Everyone has a bucket list, be it experiences, places to visit or food to eat. And for my latter, there was always one item on it that I had longed to eat. And when my wife and I decided to go and visit Paris for our 10th wedding anniversary recently, I thought that would be the perfect time to tick this item off my list.
The food in question was Foie Gras, and we went to a restaurant heavily featured in the hit Netfli x show Emily in Paris to try it. But little did I know how the French delicacy comprised of duck or goose liver was made and that it was banned in the UK.
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(Image: Supplied)
To clarify, I knew it was difficult to find here, but not outright banned – nor did I know how it was made. All I knew was that top chefs worldwide rave about it, and it was something I always wanted to get my hands on.
And I did – and I can see why food experts rave over it, because it’s creamy, meaty and salty flavour profile when paired with crunchy bread and fruit chutney is something to behold. The team at Chez Julian did the product justice – but then I got back to our hotel and began to Google why it’s banned and how it’s made…and now I regret my food life choices.
The UK ban is purely production based, and it can still be imported at costly prices, and has been in effect since 2007.
(Image: Supplied)
The official government stance, which explains why it’s banned in horrifying detail, stated last year: “The Government has made clear that the production of force-fed Foie Gras raises serious welfare concerns. Building on the opportunities presented by our departure from the EU, we are now considering any further steps that could be taken in relation to Foie Gras that is produced overseas using force feeding practices.”
In short, there are horrifying videos of geese being force fed grain and other items video long tubes shoved down their long necks. One look at these videos will send shivers down your spine and immediately make you regret eating it.
The previous Conservative government was calling for evidence to try and inform a potential move to ban Foie Gras from the UK altogether, but that has gone quiet since Labour took charge.
France, you can keep your delicacy until you find a way of producing it in a more humane manner.
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