The Patch serving Foie gras?? Cruel & Barbaric.

[burtonboy]

Myself and partner were just about to go into The Patch for dinner when we saw Foie Gras on the menu.

Foie Gras is the swollen liver of a duck or goose created by repeatedly force feeding the bird with grain. The level of unnecessary pain and suffering the poor birds go through for this outdated "delicacy" is totally unacceptable. The birds are restrained and have grain packed down their throats by wooden rods until their stomachs are bursting. The birds throats and stomachs can rupture, but this aside, the trauma they must go through is horrific.

It's the food equivalent of a new fur coat.

I like the pub and am totally up for supporting local businesses, but this seems to go totally against the organic, fresh, free range ethos we all read about before the opening! As long as the chef actively promotes cruelty to animals, we won't set foot in the place.

[Alan Medic]

burtonboy, there is a 29 page thread on the subject if you had bothered to do a simple search. As it is you are preaching to the converted or the unconverted. However, it is 'news' to me that the establishment you mentioned is serving it. The fact is, it is unacceptable to you but not to some others.

There is a thread also on the Patch and even a Facebook page to vent your feelings.

[burtonboy]

I don't see why making a personal comment requires a site search first!

Some people have no idea how foie gras is produced, hence my brief explanation.

The Patch actively used the EDF as part of their pre-launch campaign, so alongside an email it is a great platform to comment on the ingredient ethics of an organic, friendly-food pub.

I was supportive of the kickstarter campaign, but I don't imagine many of their original supporters would be happy if they initially advertised they planned to force feed their own geese onsite!! BUT it's suddenly acceptable to pay other to do it to produce a starter.

There is a moral standpoint here on many levels.

However, ultimately this is MY opinion and my choice whether to give my cash to the place.

[steffie]

Thank you burtonboy for this information i didn't know it was produced this way and this has put me off for life.

[DulwichFox]

Don't see why someone new to the forum should be subjected to 29 pages of Forum Bickering.

burtonboy was merely bringing to our attention that a New restaurant

promoting itself as an organic, fresh, free range is now selling Foie Gras.

There is Nothing Free Range about Foie Gras.

If people want to fill there own stomachs to bursting point, then that is fine by me.

But don't do it to our animals.

If you want to eat animals, then show them at least a little respect.

DulwichFox

[Jeremy]

Look if FG isn't in line with your personal morals then fine, don't eat it. Don't go to the restaurant. Tell the manager why you're not going.

But posting on here as if there's some sort of scandal taking place on our doorsteps... leave it out...

[burtonboy]

Phew, thanks SO much for telling me what should and shouldn't be posted to a public forum! Free speech can be SO pesky sometimes eh?

Foie Gras DOES have scandal attached to it. It's actually banned in many countries because of the cruelty associated with its production. Did you know that? Many people don't, which is why a little education is helpful to allow others to decide whether it's for them or not.

There is nothing "natural" about this product, and eventually it'll be banned.

I was just surprised that The Patch, following their launch ethos, would choose to sell such an unethical product.

I did like "leave it out" tho.

[DaveR]

I'm aware that foie gras production is unlawful in some countries, but not consumption. Can you provide any more info? I'm also a bit surprised that you see a contradiction between the Patch's 'food message' and their serving foie gras. You act as if they have somehow been misleading people.

Edited to add: I also wouldn't call your description of foie gras production methods very objective; if you want people to make their own informed opinions there are plenty of accounts (on both sides of the argument) from properly qualified people who have witnessed foie gras production and reported on welfare effects

[burtonboy]

Are you talking about the tales of happy geese waddling along to have a metal pressurised feeding tube shoved down their throats to spray lots of lovely grain into their stomachs at high speed?! Lucky little things eh! Totally natural and happy. Great.

I didn't say The Parch is misleading people. I stated that serving such a product associated with cruelty and unnatural production goes against their own well publicised ethical standpoint.

But, my main point was that I find it offensive and it puts me off supporting an otherwise great pub.

I'm actually a little surprised at the hostility. Are you all Gordon Ramsay in disguise?

[newboots]

Thanks for that info burtonboy.

[alice]

'If using a captive-bolt, the slaughterman stands on a platform, in front or to one side of the pen and shoots the animal in the head between the eyes and the ears in order to accurately target the brain. The pen side then opens and the unconscious animal rolls out of the pen, is shackled by one hind leg, hoisted on to an overhead conveyor and moved to the bleed area. Here the animal is bled by the severance of all major blood vessels supplying the brain with oxygenated blood. This causes rapid death. The animal dies from loss of blood before it makes any recovery from the percussive stun.' humane slaughter site

[DaveR]

Being sarky and self-righteous is always easier than engaging with facts; as already noted, this topic has been done to death on this forum and nothing new has been written here. I'm really not aware of anything anybody associated with the Patch has said that is inconsistent with serving foie gras, but I haven't been following their every word so maybe I've missed it. And the definition of unethical is not 'does something I disagree with'.

[burtonboy]

DaveR, I AM. Engaging with the facts. Everything I've said is fact.

Do you happily eat battery chicken? No. Why? Because the methods of production are unethical.

Same with eggs from caged hens, and veal from boxed calfs.

Alice...not sure you get my point. No animal goes willingly to its death, and yes, slaughter is brutal. It's morally right however to give that animal the best quality of life on its way to your dinner plate.

YouTube foie gras production and tell me if it adds to the animals quality of life.

Well, surprising lack of empathy from some people, so I'll bud you goodnight.

....ammonia burned caged hen omelette in the morning? Yum.

[Alan Medic]

burtonboy Wrote:

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

> I don't see why making a personal comment requires

> a site search first!

> Some people have no idea how foie gras is

Because if everyone who had something to say on any subject started a new thread there would be no meaningful discussion on anything.You would also have discovered that plenty of people do know what it is.

[burtonboy]

Haha Alan, did we honestly just go back to this legendary 29 page thread?!

Imagine how splintered the forum would be if every personal comment had to be shoehorned into some larger debate. Small detail would be lost or deemed less important.

It's too late. The horrific damage has been done. We now have 2 threads on foie gras. I'd probably make for the hills as no good can come of this.

*** this is how threads get to be 29pages long!

[burtonboy]

Seriously tho, my post wasn't about WHAT foie gras is. I added some factual info to support my comment.

I was simply stating my distaste that a local ingredient- friendly restaurant chooses to serve it.

29 pages you say.....

[Salsaboy]

I like FG so there.

[DulwichFox]

Foie Gras. has never done me any harm..

http://www.partyofsin.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/gluttony.jpg

Amount Per 100 grams Calories 462

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 44 g 67%

Saturated fat 14 g 70%

Polyunsaturated fat 0.8 g

Monounsaturated fat 26 g

Cholesterol 150 mg 50%

Sodium 697 mg 29%

DF.

[jimbo1964]

If nobody orders it they'll soon take it off the menu. It is revolting really.

[Salsaboy]

No worse than calves liver, if you ignore the production method.

[Peckhamrye]

Salsaboy, that comment sooo misses the point - I hope you were being ironic. There are farms where foie gras is produced where the method is far more friendly to the geese - but I know saying that I will be subjected to the EDF wrath....which is always good for a laugh...

[aquarius moon]

http://www.viva.org.uk/what-we-do/foie-gras-free-britain/make-britain-foie-gras-free-sign-petition

http://www.viva.org.uk/what-we-do/foie-gras-free-britain/tell-gordon-ramsay-dump-foie-gras

http://www.viva.org.uk/what-we-do/foie-gras-free-britain/online-cruelty

Everybody against Foie Gras, please sign the petition x

[DulwichFox]

Signed...

Please do the same if you feel strongly about the import and availability of Foie gras to the UK.

Or even if you are even slightly emotive on the subject.

Help stop this Barbaric abuse of animals.

http://user24933.vs.easily.co.uk/campaigns/foiegras/images/Labeyrie2.jpg

Force-fed for a 'delicacy' no one needs

http://user24933.vs.easily.co.uk/campaigns/foiegras/images/Labeyrie5.jpg

Pinned to the floor to make the abuse easier to administer

http://user24933.vs.easily.co.uk/campaigns/foiegras/images/Labeyrie6.jpg

Please don't fail him. Support Viva!'s campaigns for a foie-gras free Britain

DulwichFox