I am seriously re-evaluating the role meat products have in my life. Philly and I ventured off to this nice little Euro Bistro called Europea.
I had a delecatable nine course meal. I had this dish called Pâté de foie gras – I noticed that every item on the menu was translated into English with the exception of this dish. Silly me didn’t bother to ask the waiter what exactly Pâté de foie gras was.
When the dish arrived it looked scrumptious – “Pan seared Foie gras scalop, Caramelized Tatin Apples”. The dishes consistency was interesting to say the least.
My curiosity got to the better of me when I arrived home from Montreal. I started doing some research on this delicacy. To my disgust I came across the following site: http://www.gourmetcruelty.com/about.php – this site is not intended for those faint of heart.
Now, If the menu had read I would have left the establishment immediately:
Pan seared Foie gras scalop (a grossly enlarged liver of a duck or goose. Medically known as hepatic lipidosis, foie gras is a disease marketed as a delicacy. Birds raised for this gourmet cruelty are force-fed enormous quantities of food through a long metal pipe three times a day. This process of deliberate and painful overfeeding continues for up to a month, by which time the birds’ livers have swelled up to twelve times their healthy size), Caramelized Tatin Apples.
I am disgusted with myself for not being well versed in French, but most of all I blame myself for not asking the waiter exactly what it was that I had ordered.
I recently read in the Hamilton Spectator that the Art Gallery of Hamilton will have its gala grand re-opening on May 26, 2005.
“The Hamilton-connection, all-star lineup has something for everyone for the grand opening of the gallery’s $20-million makeover on May 26.
The white-tie event of the year, with 600 guests, has been sold out for months and months, says Larissa Ciupka, gallery marketing and communications director”
To my disgust “Guests will dine on foie gras, scallops and beef tenderloin, and listen to performances by Opera Hamilton and Niagara’s Best Smooth Jazz Orchestra.”
I will be looking at pressuring the AGH to withdraw “Pâté de foie gras” from its menu lineup for its gala opening. Possibilities include PICKETING the AGH (as there will be huge media attention focused on the event). An e-mail will be sent to the gala’s organizers, and possibly the hamilton spectator.
If you have any suggestions or would like to partake in this event please do comment or e-mail me @ ralph.meiers@sympatico.ca . To comment please click the comments hyperlink and type your name or nickname and in the comment textbox, type your comment.