Food: May 2008 Archives

While organizers of the Madison Brat Fest, the world's largest, were hoping to break the record for the most bratwursts consumed over the Memorial Day weekend, there they were, the food police, handing out tofu and turkey brats. That is so wrong, especially in Wisconsin.

Can you see somebody ordering a tofu bratwurst at Miller Field, and asking for that special sauce? Milwaukee cops would on 'em faster than they'd jump an over-served Cubs fan. Imagine walking into Usinger's in Milwaukee and asking for a tofu brat. Hrumph!

In Mad City, they certainly like their bratwursts. Last year, 189,433 of the tasty sausages supplied by the folks at the Johnsville brand, were downed. This year, they were hoping to pass the 200,000 mark, which would break the 2004 record by about 10,000 brats.

Yum!

But back to the veggie brats. According to The Associated Press, organizers of the counter Veggie Brat Fest, said their product is healthier and more humane. They should join the anti-foie gras brigade and the rest of the patrolmen and women in the food police.

By the way, they gave out 600 veggie brats. Guess that showed 'em.

They don't make foie gras kibble, so The Hound has never had the chance to taste what many consider to be a delicacy. But after a two-year ban on the rich livers made by stuffing feed down the throat of geese and ducks, Chicagoans are free at last to dine on foie gras.

The Chicago City Council, with more than a little prodding from Mayor Richard M. Daley, voted overwhelmingly the other day to ignore the bleatings from the increasingly powerful animal rights lobby and Ald. Joe "Foie Gras" Moore (as hizzoner dubbed the alderman) to allow restaurants to once again serve the dish.

The Hound understands it just wasn't a foie gras-free zone down in the big city. Enforcement of the law was done with a wink and a nod. Like speakeasies of old, those in the know knew the passwords to tony eateries to get their lips around foie gras, French for "fat liver", at between $20 and $25 a pop for a serving about the size of a pack of cigarettes.

The Hound, who has known to chase a few Canada geese at retention ponds around area office parks, always felt If people want to eat goosey foods or they want to eat something they like, they should have the option. Whether it be a fowl's pumped up internal organ or french fries plump with trans fats, it should be the diner's choice. At least in free countries.

The Hound also understands animal rights activists who consider foie gras a cruel dish because geese and ducks are force-fed to make their livers bigger. The Hound wouldn't want to be force-fed. Who wants their livers to be bigger?

So, a Grey Goose toast to Chicago aldermen who finally saw the light and decided, if the 2016 Olympics are headed this way, that foie gras has to be on the menu. After all, the French no doubt will be sending a contingent of Olympians to the Windy City.

The Hound has noticed a lot of those "recyclable" bags at area food and retail stores. But here's the question that has been bothering The Hound: Is it OK to take a Jewel bag into, say, Dominick's or a Wal-Mart bag into Target?

The Hound has heard of one Dominick's where a manager gave a customer two free bags (theirs are black) rather than seeing her use Jewel bags (dark green).

So, what is the etiquette here? Is it OK to use any bag you have because they are environmentally sound (or so we are told)? Or do your bags have to be store-specific?

Life is just full of questions, right? Next week The Hound will tackle organic foods. Then again, maybe not.