# Foie Gras... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 29, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289 "2011-06-29T18:22:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/101 "2011-06-30T17:22:16Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > I guess I’m in the minority. > > I haven’t tried it and I don’t intend on trying it. I’ve seen the videos and I consider it, in my opinion, to be cruel. Yes, other animal rearing techniques are cruel and I do go out of my way to try and avoid buying that food. I fully accept that not everything I buy is reared in a way I’d want it to be but at least I am trying. With Foie Gras if it isn’t reared in a way I find cruel then it simply isn’t Foie Gras, so for me there is no ethical way for me to eat it. So I don’t. > > In essence, I’m not perfect but I try. I avoid what I consider to be unethical meats whenever possible and Foie Gras is by definition one of those. > > And no, I am not going to get all snooty towards everyone here that does eat it. You’ll have lines that you won’t cross but I will. Different strokes and whatnot. Well I’m in a minority with you, **amanset**. Your approach matches mine entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/102 "2011-06-30T18:38:41Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > It’s not that hard to ‘get’. I’m a happy meat eater, but I make sure I buy ethically reared meat, such as organic, free range chicken. I don’t but mass market, bargain bucket meat because I don’t trust the farming practices or the quality of the product. Then you’re not the person I don’t get. I can totally understand not eating meat for ethical reasons, or (like you do) buying ethically reared meat. The part I don’t get are the people who refuse Foie Gras and Veal, but will happily chow away on mass-market meat. If you just don’t like Foie, fine, but don’t tell me you don’t want to eat it because of ethical reasons then go chow down on fried chicken or mass-market eggs. If there’s any animal that deserved to be avoided on ethical standards, it’s those poor chickens, crammed into tiny cages, de-beaked, and generally treated like something that’s not alive for all of their short lives. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/103 "2011-06-30T18:43:11Z")
I’ve never tried it, and the pronunciation vs spelling irritates me. No ethical problem, just never had the opportunity to see it on a menu, and it’s not high on my list of priorities. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/104 "2011-06-30T21:16:58Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > I no longer eat it since a trip to the Dordogne in France where the practice originates – their gleeful touting of tourist postcards s[howing geese being force fed](http://www.superstock.com/stock-photos-images/1606-62154) was really quite revolting. > > I eat meat, but I’m not prepared to support unnecessary animal cruelty. I realize this may be controversial but as I recall [you support the Cuban revolution](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=13707663&postcount=2), where people are treated worse than most dogs in this country. I think it’s hard for anyone to wrap their heads around how you support a country where [bloggers are beaten](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/cuba/6678937/Yoani-Sanchez-Cubas-popular-blogger-has-been-beaten-up-for-describing-life.html) and food is so limited that people are [forced to cook with mineral oil](http://www.desdecuba.com/generationy/?p=2414). She had it good compared to other Cubans: “We were quite fortunate to have that semblance of “butter” that someone stole for us, because in the nineties many others had to distill engine oil for use in their kitchens.” [Yoani Sanchez](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoani_S%C3%A1nchez) is the blogger, named to Time’s Top 100 Most Influential People list, even cited for her efforts by Obama. > [@kayaker](#): > > I have a friend with [a turkey farm](http://www.poundsturkeyfarm.com/). They also raise and slaughter a few cattle on the side. They helped me out on that occasion. Are they too small to take orders from those on the “outside”? If not, I’d love to contact them but certainly don’t want to waste their time if not. > [@kayaker](#): > > Lamb shanks I get from [Jamison Farm in Latrobe](http://www.jamisonfarm.com/). Very nice people, and excellent lamb. > > I’m about an hour east of Pittsburgh, but I love the strip district! I love Jamison Farm lamb on restaurant menus but I never think to, ya know, actually _buy_ my lamb from them for home use (Dad cooks lots of lamb but lately it’s been subpar from other places). Thanks for the reminder 🙂 > [@rachelellogram](#): > > and the pronunciation vs spelling irritates me. So basically the French language irritates you? ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/105 "2011-06-30T21:56:24Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Seared foie gras isn’t seared all that much over here. They just throw it in a hot pan, quick, quick, flip it, quick quick and put it on a plate. So it doesn’t end up crispy and blackened, but almost liquid and raw inside with a brown, fat-caramelized exterior. That’s the way I had it. Kind of like a warm seared liver loogey. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/106 "2011-06-30T23:26:53Z")
No politics in threads about food! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/107 "2011-07-01T00:29:19Z")
please educate this non-american. what are the ethical issues to eating something made from chicken liver? i hope no one mentions the ‘F’ word. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/108 "2011-07-01T00:39:49Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > please educate this non-american. what are the ethical issues to eating something made from chicken liver? i hope no one mentions the ‘F’ word. Some people think its cruel to force feed geese or ducks (and the practice _can_ be, but AFAICT it isn’t in American production…not sure about elsewhere) with the intention of enlarging their livers for harvesting. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/109 "2011-07-01T00:42:50Z")
From what I understand, I though “force feeding” is a bit of a misnomer? I was under the impression that the geese enjoy or at least don’t mind it? Over feeding, sure. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/110 "2011-07-01T00:47:59Z")
^ i see. but frenchmen tell me free-range chicken/duck/goose liver is still best. i like the de sangrier (with blood mixed in.) ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/111 "2011-07-01T00:52:51Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > From what I understand, I though “force feeding” is a bit of a misnomer? I was under the impression that the geese enjoy or at least don’t mind it? Over feeding, sure. Yeah, it really should be called something like “encouraged overeating” or something. > [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > ^ > i see. but frenchmen tell me free-range chicken/duck/goose liver is still best. i like the de sangrier (with blood mixed in.) I think it depends on what you want. I am not sure about foie birds as to their level of containment, but I would guess that they are not really encouraged to exercise in any way…you want the livers to be as fatty as possible. ---
**Author:** ![omni-not](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8dc957/32.png) [@omni-not](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omni-not)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/112 "2011-07-01T13:33:58Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I was kinda wondering when the OP was going to start this OP. +1:D ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/113 "2011-07-01T13:37:13Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > No politics in threads about food! > > 😃 Hey, normally I agree with you! Unfortunately foie gras is one of those topics that people intentionally politicize (just like raw milk and small batch cheeses and meats and so forth.) One great restaurant 'round these parts used to have foie gras until they were plagued by filthy protesters who harassed the patrons. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/114 "2011-07-01T13:44:01Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > Hey, normally I agree with you! Unfortunately foie gras is one of those topics that people intentionally politicize (just like raw milk and small batch cheeses and meats and so forth.) One great restaurant 'round these parts used to have foie gras until they were plagued by filthy protesters who harassed the patrons. Raw milk is political? People are weird. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/115 "2011-07-01T13:53:42Z")
> [@lindsaybluth](#): > > I love Jamison Farm lamb on restaurant menus but I never think to, ya know, actually _buy_ my lamb from them for home use (Dad cooks lots of lamb but lately it’s been subpar from other places). Thanks for the reminder 🙂 You should stop at the farm sometime. The family is very nice, and they always have something extra special around. We are a 15 minute drive from their farm.🙂 > [@lindsaybluth](#): > > Are they too small to take orders from those on the “outside”? If not, I’d love to contact them but certainly don’t want to waste their time if not. The veal calf was one they procured and we “split it”. They do not sell veal to the public, just turkey and beef. Their turkey is great. You can call and they will butcher one for you.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/116 "2011-07-01T14:08:38Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Raw milk is political? People are weird. [Retail sales legal](http://www.realmilk.com/happening.html) in only 10 states ☹ I forget the name of the legal team that usually defends any farmer in trouble with the FDA. People being weird is okay, people being controlling is another thing unfortunately. > [@kayaker](#): > > The veal calf was one they procured and we “split it”. They do not sell veal to the public, just turkey and beef. Their turkey is great. You can call and they will butcher one for you.🙂 Oooo this is awesome. I’m excited. Thanks 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/117 "2011-07-01T14:39:43Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Yeah, it really should be called something like “encouraged overeating” or something. Here are some results from an [EU study](http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scah/out17_en.pdf). > [@](#): > > Daily hand-feeding of ducks and geese is normally associated with a positive response by the animals towards the person feeding them. In the preparation of this report, members of the Committee visited a number of farms practising force feeding but this behaviour was not observed by the visitors on these occasions. **When ducks or geese were in a pen during the force feeding procedure, they kept away from the person who would force feed them even though that person normally supplied them with food. At the end of the force feeding procedure, the birds were less well able to move and were usually panting but they still moved away from or tried to move away from the person who had force fed them.** They don’t enjoy it and they don’t do it voluntarily whereas with regular feeding they do. I think ‘forced’ is fair enough. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s the worst thing in the world and as people have mentioned there are far worse things happening to animals. I just think it seems a bit mean and since it’s so easy to avoid it, I do. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/118 "2011-07-01T15:24:49Z")
I hope no aliens from outta space develop taste for human liver and start force feeding our children to harvest their liver. Then again _force_ feeding humans might be much easier though… perhaps they are doing that already. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/119 "2011-07-01T15:27:38Z")
Using the Children of Earth as source of deliciousness? There might be a TV show in that! ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289/120 "2011-07-01T17:40:24Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > Using the Children of Earth as source of deliciousness? There might be a TV show in that! Careful! I’ve heard those things are addictive! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foie-gras/587289.md?page=7)