Your views on Foie Gras

[ianr]

Paging Sydney Smith... Paging Sydney Smith...

[Frankito]

So whose cooking Tommy Takethemicklewright then? He doesn't sound like he would fit into your standard oven?.

[HonaloochieB]

Jimmy (Jimmeh) Clithoroe - 'Eeh 'eck I've only been an' gone an' took me Grandad's bloomin' foie gras and spread it on me mate Ozzie's bit o' snap all accidental like, an' that flippin' Ozzie's been an' blinkin' well gone an' scarfed it all down 'is flamin' gullet, like some sort o' gannet.

I'm done for.

When me Grandad finds his foie gras missin', 'oo d'ya think 'e'll come looking for? ME, that's 'oo.

An' that's when 'e'll lay 'is 'and on my situpon, an' 'e'll not stop 'til 'is 'and gets tired.

Crikey!

Susan Clitheroe - 'Stop your mithering, and while you're about it stop dropping your consonants, I could almost write an episode of The Navy Lark with what I've swept from the floor'.

Alfie Hall - ''allo Susan, 'ow are ye? Yer don't 'alf speak nice. S'why ah don't 'alf luv yer. Well just one o' reasons.

'Ow cum though yer speak all different t't' rest on us?

Susan - 'Well for a start I'm Judith Chalmers.

Alfie - 'Eeh well ooooh, nooo, crikeh, I'm all of a doodah now, me. Strewth, what's to do? I mean, eeh.

Susan - 'Well that's the last time you start and finish a sentence with the exclamation 'Eeh' in my company. I'm off down south to edit a tabloid newspaper. I'll leave you to be tricked on a weekly basis by my 'little' brother'.

Alfie - 'But Susan....'

Jimmy - ' Alfie, could you just 'old this bit o' greaseproof paper for us for a minute, it's got summat wrote on it in foreign. "For Grass" it looks like - like as not summat Grandad's picked up for t' garden.

Oooh, I think ah can 'ear him cumin' in now.

I'm off to meet Ozzie, 'bye Alfie.

Alfie - 'Oh right then, 'tara.

*in the distance a door opens and then slams shut, a loud Scottish voice is heard uttering the words 'Ah cannae wait for ma braw supper ae foie gras, it's all that's been sustaining me all the dee. If anythin' wus to come between me an' it, frankly I dinnae knae whit ah'd dae, Ah meet weel lose control an' visit violence upon the nearest person ah heild responsible for the loss, even if that person didnae eventually turn out t' be the one tha' deprived of my expensive treat.

But tha odds o' tha' happenin', surely must surely be so remote as t' be negligible. So neither ae nor anyone else has anything to worry aboot'

Alfie - 'Oh, crikeh'

Mother (Mrs Clitheroe) - 'Now, is the above a transcipt from an actual episode of the popular radio series The Clitheroe Kid or is that flaming HonaloochieB just manking about again and making a bloody nuisance of himself'?

[????]

Ethical living in SE22

(X) Buy The Guardian

(X) say the right things at dinner parties

(X) er....that's it

[ianr]

> Jimmy (Jimmeh) Clithoroe - 'Eeh 'eck I've only been an' gone an' took me Grandad's bloomin' foie gras

Ee, but you sound just like him.

Where is the room for Radio 7 DPs, btw. It's very topical really. Only t'other week they had a man live from Crystal Pallie saying it were burning down.

[Huguenot]

Ethical living at Quid's house...

*Put everyone else in boxes*

*Squeal 'Don't put me in a box!!'*

*Tick hypocrite box*

[StraferJack]

If quids is posting on a Monday night, it's probably fair to say it's not something he finds "merely" amusing any more

Does anyone else know why he keeps banging on about the Guardian a la Melanie Phillips? I'm pretty sure consumption of Foie Gras isn't some leftie pre-requisite

If I was told off by Moos*, of all people, outside the Family Room I'd have a good long hard look at what I'd been saying. But after all the thinking time to bounce back with the same, really really tired stuff is close to embarrassing

* That's the same Moos who had posted on here that she has never read a Guardian in her life btw.

As for FG production itself - if Thomas, quids or anyone else has a problem with it then fair enough - seems like a genuine contender for debate to me. I'm surprised how it's this topic that has prompted your entry into the animal welfare debate however.

Personally, I'm not keen on it, but I'm also willing to argue it's nowhere near as bad as mass-produced battery chickens mutating in their own shite, piled high on top of each other - something which is far more prevelant. So they both fall short for me, but by different margins. If someone were to argue that FG is absolutely fine because of various reasons, to me there is room for "negotiation" because the difference in treatment is so apparent to me.

Feeding an animal until it?s liver expands ? from what I?ve seen the animals in question are still keen for the next meal. So whilst it makes me squeamish, I can?t condemn it the way I do battery chickens

Does that make me some kind of hypocrite? I don?t think it does

And I accept that the examples I have seen may be ?best practice? and that much FG production is less salubrious ? in which case it?s exactly the same rules apply. Keep away from the nasty stuff

My mind isn?t closed on this ? if there are elements I have missed that make the whole thing beyond the pale then I?m open to hearing them. But just shouting ?liberal hypocrite? at me isn?t going to help

[Otta]

My last word would be, that if you're going to eat the stuff, I just want to hear peope say " I don't give a hoot how it's produced, I like it, and I'll eat it". That is honest, and I respect that, whether or not I'd go near it.

I just don't want people trying to justify it, by teeling us that it's really not as bad as all that, because I am not at all convinced.

Anyway, who'd have thought this thread would be a 14 pager!

[Huguenot]

I agree Otta. I think nearly everyone on this thread has done just that!

I can't find anyone who has justified it, although I've seen a few who have rightfully questioned the honesty and ubiquity of the reports (Foie Gras outside France doesn't tend to be made this way), and the motivation and behaviour of the campaigners.

Frankly I find grating righteous manipulative vegetarians to be more offensive than foie gras, and they are simply lucky that I respect their rights too much to attempt to get them banned from eating establishments.

Like most extremists trying to curtail the activities of other people, they can only do this because other people don't curtail their own activities.

They should think about this.

[mockney piers]

OK, I'll do it.

Animal welfare is waaaay down on my list of priorities to be concerned about.

I quite like petting the things and going awwww cuuuute if they are, I never kick dogs, or even cats, but if meat is their destiny then I'm not going to get upset about it. A rod in the brain or a quickly wrung neck is probably better than being corralled by a bunch of men with pointy sticks stabbing them repeatedly in their side and then following the blood trail as they slowly bleed to death.

I do try and avoid battery produced anything mostly for reasns of flavour, texture and health, I'm not sure i like the idea of eating stuff pumped full of hormones, then plumped with water only to evaporate during cooking leaving you with some shrunken scrawn.

If welfare is someone's thing then I admire the stance and get why they would poopoo all meat production, but like SJ don't see why FG is any more of a cause celebre than any other meat production, especially factory farming.

I'm afraid I like animal produce too much and once you have made the decision that you're ok with having something die for your gastronomic pleasure then any abitrary line further down is a bit hypocritical.

So I'm fine with it all, battery farming included, because billions of people depend on it, more the fool them, but if you haven't got the cash then I suppose I understand.

I'd be more interested in legislation to stop the growth hormones meaning that they'd require a bit of exercise rather than try to appeal to people's better nature.

I'm wandering all over the place, right I'm foiegratacus and so is my wife

[*Bob*]

A Spaniard speaks..

[Thomas Micklewright]

Goodness me I didn't realise I was such a trouble maker! Antisocial - how do you explain that one? How have I ever made myself out to be a hero? I guess ill be a martyr next if Ms Curtain gets her way, can you make it veggies gravy?

Huggy, thank you very much for respecting "my rights" and not getting me banned from restaurants, whatever that means? Out of interests which eateries would you like to see veggies banned from?

[Thomas Micklewright]

Ow and if you do want to catch me (in) A-nnette (see what I did there?) For your Christmas Thomas-gras lunch I'll be at the talk about growing vegetables at the blue brick cafe on 18th Aug at 7.30pm, hope to see you there x

[HonaloochieB]

Thomas Micklewright Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Goodness me I didn't realise I was such a trouble

> maker! Antisocial - how do you explain that one?

> How have I ever made myself out to be a hero? I

> guess ill be a martyr next if Ms Curtain gets her

> way, can you make it veggies gravy?

> Huggy, thank you very much for respecting "my

> rights" and not getting me banned from

> restaurants, whatever that means? Out of interests

> which eateries would you like to see veggies

> banned from?

I reckon the ones where large fellows with Texan accents ask the question 'Are you asking for the secret of my barbecue sauce?' and their wives ask 'Could you manage a little bacon with that pork?' and then their daughter enquires as to how you'd like your dessert chicken served.

But on mature thought, no, no banning.

There's always chips on the menu. And cheese. So make yourselves to home, y'hear?

[Huguenot]

That's a pretty lame attempt at defense Micklewright.

Antisocial - how do you explain that one?

Rather than trying to persuade people of the rights and wrongs of Foie Gras production, you're targeting restarauters to take away the people's choice. This is antisocial - if you want to persuade people then engage them, don't try and force them.

How have I ever made myself out to be a hero?

When you started comparing yourself with campaigners against the slave trade.

I guess ill be a martyr next if Ms Curtain gets her way, can you make it veggies gravy?

A martyr? Do you see the irony of the claim and your previous 'hero' statement? Who do you think you are, the Messiah? See delusions of grandeur above.

Out of interests which eateries would you like to see veggies banned from?

I don't wish to seee veggies prevented from doing anything, it's you who wants to control people not me.

This is a common and unsurprising tactic that reflects your other underhand behaviour. You're projecting offensive claims to create conflict and division.

More importantly I've got no problem with vegetarians at all - I have a problem with people who try and force other people to conform to their point of view through deviousness and manipulation.

At the moment, that only appears to be you Micklewright.

[LadyDeliah]

Stop being so horrible to the young guy Hugo.

I don't think he likened himself to the campaigners against the slave trade.

I know I mentioned it to highlight how ridiculous it is to say that just because something is legal doesn't mean one shouldn't campaign against it.

No-one is trying to say he is on a par with Wilberforce et al, especially not the OP.

He seems to be a very patient, humble sort of person but one who gives a shit about issues of animal welfare and gets off his arse to try toake a difference.

Whether you agree with the issues he campaigns against or not, or his methods, there is no need to perform a character assassination on the poor sod.

[The Palmerston]

For those who choose to:

Foie gras ballotine with onion confit and toast.

Vegetarian options are available.

[Thomas Micklewright]

I dont mind character assissination, all part of the fun of debating over the internet, thanks Deliah for your friendly words. I wasnt trying to defend myself, I have nothing to defend, just seeing if I can stretch this thread out to 500 posts.

Well I suppose The Palmerston's post answer my question whether they will stop serving foie gras!

Thomas

[Alan Medic]

The Palmerston Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> For those who choose to:

>

> Foie gras ballotine with onion confit and toast.

>

> Vegetarian options are available.

What's the vegetarian alternative to foie gras? Stuffed rhubarb?

[HonaloochieB]

Alan Medic Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The Palmerston Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > For those who choose to:

> >

> > Foie gras ballotine with onion confit and

> toast.

> >

> > Vegetarian options are available.

>

> What's the vegetarian alternative to foie gras?

> Stuffed rhubarb?

Quorn spread?

[Alan Medic]

Artichokes?

[Thomas Micklewright]

Faux Gras (soya alternative)

he he

[binary_star]

Ha what do you know, we DO need a Waitrose: http://news.scotsman.com/uk/Waitrose-unveils-foie-gras-without.3586340.jp

"63% of people in Britain believed foie gras should be banned." Can't back that up, anyone?

[karter]

There are cruelty free ways , before they get the chop anyway. Sorry tom. Like i said.

[Huguenot]

Humble? Ballcocks. He runs a meeting group and flips around terms like martyrdom. He talks about himself in the third person. He claims 'we' when there is no 'we'.

Five bucks says he looks in the mirror a lot.

If he appears to be humble it's a sham.

I got no problem with people who have a conviction and want to persuade people LadyD, but that's not Mickelwright. He doesn't give a halfpenny about your opinion, he wants to force you to fit in with him.