Thursday, July 12, 2012

Thursday Thoughts - Foie Gras, California and Food Bans



Dear Foie Gras lovers of California,

You've probably heard, but I thought I'd warn ya,
that duck lovers (like me) have gotten their way.
Foie Gras isn't legal now, or so they say.
The law is ambiguous (such a surprise)
and restaurant enforcement mostly involves angry eyes,
where the owner claims that he does his ducks no harm.

His boast made me imagine a dream like place
where ducks got drunk and stuffed their face,
then lounged around or enjoyed a float
on a pond which never saw the likes of a boat.
I imagined corn cakes deep fried in lard
which the ducks tasted timidly, then fell for hard.
Once they had washed down that corn cake with a beer,
they knew the new tastes American ducks held dear.

Sadly, the gluttonous gorge fest I dreamt of for the ducks
wasn't the reality any farmer had created with his bucks.
You say that the science is lacking to prove the practice cruel?
I've never eaten Foie Gras and won't consider it unless you
can say the ducks in question were happy and prove it true.
Since my rational self knows the overindulged are never truly happy,
good luck proving to me that purposely fattened ducks found real glee!

May your livers stay lean and food choices gain style!

Sincerely,

Rachel Hoyt
of Rhyme Me a Smile


© 2012 Rachel Hoyt. All rights reserved.


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Why not get one from me once in a while?

19 comments:

  1. I never had Foie Gras, but duck is delicious. It's like a cross between steak and chicken. Mmmmm...er, um...I mean they're really cute and we should save the ducks! Go ducks!

    Mmmmm...whoops, sorry.

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    1. I did have duck once a long time ago. It was good, but these days I don't know. One of the articles did say that ducks are one of the most sustainable meat sources possible. I just wish they were raising them humanely. So, I'm going to continue not to indulge. You can have some if you want, but remember the cute little face that died for your meal! :)

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  2. Hi Rachel great poem as a late vegetarian I just agree ......

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    1. Thank you, Bee! The duckies ares glad you agree with me. :)

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  3. I am guilty of eating the stuff before I knew of the cruelty it meant for the poor ducks. Never again!
    Great poem, Rachel!

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    1. I generally don't do research before I eat either, Martha, so you'e A-OK in my book. :)

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  4. Rachel, this is very passionately and reasonably said. I don't eat foie gras, and if I were to be offered it I'd remember your poem. The line about over-indulgence realky struck me, since it reflects a common-sense rarely found in the modern world.

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    1. Thank you Charles for this profound compliment. I'm smiling big that you felt the importance of those final lines. :)

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  5. Minimizing cruelty is a fine goal indeed!

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    1. I'm glad you agree, Jack! The ducks hope you have their back. :)

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  6. I tried the stuff while traveling in France and it doesn't stand out in memory as the best meal. I do remember Erin camped out under the table getting her share of duck...I believe she enjoyed it more than me :) Undoubtedly I will never eat it again for the reasons you've mentioned!!

    P.S. The snails weren't bad

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    1. LOL. Well, Erin gets a free pass since I think it is quite natural for her breed to hunt duck. :)

      I may try snails someday. We'll see. Pokey sure likes them. :P

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    2. P.S. So glad I could convince you to stay away from foie gras in the future. :)

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  7. wELL DONE! NOW VEAL!!! if we can just do something about VEAL! It is a baby cow, put in a box for 3 months, then killed for it's undeveloped meat. UGH...!!! I HAVE SEEN THIS! Out in Hemet and all over!
    A baby cow is taken from its mother and put in a crate! so it can not move and develop its muscles!

    IT CRIES CONSTANTLY FOR ITS MOTHER ,AND THE MOTHER CRIES FOR IT! It is a HORRIBLE SOUND!! AND then they slaughter the calf...
    all for the MYSTERY MEAT...VEAL!!!!!

    I have a very ignorant friend, who says, don't tell me, I don't want to know, I just want to enjoy my meal... omg... OMG!
    So I am making a T-Shirt with a picture of the crating on it... but I won't SAY a word. A picture has a thousand... right?

    Thank you,

    xo - tink

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    1. I have never eaten veal. Just the mental image of a baby cow living in a box says a MILLION words to me. Thank you for your enthusiastic comment! xo

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  8. Some of those people commenting on this at EdHat sure are jerks ... especially that 297499 fellow.

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    1. Thank you for commenting here and on edhat Marcel! Yes, that 297499 fellow is a bit dilusional. I wonder if he's ever had the pleasure of experiencing a feeding tube himself? :P

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Rhyming or not, I would like a lot to hear the thoughts my words brought...