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Whether Jews in France particularly liked and exploited the fattened livers as a source for kosher cooking fat (pork fat being obviously unacceptable; b.t.w., the German and hence Yiddish word Schmaltz can also be applied to 'chicken fat'), I do not know -- it sounds not at all unlikely. But it sort of sounds as though you're attributing the 'invention' of foie gras to that community. There is no question that the tradition of feeding geese excessively in order to cause their livers to become extremely enlarged goes back to classical antiquity and was especially popular in Roman 'haute cuisine'. On a brief discussion of the linguistic evidence concerning 'foie/fegato etc., see this rather old post of mine:
http://lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=20159#20159

Quite right to mention the more pressing issue of animal abuse in this city, that of dog-fighting. And as you say, that one is difficult to deal with; the foie gras issue, however one feels about the animal abuse involved there, is clearly not one of the several major issues that need to be addressed by our 'alderpersons'.

Antonius

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Alle Nerven exzitiert von dem gewürzten Wein -- Anwandlung von Todesahndungen -- Doppeltgänger --
- aus dem Tagebuch E.T.A. Hoffmanns, 6. Januar 1804.
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Na sir is na seachain an cath.

No, and it's not likely to, considering that Israel, until then among the world leaders in foie gras exports, banned gavage last year. Tel Aviv has also banned animal circus acts.

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LAZ
Dining Chicago
Index to LTHForum Recipes, 2004-2008

Make sure to sign the petition to oppose the ordinance!!!

http://animalagalliance.org/petition

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Eat to live, LIVE TO EAT!

No, we won't starve without foie gras. However, I hardly think that starvation is the test by which we determine what we eat. I tender a link to the Trib as proof that we are rapidly sliding down that slippery slope. Chickens and eggs are the next foods in the axis of evil:
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/news_opinion_letters/2006/06/help_the_hens.html

[quote="JimInLoganSquare"][quote="BR"]

Does consuming factory farmed products promote cruel treatment of animals? Yes. There can be no argument; it's just a matter of what you can tolerate morally as to whether you purchase and consume factory-farmed animal products. quote]

This is a point that I make all the time to people who ask why I don't eat veal, but do eat beef and chicken. It's entirely subjective, and has to do with one's personal comfort level. I've decided that I don't want to be involved in any way in the whole abuse-of-veal-calves thing - but I still compartmentalize between a cow in a slaughterhouse and the steak in the butcher's case. Is that rational? Of course not. But we live by killing other live things - whether it's for our food, or because we "need" to take their habitat for farmland. This is why Tibetan Buddhist meditation master Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche once said, "Vegetarianism is just a concept." What makes more sense is to be aware of the implications of what we eat and how it's obtained - know the karmic price. Honor the animal that gave it's life so that you can eat.

If this ban is supposed to currently be in effect, I know of two places I have been to recently where it is still being offered on the menu (in some form or another). I'm not sure I care to mention names since it has been a pleasant treat to be able to continue eating foi grois at a Chicago restaurant.

I'm just wondering if this will be one of those ordinances that is not widely enforced - especially since the Mayor opposed it. The City of Chicago has a history of making a big deal of a certain issue (porch construction, overcrowded nightclubs, etc.) to the point of legislation only to move on to a new cause a few months later.

Edited to add: Nevermind, I just read the other foi thread. When is the ban supposed to go into effect?

Ed,

It's* back on Hot Doug's menu, at least as of yesterday.

Enjoy,
Gary

*Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Green Apple Mustard and White Truffle Cheese

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

Yeah, Doug is going to have some variation of it available every day until the ban takes effect. A couple weeks ago it was a truffle dijonnaise with tomme (and it was very good).

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Ed Fisher
my chicago food photos

RIP LTH.

Mmm, so good... this is the duck/foie gras/Sauternes sausage, with truffle cheese and green apple mustard. Frankly who needs the cheese, it's the intoxicating foie gras/winey sausage that makes it.

Which is why it was on my top 10 last year.

Only 3 or 4 more Hot Doug days until Prohibition (is the 22nd the last day it's legal, or the first day of the ban?)

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I went to Hot Doug's today and did enjoy one of his Fois Gras and Duck sausages. On the menu it's called "Fwah Graa and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Sauce Moutarde and White Truffle Cheese "

I said to Doug, "How are you still serving the Fois Gras?
He replied, "I guess illegally!"
And I replied, "Good on you, man!"

The sausage was perfect, with a bit of that pate-y goodness and the mustard sauce balancing out everything. And the cheese! I wish I could put that cheese on everything...

So, get the "fwah graa" while you can!!

He was interviewed on WBEZ news this morning and said that he was serving it.

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Leek
SAVING ONE DOG MAY NOT CHANGE THE WORLD, BUT IT CHANGES THE WORLD FOR THAT ONE DOG.
American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog.
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Tried to go to Doug's for lunch for a serving of civil disobedience, but the line was literally out the door and around the block - in a downpour, no less! Good for Doug!

I had a very nice dinner this past Saturday at a Chicago restaurant that I will not name. Our server enthusiastically explained that the chef was serving "complimentary" fois gras with one of the salads. If not for choosing the tasting menu, I certainly would have ordered the salad for a starter.

I have purposely never related my discussions with Doug on this manner, deeming it privileged information. Could you link to the audio or tell me what time this was broadcast? Perhaps we shouldn't be discussing this?

-ramon

I don't have a link to the broadcast, but I heard it on WBEZ around 6:00 pm this past Friday (9/22/06). As I recall, Doug considered serving foie gras openly a necessary act of civil disobedience and had some unkind words for chefs who were trying to get around the ban by offering it "complimentary" with other menu items, saying (paraphrasing, of course) that they lacked the courage of their convictions.

I believe "wussy" or "weenie" was the word he used, specifically, though my memory is notoriously poor and that may have simply been the underlying meaning I ascribed to his prose

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-Dom
www.skilletdoux.com

Dude, he said it on the RADIO, the cat's a little out of the bag now!

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Leek
SAVING ONE DOG MAY NOT CHANGE THE WORLD, BUT IT CHANGES THE WORLD FOR THAT ONE DOG.
American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog.
http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org

Sorry if I err on the side of protecting private conversations. It appears I may have been too cautious in this instance. Doug seems to not need the publicity, perhaps a truelly selfless act of civil disobedience? If so, I'm all for it, and Doug's the man!

-ramon

Great interview with Rick Tramanto at Hungry Magazine -- http://www.hungrymag.com -- which touches on both the ban and the "feud" between Tramanto and Trotter. Rick says that, when it hit the first page of the Tribune, he called Trotter and said they should have tried something like this years earlier.

The interview also covers everything from Rick's start at Wendy's (as a teenager and drop-out with a dad in jail) to knocking on Charlie Trotter's door to the Iron Chef battle (with some interesting insights about "secret ingredients") to the new places he's opening in Wheeling.

Lots of fun. Great interview.

why Anthony Bourdain is our hero

his take on foie on Salon

... yeah, foie gras farms are DEFINITELY worse than this.

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Ed Fisher
my chicago food photos

RIP LTH.

So Alderman Joe Moore was canvassing the Howard El stop this morning seeking petition signatures to get himself back on the ballot.

I declined the invitation of one of his crew, but then ran into the man himself before I got in the station. When he asked if I was registered to vote in the 49th ward and asked for my signature, I stammered a refusal based on my feeling that the foie gras ban is none of the government's business.

Alas, my delivery was not very polished or forceful, but at least I said what I thought. Well, some of what I thought. I didn't mention how he'd sat on plans to build a field house in Gale Park for years until the election was coming up. Last round of elections there was a much milder fake at interest in that park as some dirt was dug on one day shortly before the elections, but this time, it seems he's running (at least a little) scared.

Sorry if this is too much politics for LTH.

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Joe G.

"Whatever may be wrong with the world, at least it has some good things to eat." -- Cowboy Jack Clement

You should have asked him when he is going to come out for a chicken ban. Does he think all chickens live interesting lives plucking around grandma's yard before they are humanely put to death?

You also could have asked Moore what office he is running for. From the evidence presented so far, it doesn't look like he is that much concerned with the 49th.

The election is in February. I have heard that Moore will have strong opposition.

It was nice that you did not sign the petition, since you are only allowed to sign for one candidate. I will try and post something here about Moore's pro-foie opponent.

Leave it to a couple of Chicago expats, RevrendAndy and Lana, to know just what to serve Forbidden Foie on in Naples, FL.

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

Doug gets busted!

Trib story here.

AP via Channel 2here.

[and marvel at the fine writing.... "The foie gras isn't Sohn's only connection with ducks." ??!@??? ]

UPDATE: I talked the news producer at Ch. 5 into including the story in the 9AM newscast; I kept complaining that if Britney's haircut was news, this was news. The anchor read the copy in a hurry, though, and kept calling the place "Hot Dog's" Oh well.

Giovanna

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"Enjoy every sandwich."

-Warren Zevon

As if we weren't already the laughingstock for this ridiculous law...
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ ... i-news-hed

Since this seems to be Ground Zero for foie gras news:

Hot Doug Sohn - Busted.

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Tweetyspacing @karlklockars.
Writing about craft beer at GuysDrinkingBeer.com
"You don't realize it, but we're at dinner right now." ~Ebert

I love the press that Doug is getting as a result! His duck fat fries even got a plug from the anchor.

Any clue if Doug is taking donations to cover his fine/expenses? I wouldn't mind supporting some civil disobedience.
Jamie

I was there not long after the incident-- I know this because I saw the menu board with something erased from it, though I'm surprised Doug didn't mention it (since I'd given him a "Duck the foie gras ban" bumpersticker). Anyway, he wasn't collecting for his defense, but I'm sure he's collecting publicity....

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Watch Sky Full of Bacon, the Chicago food HD podcast!
New episode: Soil, Corn, Cows and Cheese
Watch the Reader's James Beard Award-winning Key Ingredient here.