Foie Gras: An Evil?

The often heard argument against goose liver again rages; this time it’s the NY City Council contemplating banning the stuff. If they want to be humane, they ought to start with the welfare “hotels”, take a hard look at the subway, or the way they house the homeless. Oh sorry, we weren’t talking about humane treatment of people, but geese and ducks; Duh.

I had my very first taste of foie gras on my first visit to Paris in 1979. Our octogenarian hostess stretched her tiny budget, went to great expense to make us happy, including Champagne, foie gras, and toasted slices of bread she browned on a small iron stove in her kitchen. The warm toast arrived at the table and we were to spread some of the butter-like stuff on the bread. I was young, idealistic, not very gracious: I protested on behalf of the poor tortured animals.

Our hostess Sylvie told me she grew up on a Perigord farm where they raised geese for their livers, and made confit with the rest. "They come to you when they see you cherie, they are hungry, and they are happy to eat". Half drunk, and easily convinced, I went for it. I won't ever regret it, but I'm still not sure those geese are any better treated than any other food animals we devour. When I can afford it, I'll go for some, but not any where nearly as often as before. I really don’t know where to draw the line.

Call me a hypocrite. Like the French, I always have a small glass of a country red wine, just to help the fat digest. Did you know they live longer in South West France, than anywhere else in Europe?