NY Post on Trotter and Foie

This might be of interest in light of the recent discussion about the ban on foie gras in California and the Tramonto/Trotter... exchange.

"Word was buzzing at the Food & Wine Best New Chefs party Tuesday night at Skylight Studio about a dinner Trotter hosted with Australian chef Tetsuya Wakuda and England's Heston Blumenthal just two weeks ago. Trotter served three courses featuring foie gras. "

http://www.nypost.com/gossip/pagesix_u.htm

Spotted via chicagoist.com

Well, apparently I am red faced... this was the source...

sorry.

First Joh Kass, then Neil Steinberg, and now - dissed by Page Six? Whoooot! Thanks for posting this, TJS. What the hell was Trotter thinking? I'd wager this is going to be following Chef around for quite a while.

BTW, speaking of posting, just because I think it's funny: I tried to post Caro's startlingly unhinged original interview on Chowhound the other day, and some mod booted it in about ten seconds flat. When I inquired as to the problem, the mod claimed it would "start flame wars." Excuse me? Between whom?!

Well I have to admit the "heated conversation" on this topic at http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=64581 has been really fun to read... not sure I'd call it a flame war though!

I love that Tony Bourdain popped in on the thread and got snarky on Trotter. Meow!:

bourdain Mar 29 2005, 03:50 PM Post #35

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BLIND ITEM:

And...what did a certain supposedly non-foie-serving chef serve multiple courses of to pals Tetsuya Wakuda and Heston Blumenthal recently at his restaurant? A witness sitting nearby claims.... you guessed it!

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abourdain

(But wait! There's more!:)

bourdain Mar 30 2005, 05:02 AM Post #64





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NEWS FLASH:

I can now report with authority that only a short while (within the last few weeks) before sanctimoniously slamming Rick Tramonto, Trotter was serving multiple courses of foie gras with fellow chefs Tetsuya Wakuda and Heston Blumenthal at his restaurant. Apparently--when Charlie says he's against serving foie gras, he means he's against serving it to his regular customers. It means he's against OTHER people serving it.

My source on this is first hand. Meaning one of the two chefs.

Bad enough abandoning his fellow chefs in their time of need (see the Manrique incident). And giving comfort and succor to the enemy. But he is now clearly and indisputably full of shit.

Let Trotter now publicly flop on his belly and fess up. Tramonto was right. He IS a hypocrite.

This post has been edited by bourdain: Mar 30 2005, 10:27 AM


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abourdain


There's a lot more, but you get the idea. Funny, no one mentioned that Trotter also referred to animal rights activists as "...idiots," too. Wonder what got into him that day? Was it all a publicity stunt, as my fellow fresser Troy seems to think? A ratings booster shot for his PBS series, "Charlie Trotter's Kitchen of Despair" - errr, "Kitchen Sessions"?

Hee! I do love an irrational straight guy catfight....

The saga continues with an article posted on the Tribune's site today (free through 4/14 to registered users).

Personally, I'm saddened to see Trotter serving out of cans, even if it is only whup-ass.

Bob S. wrote:...Personally, I'm saddened to see Trotter serving out of cans, even if it is only whup-ass.

Fresh whup-ass does not travel well -- most of the best proprietors use it from cans if only to achieve consistency in quality.

I have a buddy who raised free-range whup-ass, but he's currently on probation.

Following the eGullet thread on this was especially entertaining, especially if you kept up with it and were able to read the posts that were subsequently pulled.

I'll grant Trotter a nod that in allowing the guest chefs to serve whatever they wanted he was demonstrating that he's not attempting to impose his will upon others . . . but then how are those guest chefs not painted with the same "idiot" brush with which he painted Tramanto? However one slices it Trotter doesn't fare well in this.

Bob S. wrote:The saga continues with an article posted on the Tribune's site today (free through 4/14 to registered users).

This link does not show the foie gras poll, which you can vote in if you find the Caro update article through the Trib's search function. The question, "Would you eat foie gras?" is currently running about 65-35 percent against. (The poll doesn't ask why you won't eat it.)

A search on "foie gras" will also turn up this article, which mentions 49th Ward Ald. Joe Moore's proposal to ban the sale and possession of foie gras in Chicago.

If you live in the city and love foie gras, you might want to call your alderman.

LAZ wrote:A search on "foie gras" will also turn up this article, which mentions 49th Ward Ald. Joe Moore's proposal to ban the sale and possession of foie gras in Chicago.

Does it actually ban the possession or just the sale of foie? The article indicates the latter.

I re-read the proposed ordinance, and it's just sale, not possession, sorry.

I must have been thinking of spray paint or something.

I guess we can look forward to the Chicago police mounting those blue flashing cameras on street lights near the North side corners where neighborhood punks pace back and forth muttering "Want gras, got gras..."

Today's (Monday) Trib has somewhat of a follow-on to this issue, leading off with a note about esteemed Alderman Joseph Moore's proposal to ban foie gras from Chicago restaurants.

Halfway through my favorite "ordinance du jour" was "Other edible fowl or livestock should never be spoken to in a sharp manner before slaughter" . . . until I read "Alderman will be held in cages and forcefed proposals that really matter to the people of Chicago". Now there's a proposal I could campaign for.

Hi,

I just heard on the radio there was testimony today at Chicago City Council, likely to a subcommittee, on those opposed to foie gras. The snippet on the radio was a veternarian who went into graphic detail on the bird's plight.

The restaurant association will be granted their opportunity to refute at a later date. Those who are interested in retaining their access to foie gras just might want to attend this future meeting.

From observing city council meetings in my community, its amazing what gets passed when the public does not pay attention and just as amazing what gets passed when they do.

Regards,

From the Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-050913foiegras,1,3038777.story?coll=chi-news-hed (registration required).

The testimony was during a hearing of the Health Committee on a proposed ban on the sale of foie gras in the city.

I think that many of those proposing to ban foie gras are being ridiculous and hypocritical. I promise you that many (if not all) of the alderman supporting this ban are dining daily on chicken, veal and pork products that have been supplied by huge commercial farms that treat their chicken, calves and pigs as poorly, and probably worse, than the geese and ducks used to produce foie gras -- it's just not as widely publicized. And which products are being consumed more -- chicken or foie gras? Certainly chicken. Yet you don't hear about the City proposing to require all restaurants to certify that all of the animal products being served are farm-raised under humane conditions.

After doing research on the subject, I challenged Alderman Moore on this subject (asking if he would propose to similarly ban pork, veal and chicken products where there is evidence of inhumane treatment of the animals) via e-mail (in April) with no response. Perhaps it's just another example of a politician using big, loud words to convince some that he's working. It's one thing to oppose all animal products where there is evidence of inhumane treatment, but the proposal to ban only foie gras is merely window dressing and inconsequential.

By the way, I sent Alderman Moore another e-mail today requesting a response and questioning him on his position with respect to foie gras and his position with respect to chicken, pork and veal products. Anyone think I'll get a response? If I do, I'll be sure to let you know.