"fois gras" news and stories

We all know what to expect from a visit to Denny's: a stack of pretty good pancakes, maybe even a Grand Slam breakfast if the mood strikes. Japan has a Denny's too, but instead of sausage links and hash browns, they're serving up a bizarre hybrid menu that offers up everything from ramen noodles to French classics.

It's not totally out of left field -- after all, Japan has a penchant for giving even the most mundane food a twist. But making the leap from fried eggs to a "special truffle menu," well, that's quite a departure. According to Eater, "the newest item on offer is Beef Rossini style with liver pie, a dish of New Zealand Beef topped with foie gras and sliced truffles, served with a red wine demi-glace reduction."

Though you've likely never heard of it, it's a French standard. At 1380 yen, or $15, it's fairly affordable, yet...do you really want to eat demi-glace in a booth at Denny's?

• Forget the usual Tommy Atkins mango, all tart and stringy, and invest in some creamy smooth Ataulfo.
• Two chenin wines hit LCBO shelves, plus a few others: a classic chianti, a cabernet sauvignon, chenin blanc, and rasteau.
• Sometimes it's easier to just let the professionals make it -- especially if it is pig's feet stuffed with fois gras, straight from Au Pied de Cochon -- that place Bourdain visited while in Montreal. And there's more on the feet and new cookbook here.
  
• There's no better music to my ears than news of more Mexican restaurants in Toronto. The latest -- a fresh tortilla establishment called La Tortilleria.
• The fresh taste of community-shared agriculture.
• Fiddleheads start popping up north of the 49th parallel.
• Restaurant review: Kara Mia.

It's a hot topic here - banning of fois gras in some certain areas - but it's not limited to just the U.S. Four months ago, Japan put a suspension on poultry imports from France, which included products like fois gras - the fatty liver of geese ducks. However, Japan's ban was not necessarily for animal rights. Japan has concerns about avian flu.

However, the four-month suspension has been lifted and fois gras imports are to begin again. The only exception is for poultry products from the southwest region of France, Landes, where 10% of poultry is vaccinated. Japan will not import vaccinated poultry.