"foiegras" news and stories

Maryland state legislators have stepped away from a bill that could have banned foie gras in the state. Key legislators withdrew support after the bill's hearing March 4th, despite a legion of animal rights activists pushing for the bill. Apparently, the legislators decided that it was not their place to intervene.

Maryland isn't the first state to toy with the idea of banning foie gras -- similar battles have been staged in Philadelphia, Chicago (which successfully banned it) and California (where selling or raising it will be illegal by 2012). Anyone care to weigh in -- should governments step in to ban foie gras?

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Just before New Year's Eve we learned from Nicole that several eateries in the Windy City intended to transform themselves into duckeasies to ring in the new year. That's right, they planned on serving foie gras in spite of the city's recent ban on the sale of the luxurious liver.

Yesterday I read that several Chicago restaurants and specialty markets are continuing to flout the ban. At Hot Doug's, a gourmet sausage store, the owner continues to sell foie gras and has framed his warning letter as a point of pride.

While some restaurants such as Sweets & Savories continue to openly sell foie gras, others have devised creative ways to fly under the radar as it were. Rumor has it that ordering the "special lobster" at several restaurants will help you score a plate of the banned delicacy.

And the award for the most straightforward way to skirt the ban goes to Bin 36, which also has the dubious honor of being the only eatery inspected to date. It seems the restaurant wasn't actually selling foie gras, it was giving it away. Well, not quite giving it away. The menu offered a complimentary foie gras terrine with its wild mushroom confit salad. The inspectors neglected to ask whether the salad would cost as much without the terrine. As anyone who's ever purchased any foie gras can tell you, it wouldn't.

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Say it ain't so. Scant weeks after the furor over New York City's proposed ban on trans fats, a small movement to ban foie gras arose in my fair city. Thankfully, Gotham has not yet followed in Chicago's footsteps.

Earlier this week Alan Gerson, a member of the New York City Council, decided not to introduce legislation that would keep the luscious fatty liver out of markets and restaurants. He held off on the ban pending further investigation. One can only hope that his research includes the ingestion of a lobe or three and a bottle of Sauternes.

For the record, the proposal for the ban came from League of Humane Voters of New York City. I'm still not entirely sure that foie gras is inhumane toward geese, but these days I'm starting to side with my fellow gourmands. My stance is partly due to an open letter regarding the proposed ban. Granted the detailed and well-argued missive comes from Ariane Daguin, the founder and owner of D'Artagnan. That aside, I'm with Gerson. Further investigation is required. I intend to start with my evening repast.

[via: Gothamist]

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Appreciating sushi involves a learning curve for non-Japanese. I know that's an obvious statement just as sure as I know I still haven't yet crested that subtle, briny wave. After I realized sushi has nothing to do with Philadelphia rolls and such, things got interesting. I learned that if you ask your sushi chef what's in season, you'll be richly rewarded.

Yesterday was a perfect example. For weeks I'd been inquiring about ankimo, since I know it's available in the fall. I was pleased to hear that I happened to visit my local spot on the first day this year that they were serving what many call the foie gras of the sea.

Ankimo, or monkfish liver, with its pink to orange color and rich melting texture, is very much like foie gras and has scarcely any oceanic flavor . It also has the distinction of coming from one of the gnarliest looking fish out there. The liver is prepared by first steaming, then chilling and finally slicing it up. It's dressed with ponzu sauce and perhaps some spicy roe. I usually order ankimo sashimi, so I can get an opulent portion.

Last year I was lucky enough to sit down at the sushi bar just as they were about to chill the warm ankimo. The owner bestowed a few slices on me. The warm, creamy liver melted on my tongue evoking a swoonworthy memory of the first time I tried foie gras. Oishii!

Assemblywoman Joan Voss is disgusted by foie gras.

But she doesn't want to go the way of Chicago and ban the sale and serving of it. Voss simply wants to regulate how it's produced. She wrote a bill that would prohibit farmers from force-feeding ducks and geese through tubes. "I don't care if people eat it. My bill just says produce it in a humane way."

Such a regulation doesn't go without opponents. Foie gras distributors in New Jersey would lose millions of dollars in sales.

Chicago's foie gras ban went into effect last week (and has already had its first violation!). Philadelphia and New York state officials have also discussed outlawing production and sales. California currntly has a ban on force-feeding poultry.

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