See you soon, Foie Gras

To tell you that I've been cruel to you would be somewhat remiss, what with all of the things I've stuffed into my face-hole since we last spoke. In point of fact, I'm now happily immersed in food fabulous-ness, perched with my earthly belongings, boyfriend and cat (!) atop a big ol' hill in San Francisco.  


When I last left you I was a bit busy with something that I thought was a priority. I am now gifted with some time to attempt to do something I've always wanted to do (secrets...).  Not many people get this sort of chance, so I'm quite grateful.


Oh, and I get to reconnect with you fine people. Onward.


Foie gras in California is being banned as of Sunday, not because the bulk of people understand how ducks are treated on sustainable farms, but because a bunch of people who have never eaten foie gras think that ducks are especially tortured among foods.

And, apparently, they aren't totally clear on what a duck is, anyway: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/win-no-repeal-of-california-foie-gras-ban/

nataliedee.com

Frankly, I can't stand the idea of a food product of any kind being banned.  If they can get foie gras banned, what's stopping them (I say "they" and "them" to avoid a Google-fueled blog war) from coming after bacon?  Not much, especially because the treatment of cows and pigs on large corporate farms is far worse, and the toll on the environment far more terrifying, than the treatment of foie gras ducks on a small, responsible farm like Hudson Valley.

Do I think the ban will stick? No... absolutely not.  It didn't stick in Illinois when they tried it, either, and most of Illinois isn't a fine dining mecca full of people who would be inclined to eat foie.  Chicago, however, is just such a place.  According to Grub Street Los Angeles, chefs in California are taking a hint from the Chicago chefs who slipped past the ban by selling "Pricey Toast," without actually putting foie gras on the menu. And what does law enforcement have to say about all this?

"This is not a crime that would be investigated by the LAPD or likely any other municipal police department," an LAPD spokesperson says. Those feelings are echoed by a counterpart with the San Francisco Police Department, who admits, "I'm not aware of any plans for us to enforce it."

Surprise!  Our boys in blue would much rather prosecute actual criminals than go after chefs for the food they cook.

I fully accept the right of each individual human to make their own choices about what they eat, and frankly I think this is why this topic boils me up.  Its not that I want everyone to eat meat (I don't care if you do or not), but I'd really rather that if you don't eat meat, you'd return my favor to you and leave my food out of it. Otherwise, I'm coming after your carcinogenic processed soy product.