Putting the Gore in Gourmet: The Death of the Foie Gras Ban

by Stephanie Feldstein · 2009-11-29 06:00:00 UTC
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In 2006, Chicago banned foie gras. In doing so, it became the first place to take a stand against the inhumane conditions and abusive force feeding used to enlarge the fatty liver of ducks and geese that's considered a delicacy.

Two years later, foie gras was back on Windy City menus. Not because it suddenly became an animal-friendly food, but because the ban had been mocked by critics as unworthy of city aldermen’s time and energy. (Of course, it would have taken less time to just leave the ban in the place at this point … but then it wouldn’t be politics.)

I’d be willing to bet that a number of people who celebrated the return of foie gras were appropriately appalled at stories of the dog meat trade in South Korea. Each culture seems to have its own cruel items on the menu, which the locals fail to notice. In America, ducks and geese are not alone; the veal-production process is well-known, yet it’s a dish that can be found just about anywhere in the country.

Like most meat products, there’s nothing these gourmet foods have to offer nutritionally that can’t be found in other, more humane sources. You don’t need abuse to get fine dining. The belief that the attitude you bring to the kitchen affects how the food turns out is held by people from all kinds of backgrounds around the world. “Baking with love” really should apply to the source of the ingredients, too.

Photo credit: Farm Sanctuary

Stephanie Feldstein is a Change.org Editor who has been part of the animal welfare and rescue community for over a decade, and most recently worked for an environmental organization.
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