Chicago has banned foie gras. Rather than banning foie gras I would like the Chicago city council consider banning that neon green dyed relish slathered all over their famous hot dogs. Rather than worrying about the health of ducks they should be concerned about the health of the families that eat the chemically produced foods by the giant food producer in Illinois. We all know it. The company that produces the dyed, chemically flavored and chemically scented powdered gelatin desserts and the preservative laden boxed and canned products called ‘food’. But I doubt that will happen as those companies bring in mega bucks for the state.

Following my formal culinary training in Paris in 1986 I returned over 20 times to work side by side with the culinary artisans of France, learning the processes and intricacies involved in producing their incomparable products. I learned what I know by experiencing, first hand, the production of; making vinegars, harvesting sea salt, foraging for truffles, distilling eau de vie, culturing cream and butter, manufacturing copper cookware and much more. I learned by seeing and doing not by reading books. I wanted as much knowledge as possible so that I could pass it on to my students at my Ecole de Cuisine for home chefs. My entire career has been based on using authentic recipes with pristine ingredients. This was not always an easy task particularly upon my return from my first years of training in Paris. Good ingredients were next to impossible to find. We were a country of boxed, bagged, frozen and canned swill. Only by teaching and hand carrying items such as Valrhona chocolate, fleur de sel, leaf gelatin, pastry flour and whatever else I could carry in my suitcase could I expose people to the culinary treasures of Europe. Having my students taste the differences between mediocre and artisan products was the way I could help change the way we think about food. Then, searching out and introducing the dedicated, albeit, small group of artisan producers in this country, and having my students support them has been my goal. I want my clientele to learn authentic recipes using the finest ingredients in the world, not marketed and spurious versions. I have taught foie gras classes every year at my Wisconsin and Chicago cooking schools, always to rave reviews.

I did not have foie gras until I went to France. We prepared it in terrines, sautés, savory mousses and even cured it. Later, I journeyed to Gascony to learn about foie gras, cassoulet and to see the procedure of raising foie gras ducks first hand. Gascony’s landscape has forests and rolling pastures. The cuisine is earthy and robust with the same specialties being eaten today that have been passed on from generation to generation. This is something I love most about French food. It is timeless.

I visited a family owned farm that had a large flock of foie gras ducks. Force fed? I too was a skeptic thinking the animals were being abused. However it was quite the opposite. Not only did the flock live a good life but they ran to the farmer to be fed. The picture being painted by animal rights activists is that ducks are being abused, grabbed around the neck and having instruments rammed down their throats while they writhe in pain. The reality is that the ducks saw the farmer coming toward them and they all flocked to him for their morning breakfast. The process was simple. Duck’s throats are not like humans and they have no gag reflex. The ducks were fed and went off to do whatever ducks do during the day. There was no pain, no suffering, nothing as described by the activists. If indeed, there are such farms that abuse the animals and force them to live in filthy conditions, that is a different case, however raising foie gras ducks when done properly is not an cruel practice.

Before anyone accuses me of being insensitive to animals rights and welfare, allow me to tell you about my home state of Wisconsin and it’s practice of supporting puppy mills. I spent several years trying to help change laws in Wisconsin that allow the indisputable abuse of dogs being breed and ‘produced’ in puppy mills. In Wisconsin, man’s best friend, dogs, are categorized as livestock and raising them in rabbit hutches exposed to sub zero temperatures in winter or the blistering heat and humidity in summer is considered acceptable. This is however another story but told here to make readers consider that pets are one discussion, food is another. Are we going to be forced to become a grass eating Vegan society? Before activists get too crazed about eating animals they should read The Secret Life of Plants by Peter Tompkins

Rather than taking aim at foie gras I hope the city council of Chicago and activists will focus on the chemical ‘food’ manufacturers in the state of Illinois and give foie gras back to Chicago’s superb restaurants.

Here is one of my favorite foie gras recipes.

Somoma Foie Gras

Foie Gras can be purchased through two artisan producers in this country.

D’Artagnan

Eat well and you will have good health.