[Blueicus]

And saw a small mob of foie gras protesters yelling and holding up signs in front of a restaurant I know and respect. For some reason they really ticked me off and I was very tempted to go up to the ringleader and sock him one. I certainly don't feel that way very often. They were also gunning for another place I know and it sickened me to the core. In retrospect I should've directed the protesters in our kitchen's direction... we could've taken care of them once and for all.

[Flamebroiled]

Originally Posted by Blueicus

And saw a small mob of foie gras protesters yelling and holding up signs in front of a restaurant I know and respect. For some reason they really ticked me off and I was very tempted to go up to the ringleader and sock him one. I certainly don't feel that way very often. They were also gunning for another place I know and it sickened me to the core. In retrospect I should've directed the protesters in our kitchen's direction... we could've taken care of them once and for all.

Hmmmm....why the anger man? People have a right to protest, and to be honest, I agree with them. I used to work at a restaurant that served foie gras and I was always disgusted by it. Have you seen how that stuff is produced? It's disgusting and just wrong. You can disagree if you like, but your violent message says alot about you. The fact that you would want to cause physical harm to people speaking their mind is scary. I hope I never end up working at the same place as you.

[Ishbel]

I am not a foie gras eater - having seen the birds being force-fed on a girlfriend's farm in France..

BUT, picketing a restaurant? Are these people MAD?

[Flamebroiled]

Originally Posted by Ishbel

I am not a foie gras eater - having seen the birds being force-fed on a girlfriend's farm in France..

BUT, picketing a restaurant? Are these people MAD?

I'm confused? Why would this make them "mad"?

[phatch]

Originally Posted by Flamebroiled

Hmmmm....why the anger man? People have a right to protest,

Because he has the same right to disagree as and with the protesters.

[HappyFood]

Because he has the same right to disagree as and with the protesters.

Disagreement is one thing, wishing to do physical harm to another because of their point of view is quite another.
I'm a more than a little put off by the hostility chefs tend to show toward people who do not agree with the experiential notion that it's OK to eat anything, regardless of the impact it has on the animal, its survival and sustainability, or the environment and diversity of the ecosystem.

Just because a thing has always been done, does not mean the practice should continue.

[phatch]

Wishing and doing are two different things. Very different. And Blueicus knows that. As does the law.

[Blueicus]

When abuse is performed to animals (let's be honest here, there are certain limits when anthropomorphism goes too far in the defense of their well being... they are food animals) I believe the making of foie gras when done properly (i.e. various investigative articles on Hudson Valley) are no more cruel than any other safe free range farming process, the feeding takes but several seconds, the animals are still able to move under their own weight, ducks/geese don't chew their food anyways (they don't have teeth), gorging is part of the animal's natural behavioural process, and they do not have general aversion to the feeders.

Picketing and rallying against any and all foie producers and people who sell the product angers me because I believe they are fighting a fight that hurts innocent people, the ones who source the product from a good source and the farmers who are making their livelihood on the product. In addition, there are generally more incidents of protestors and activists performing questionable things to advance their agenda (stalking restauranteurs, threatening their loved ones, vandalism) than the reverse.

I will not deny that there are foie producers that abuse their livestock and raise them improperly, but the same could be said of any other farming practice, and are generally far better than large scale industrial battery farming... why not picket supermarkets and chain restaurants on those issues? Why strike at the easier targets? Because they have fewer resources to fight back and striking at a luxury product is easier than taking on the big boys and damned if innocents get in the way.

I certainly don't condone fighting, and perhaps the last time I got in a fight was in grade 4... but there are several issues I'm very passionate about and this is one of them.

[chefhow]

And which of you are Vegans? Members of PITA? Do I need to continue?

Every animal that is RAISED for consumption is mistreated, so that really isnt a valid arguement anymore. They all have fences keeping them from roaming freely like they did 100's of years ago, they cant run away to escape their eventual dimise and there is no way to get around that, THEY ARE FOOD. The fact that they are fed the way they are is just a fact of life, you may not agree with it but that doesnt make you right and me wrong, its a matter of opinion, and you know what they say about opinions....

Protesting something that isnt illegal is a waste of time and it may be a matter of trespassing. I say find out where they work/live Blue and get some fellow restaurant peeps and protest whatever you feel like outside just so they see what a disruption it is!!

Oh and just so everyone is aware, a large amount domestic Foie Gras, which isnt really Foie Gras is not made by force feeding or "Gavage" but by feeding the birds heavy fat corn diets. As they get closer to migration they eat more and store more fat, while this is naturally happening they are supplementing the amount of fat to make it more humane and replace the process with the natural instincts and biology of the animal. This inturn makes for a much fattier and larger liver naturally and then they harvest the birds when they reach a certain weight.

[HappyFood]

I understand passion for cooking and the artisanship it involves, I'm there too.
But get some perspective, man, it's a liver.

No one is going to die if people stop eating foie gras. A few farmers may have to retool and find creative ways of marketing their ducks and geese. Big deal.
Should have been done a long time ago.

I've visited the Hudson Valley Duck farm where they produce the foie. It's an ugly sight to see-and the workers who shove the big tube down the ducks' throats are not happy to be doing it.

I've got no opposition to naturally fatted duck or goose liver. Yes, they do gorge during the season and their livers get fat. Create an even higher demand and higher price for the natural product and people (who can afford it) will happily pay.

[HappyFood]

Every animal that is RAISED for consumption is mistreated

-completely untrue.

There are many sources of free range meat. Yes, it's more expensive, but heavily meat-based diets are not healthy anyway. Ever heard of the obesity epidemic?

If there was more work toward balance of the food supply and environmental balance in its production, there would be less waste, less environmental impact and fitter humans.

[chefhow]

Originally Posted by HappyFood

-completely untrue.

There are many sources of free range meat. Yes, it's more expensive, but heavily meat-based diets are not healthy anyway. Ever heard of the obesity epidemic?

If there was more work toward balance of the food supply and environmental balance in its production, there would be less waste, less environmental impact and fitter humans.

It is true, they are not allowed to follow their natural migration instincts, and have you ever seen how they slaughter "free range" animals? It EXACTLY the same as any other animal, the arguments are invalid no matter how you look at it its unnatural and therefore cruel.

[Blueicus]

Originally Posted by HappyFood

-completely untrue.

There are many sources of free range meat. Yes, it's more expensive, but heavily meat-based diets are not healthy anyway. Ever heard of the obesity epidemic?

If there was more work toward balance of the food supply and environmental balance in its production, there would be less waste, less environmental impact and fitter humans.

I'm not entirely sure how this relates to anti-foie gras picketers... but I don't disagree.

[ED BUCHANAN]

Originally Posted by phatch

Because he has the same right to disagree as and with the protesters.

Some breeders breed the ducks humanely some dont. As far as force feeding they all do .It should be noted however that the birds unlike us do not gag when being fed because they breath quite a bit different then us.
Also their esophegus and throat structure differs from us and other animals in the fact that it has a very strong protective covering, so much so in fact it does not feel the funnel in the throat. I am not pro or con but since there seems to be humane breeders, I dont think the whole industry should be protested against.

[ED BUCHANAN]

Originally Posted by HappyFood

-completely untrue.

There are many sources of free range meat. Yes, it's more expensive, but heavily meat-based diets are not healthy anyway. Ever heard of the obesity epidemic?

If there was more work toward balance of the food supply and environmental balance in its production, there would be less waste, less environmental impact and fitter humans.

When I traveled EWurope, I was at a poultry farm. the so called free range birds were in cages about 3x3 in size. The others had less space. How can 3x3 be free range? I questioned the manager he told me that as long as its bigger then the rest its ok?