Thanks to Max, the Snook and I are now debating the ethics of foie gras (as defended by Jeffrey Steingarten). We’re definitely in the “eat it in small portions” camp. Hey, I’ve got friends who are vegans and pescavores, and I admire them all… but I’m an omnivore, and meat is so good. (The Snook prepared a chateaubriand this week that made me weak in the knees.) Of course, if Sakai-san ever sat a dish down in front of me with an inch-thick slap of foie gras on top, I’d be ALL OVER IT.
TOAST
January 7, 2007 — 8:17 pm
TEST
TOAST
January 7, 2007 — 8:20 pm
ERSE, I had a big write-up regarding this and your spam filter ate it ARGH.
Briefly:
– Check the episodes of “Full on food” “river cottage” etc where they go to foie-gras farms. The ducks/geese seem to actually like it.
– IMHO Foie Gras (which is all free-range) is far more ethical than chicken breast, where in 42 days, chickens grow such huge breasts that they can’t walk.
– Buy whole chickens, it saves money.
I had this written up better, with more logic behing it, but the above is the crux of it.
Kris
January 7, 2007 — 8:48 pm
Huh. I wonder why. Did you use the word “special” + “ist”? Because that word contains one of my flagged words. Or you had too many links, maybe.
TOAST
January 7, 2007 — 10:04 pm
Yeah, “the people who feed the ducks and geese are have special ist training”.
Anyway, the above is the gist of it.
While I’m here… I’ve not seen foie gras for sale in Australia other than by the whole lobe ($120 or so for 300g).
Kris
January 7, 2007 — 10:24 pm
Okay, I took “cialis” out since that’s the second “specialist” comment it’s caught in the past coupla weeks.
My current Holy Grail food item is the white truffle. Know where I can get one? Wait til you get to the Steingarten chapter on it. I’m salivating just thinking about it…
TOAST
January 8, 2007 — 1:03 pm
White Truffles all seem to be taken by restaurants. Simon Johnson sometimes has black ones. Now is the season (Italian Winter). Basically, check the menus of all the expensive Italian places in town (I’ve seen it previously in some Melbourne restaurants too)
No mucking around, Just some sliced over some fresh fettuccine. Expect to pay $80-$100 per serve.
Otherwise, wait untiil July/August and contact the Tassie growers directly:
http://www.perigord.com.au/purchasing_truffles.htm
Frances
January 9, 2007 — 5:29 am
I am sad to admit that I have never had chateaubriand but I have always wanted to try it. Is it easy to make by following directions or do you need to see someone make it?