now, following up on our earlier post regarding "Ganso Iberico", FoieBlog has learned that a farmer in the unlikeliest of culinary outposts - South Dakota - is marketing a product called "Natural Fatty Goose Liver" that sounds a lot like the award winning Iberian alternative to Foie Gras.

The Schiltz Goose Farms website describes a similar process to Pateria de Sousa's, where they harvest naturally large livers at just the right time in the geese's annual fattening up cycle. Schiltz says that older geese are more prone to this condition and are larger than typical market birds, but the resulting liver is still only about half the size of one brought about through la gavage.

The photos on Schiltz' website depict an organ that is much lighter in color than a normal liver, but not quite as white and fatty-looking as Foie Gras. FoieBlog will not try to speculate on the taste of this product until we try it for ourselves, but the photos certainly whet our appetites. At $58 for two pounds, just over half the price of traditional Foie Gras, we hope to enjoy it soon.

In the meantime, FoieBlog sees the birth of a new debate, perhaps the most important gustatory discussion since "champagne" vs "sparkling wine" or "great taste" vs "less filling."

When does a liver become Foie Gras?

The French Professional Committee of Foie Gras Producers is adamant that Ganso Iberico doesn't qualify, and while Schiltz only calls their product a "Foie Gras Alternative," FoieBlog thinks that phrase is going to be a tough sell on the menus of four star restaurants.

Let FoieBlog know what you think. Should naturally fatty goose liver be considered Foie Gras, or do we need to create a new appellation for what looks to be a growing industry?

CONNECTICUT CONSIDERS BANNING "GRAVAGE"

2007-02-21T07:16:00.000-05:00

If you find yourself in Hartford, CT today, please don't lock your doors and drive through as fast as possible like you usually do. Instead, drop by the Legislative Office Building and give the Legislative Environment Committee your two cents during their open hearing on a recently introduced Foie Gras Ban bill.

The grammatically challenged "An Act Banning the Inhumane Production and Sale of Food Items Produced Through the Force Feeding of Birds" reads in full:

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
That the general statutes be amended to prohibit the production or sale of any food item produced by force feeding a bird for the purpose of enlarging the bird's liver beyond normal size.
Statement of Purpose:
To prohibit the inhumane treatment of birds in the production of certain food items. "

FoieBlog commends Rep. Dianne Urban for her efforts to save the environment. Not for the proposed ban on Foie Gras, but for not wasting too much paper on a bill that even the Chairman of the Environment Committee tells the Connecticut Post isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

That said, if the only people who speak at this hearing are bill supporters like representatives of the U.S. Humane Society, this could easily turn into another Chicago scenario, so FoieBlog encourages those of you who live in the 'Constitution State' to please take part in the process.

And while you're there please tell Connecticut Post Editor, Edward Crowder, the process of feeding geese and ducks is called "La Gavage" not "Gravage" as he refers to it in his companion article "Foie Gras Facts". FoieBlog hopes this oversight is not indicative of the accuracy of his reporting on this issue.

READ THE ARTICLES:
http://www.connpost.com/fastsearchresults/ci_5269826
http://www.connpost.com/localnews/ci_5271420

NJ Court Foils Foie Foes

2007-02-20T08:18:00.000-05:00

Things are looking up in GrasGuy's home state. First his Rutgers football team wins a bowl game, now this...

A state appellate court has rejected a request by a Farm Sanctuary-led coalition to throw out the NJ Department of Agriculture's latest regulations on humane care of animals because - among other things - they do not restrict la gavage. Either the court system in NJ actually works, or the mob is getting into the Foie Gras business.

As there are currently no Foie Gras producers in NJ, the decision has no real effect. But it should offer some strong ammunition in the fight against legislation that was introduced last year which would ban the manufacture and sale of Foie Gras there. Such a ban would have nationwide effects, as NJ is home to D'Artagnan, one of the largest Foie Gras distributors in the country.

FoieBlog hopes NJ will continue this streak of not embarrassing itself on the national stage.

READ THE ARTICLE:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=new+jersey+foie+gras+ban+proposal

"Iberian Goose" Flies Across The Pond

2007-02-19T07:29:00.000-05:00

Well, not all the way across...yet.

Ganso Iberico, or Iberian Goose, is a new so-called "ethical" form of Foie Gras being marketed by Spanish Company, Pateria de Sousa. Rather than utilizing La Gavage, the company harnesses the birds' natural tendency to overeat prior to the migration season, and harvests their oversize livers at just the right time.

The Telegraph reports that the product is now being exported to the UK, where Foie Gras manufacture is banned, and anti-Foie Gras efforts are reaching a fever pitch like those in the United States. However activists there face much greater legal hurdles due to European Trade laws that pretty much prevent governments in member states from being able to ban the importation of products produced in other EU countries.

Of course the French aren't happy about Pteria de Sousa's success. Although the company received a Coup de Couer award for innovation at last year's Paris International Food Salon, the French Professional Committee of Foie Gras Producers is protesting the award, claiming that by definition the animal must be force fed for the product to be Foie Gras.

Once again the Iberians show why they have largely overtaken the French in the realm of innovative cuisine.

Unfortunately, the product can only be made once a year, so the price is a bit high. Currently running about 50% more than typical Foie Gras (is there such a thing?!).

FoieBlog looks even more forward to it's next trip to Spain than usual. It's not a country particularly known for Foie Gras, nor a large producer, but when they do it, they do it right. On a recent trip to Seville, we enjoyed a very nice foie de oca salteado at La Albahaca, one of the loveliest restaurants in the city. The dish is a sauteed Foie Gras in a honey-sherry reduction which was a bit heavy on the reduction in my case - it's a good thing Geese can swim - but a great regional take on the dish just the same. Well worth the trip.

READ THE ARTICLE:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/18/wfoie18.xml

CHICAGO ISSUES FIRST FOIE GRAS VIOLATION

2007-02-17T15:52:00.000-05:00

Local media in the windy city have confirmed that Hot Doug's, an all around sausage-ery and frankfurter fixture, enters the history books as Chicago's first recipient of a Foie Gras ban citation (can a Snapple trivia cap be far behind?)

The Chicagoist reports that the restaurant is proudly displaying its citation on the counter. It's not yet clear how they plan to respond, and their website says will be taking an extended vacation from Feb 19 to March 3, so we'll have to wait and see.

Although FoieBlog has never been there, we understand that Hot Doug's serves Foie Gras-laden hot dogs, along with various specials that have included Duck Sausage Covered in Foie Gras Chunks. It's non-Foie Gras items are also well regarded, and they usually have a line down the street at lunchtime. Like Berlin before the wall came down, FoieBlog wished we'd had the chance to try Hot Doug's dogs before the citation.

It's interesting that the city waited half a year to start enforcing the ban and went after a casual place like this rather than one of the upscale restaurants also flouting the rules. However, Hot Doug's probably brought this on themselves by being very vocal about their opposition to the ban - and FoieBlog is sure that they will reap the benefits of all the publicity they are getting as a result of the citation.

READ THE ARTICLE:
http://www.chicagoist.com/archives/2007/02/17/hot_dougs_sausage_superstore_hit_with_a_foie_gras_citation.php

CHECK OUT HOT DOUG'S WEBSITE:
http://www.hotdougs.com/

FAIRWAY .5 - FARM SANCTUARY .5

2007-02-16T13:59:00.000-05:00

FoieBlog has mixed feelings regarding the outcome of the latest round in the fight between New York Super-Dupermarket, Fairway, and the Anti-Foie Gras forces from the activist group, Farm Sanctuary.

The Brooklyn Paper reports that Fairway is giving up it's "Foie Gras Central" advertising campaign in the face of continued storefront protests by the vegitables...uh...veggie lovers. However they insist they are by no means going to stop selling Foie Gras.

A couple of things about this story bug FoieBlog. First of all, the reporter had better check her facts. "Cracker-topper?" Please. While pate and mousse are available, Fairway also sells the real deal - and you don't have to go to the store to find that out, you can see it plain as day on the sign in the photograph featured in the article.

As for the ongoing battle, while we can't help but appreciate Fairway's in-your-face campaign of signs touting the wonder of Foie Gras, we're also not about confrontation here at FoieBlog. "Live, let live, and let's have lunch" is our credo (at least for the duration of this post), so Fairway really was asking for it this time around, which is why we give them a score of .5. They're still selling it, but only they are to blame for finding themselves the target of Farm Sanctuary in the first place.

On the other hand, the activists only get .5 because of member Mia McDonald's quote "I’m a vegan and I shop at Fairway because there very few stores that sell as many vegan and vegetarian products.” FoieBlog doesn't think we're going to far out on a limb in assuming that she's not alone in the group - especially since Fairway is the only decent place to buy food of any kind in Red Hook, Brooklyn where many of the members live. Fish or cut bait, s-hit or get off the pot, whatever colloquialism you want to insert here is fine, but you get the point. How can we take the opposition seriously when they sell out this easily? If the old union guys that used to populate the dockyards of Red Hook before it went all yuppie-hippie on us saw one of their own crossing a picket line during his union-approved strike coffee-break, the ducks would be eating them for dinner, not the other way around.

Side note. FoisBlog was recently shopping in Citarella, another NYC upscale market, and noticed their pate had a big "CONTAINS NO FOIE GRAS" sticker on it. Right next to that was a tasty looking duck confit from Hudson Valley Foie Gras and Duck Products. Guilty by association?

READ THE ARTICLE:
http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/30/7/30_07fairwayfoiegras.html

BIRTHDAY BIRD BURGER

2007-02-16T09:19:00.000-05:00

If there's one thing you need to know about GrasGuy it's that, while I am a foodie, I am not food snob. In all honesty I can't afford to be. Sometimes a double cheeseburger is just as appealing as Foie Gras seared in a sherry-honey reduction.

So, when I heard the new L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon was serving burgers on it's menu, I knew I had to have one for my birthday dinner. When I heard they were Foie Gras burgers, I cursed my mother's womb for expelling me two weeks late. But, the wait would be worth it...and then some.

Not wanting to ruin the surprise, I hadn't read too much detail about the restaurant or the menu, putting my faith in the "once greatest chef in the world's" reputation to deliver on all the promises that title should, in theory at least, be good for. Judging a comeback chef by their cover is often a disappointment, but Mr. Robuchon's recent renaissance has been so well-received I figured that I could take the chance this time. I'm glad that I did.

Along with the burgers, the first surprise of the evening was to find over half a dozen dishes featuring Foie Gras in some form or another spread among the many small plates, appetizers, and entrees on offer. The revolution continues!

The burgers being one of the small plates, I supported them with a dish of Foie Gras stuffed quail. I would've ordered more, but the prices aren't exactly burger joint low and I didn't want to push my wife's credit card over the limit - we are expecting a new addition to the family any day now.

That being the case, I literally was at a loss for words when I was presented with surprise number two - an amuse bouche of Foie Gras mousse under a layer of port wine reduction and a Parmesan cheese foam served in a double shot glass. Eaten with a spoon - a bit to thick to do as a shooter, but, believe me, I wanted to - the flavors and textures were perfect. The port wine reduction adding just the right amount of bite to the delicate mouse and oddly mild Parmesan foam.

Having kept myself as blind as possible to the makeup of the burgers, I had absolutely no idea what they would be like. Described as "hangar steak and Foie Gras", I imagined the two ground together in a Salisbury steak like combination - the Foie Gras just adding a hint of its flavor to the overwhelming beef. As it turns out, the dish was a double double. Two tiny burgers - about half the size of a typical "slider" - each with a beef patty topped by a slice of seared Foie Gras and a few strands of caramelized peppers, all on the prettiest little glazed hamburger buns I've never seen before. While the Foie Gras was perfect, the hangar steak patties were what really amazed. I've had few full-sized burgers that were as juicy as these and - although they were cooked right in front of me in an open kitchen - whatever magic pulled off this feat in such a small piece of meat is beyond me. Of course French fries with a capital "F" are served on the side, and while they are very good, they are very ordinary. What can you do to a potato? You can put ginseng in the ketchup, that's what you could do. Although this Asian flavor might seem out of place on this otherwise very western dish, somehow it works. It works well.

I can't recall ever having three courses of Fois Gras in one sitting and there was definite concern that plate number three would disappoint through repetition. If this were a set menu with the dishes designed to compliment each other, I'd have been less worried, but I made my choices in a Foie Gras frenzy, so while I waited I was experiencing a bout of order remorse. It was unfounded.

The quail came in four small pieces. Two unstuffed legs and two breasts caramelized and stuffed with a Foie Gras puree. When you put two birds in one dish you're always tempting a "what's the point?" response , but while the quail itself in this dish was nothing to get excited about, the Fois Gras was powerful enough - almost like an aged cheese - to add both a different flavor accent and texture to the experience that it made the black truffle potatoes served on the side seem bland in comparison - though they certainly were not.

Was it the best meal I've ever had? To be sure it was one of them, coming up short only in the dessert department - I hardly remember what we had - which was a particular disappointment considering that Kazutoshi Narita is in charge of the pastries (I should have asked if he also did the hamburger buns, which were good enough to make up for this.)

Will I go back? With dishes like Alsatian Pastrami with Potato Salad and Foie Gras as well as Smoked Foie Gras Layered with Caramelised Eel waiting to be tried - it's likely, though let's see how my 401k does this year.

BIRMINGHAM BUMMER - FOREIGN FOIE NEWS

2007-02-15T15:21:00.000-05:00

OK, he's not American - he's French for heaven's sake! - and his restaurants are in the UK, but FoieBlog's hat is off to this chef with a conscious who deserves recognition for holding firm (for now) against pressure from animal activists demanding he remove Foie Gras from the menu at Brasserie Blanc. The Birmingham Mail reports that Michelin Starred Chef Raymond Blanc has been receiving "sinister" e-mails and letters from activists worriesome enough to involve the local police.

Blanc insists that he refuses to serve food he feels has been raised in a cruel way and does not consider Foie Gras to be in that category. However, the dish in question is scheduled to come off of the seasonal menu in April and he will continue to research the issue before its planned October return.

FoieBlog thinks this renowned chef will reach the right conclusion and looks forward to trying Blanc's Truffle Scented Foie Gras Parfait if we ever find ourselves in the Venice of England.

READ THE ARTICLE:
http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/news/tm_headline=&method=full&objectid=18615114&siteid=50002-name_page.html