Comments on Gastronomy Domine: Au Pied de Cochon, Montreal

Very good tag line Liz. I have read the article s...

2009-06-16T17:11:09.527+01:00

Very good tag line Liz.

I have read the article so in the interests of both of us looking at both sides why not reciprocate & view some videos of intensive Foie Gras production as it happens at some farms - at the link "www.banfoiegras.org.uk".

Please check it out Liz & then we are both better informed of the facts & both sides of the coin - I'm not suggesting all Foie Gras is produced in this way but a large proportion is - I would be interested in your comments once you have viewed the videos.

It is an interesting article & I agree with some of its comments, particularly that there are many many other terrible things that go on in the world & why focus on Foie Gras which affects, in world terms, a small number of animals - but from my own perspective, Foie Gras is just one of many aspects of intensive animal food production I find abhorrent, such as intensive chicken farming.

There are so many areas of world food production where animals suffer terrible & unnecessary cruelty in order to put food on the plates of people, a reasonably high percentage of whom are entirely ignorant of what it took to get that food on their plate.

I believe that people need to be made aware of how their food was produced so they can make a principled decision based on the facts - many parts of the food industry rely on the ignorance of consumers for their profits.

I think a high percentage of people's eating habits would change forever if they were better informed as to the level of suffering involved for some food to reach their plates.

Where the article is wrong is in suggesting that because Foie Gras is only a tiny part of food production in the US it shouldn't be focused on - but its the principle that is key, not the numbers involved.

Please let me know your comments once you have viewed the videos.

Read it and eat.

2009-06-16T10:52:55.499+01:00

Read it and eat.

Funny how you've removed my final comment Liz foll...

2009-06-16T01:22:45.449+01:00

Funny how you've removed my final comment Liz following your assertion that I'm not here for an informed debate - the actions of someone who has lost the debate if you dont mind me saying !
So I'll repeat it & no doubt you'll remove it again because you dont have a response.
You are as wrong as you could possibly be - I am only making these comments because I WANT an informed debate, both with yourself & people who visit your site.
You're correct that some Foie Gras (such as some elevages in France) is produced in a more welfare-friendly manner - HOWEVER, if you were better informed you would know that 85% or more of Foie Gras is still produced in a hideously cruel way (whereby pipes to force-feed Ducks & Geese are sometimes forced down their necks so violently that they pierce the neck, leaving the poor creature to die in agony).
I appreciate that you try to ensure you use Foie Gras from responsible producers & if you made this point in your posts & actively encouraged people to do the same then I wouldn't have an issue with your site.
BUT, you dont - you dont mention the animal welfare position at all re Foie Gras which I believe is entirely irresponsible - by your posts you are actively encouraging people to buy Foie Gras & a majority of them will buy it from wherever they can & will not be aware how cruelly it has been produced, or will not be aware it can be sourced more ethically - as such you are helping to perpetuate the cruelty.
I defy anyone, except those with zero compassion, to watch some videos of intensive Foie Gras production & still buy it without a care for how it has been produced.

As a matter of fact, Gavin, it's not a given that ...

2008-12-31T16:15:00.000Z

As a matter of fact, Gavin, it's not a given that foie gras is always raised cruelly; I've visited elevages in France and have seen gavage for myself (which you'll be aware of if you've read my other posts on the subject), and, like Picard and plenty of other chefs, I try to ensure I only eat and cook with a product whose origins I'm happy with. I'm leaving your messages up, but I'm not going to carry on talking to you about this beyond this post, because I don't believe you're here for an informed debate.

Oh Liz I am so sorry that by daring to mention the...

2008-12-31T01:11:00.000Z

Oh Liz I am so sorry that by daring to mention the horrendous cruelty to the Geese & Ducks involved in the production of Foie Gras I have brought an end to the conversation - actually caring about cruelty to animals can be such a conversation stopper, much better just to pretend it doesn't happen & carry on isn't it ?!

...and conversation dies. Well done, Gavin.

2008-12-20T22:17:00.000Z

...and conversation dies. Well done, Gavin.

I am absolutely gobsmacked by Liz's blogs about Fo...

2008-12-02T22:19:00.000Z

I am absolutely gobsmacked by Liz's blogs about Foie Gras, various people's comments & the apparent total lack of care or appreciation for the animal welfare issue in relation to Foie Gras.
There is a reason why the production of Foie Gras has been banned in the UK & 15 other countries - it is unspeakably cruel & inhumane to the poor ducks & geese who live short, miserable, painful lives.
I have seen many truly heartbreaking images & videos of horribly injured & dead or dying geese & ducks in Foie Gras "farms" (in France as well as China).
Come on people, we all love food but as a civilised & compassionate society the welfare of animals bred for food must come before our greed.
For anyone who thinks its fine to eat Foie Gras, Google it & visit a few websites showing images of how it is produced & see if you still think its ok.

I'm amazed at how many commenters have been to APD...

2008-10-07T19:31:00.000+01:00

I'm amazed at how many commenters have been to APDC - it probably explains why it's so hard to get a table. And ModerneMama - I have just seen your duck in a can picture, and I'm *cursing* (loudly) about the fact that it's probably going be a very long time until I can get back to Montreal.

I LOVE Pied de Cochon!! I can't afford to go ofte...

2008-10-06T19:13:00.000+01:00

I LOVE Pied de Cochon!! I can't afford to go often, but is it ever worth it once in a while. And you're right, plan for a leisurely dinner finished with a glass of Port to help things settle....

we were there on the 21st, we ate (some of ) the s...

2008-10-05T12:19:00.000+01:00

we were there on the 21st, we ate (some of ) the same things, we have english accents. people are wondering if we are you. Bizarre coincidence.

Just found your blog by searching for this restaur...

2008-09-27T18:13:00.000+01:00

Just found your blog by searching for this restaurant. we're hoping to eat there in a few weeks and this write-up (excellently written!) has sealed the deal for me. i can taste the foie gras melting in my mouth now.

Frequent applications of lard and a daily jug of o...

2008-09-26T23:50:00.000+01:00

Frequent applications of lard and a daily jug of olive oil should get you in just the right shape, Jessamyn. Actually, I understand that Ukraine is just the spot to visit if you want to prepare for this sort of thing (apologies to my buddy Julia, who is from Ukraine, cooks like an angel and is as thin as a rake - to every rule there must be an exception).

Oh, good lord. That all looks amazing, and you wou...

2008-09-26T23:43:00.000+01:00

Oh, good lord. That all looks amazing, and you would have had to carry me out of there. We're hoping to go to Montreal next year - maybe I should start a training regimen of eating pork fat?

Glad you enjoyed eating in Montréal! I always lov...

2008-09-26T17:17:00.000+01:00

Glad you enjoyed eating in Montréal! I always love when travellers discover it.

That would be great liz!The Mapo Dofu that I had i...

2008-09-26T09:39:00.000+01:00

That would be great liz!

The Mapo Dofu that I had in Chengdu (at the mother's house, no less, or at least I'm sure they said that!) had visible whole lumps, more like http://goodfood-goodmood.blogspot.com/2008/02/xiao-xuan-feng_28.html

And I'm serious about those pig girls! Gah, matchmakers these days.

Hi Heather! As you can probably tell from the abov...

2008-09-26T03:12:00.000+01:00

Hi Heather! As you can probably tell from the above, hearty recommend. Don't get a starter. ;)

This restaurant is on my list for the next time we...

2008-09-26T01:29:00.000+01:00

This restaurant is on my list for the next time we're there! I can't believe we've never been! Looks positively divine!

Oops - wrote that before I saw the tofu question. ...

2008-09-25T23:15:00.000+01:00

Oops - wrote that before I saw the tofu question. Silken tofu does indeed fall apart when cooked - which is rather nice if you're making Ma-Po Tofu or similar, but not otherwise. You can buy a firmer variety, and also some dried kinds which require rehydrating and have a slightly spongy texture. I shall accompany you to the Chinese supermarket on Mill Road some time and point you at the right sort. (And I *really* ought to do a Ma-Po Tofu recipe at some point - gorgeous stuff.)

Francis! Long time no see and all that - I must gi...

2008-09-25T23:10:00.000+01:00

Francis! Long time no see and all that - I must give you a shout when we're back.

Quite right about the serving staff - all the ladies, in particular, were oddly attractive and inexplicably shapely, given the daily temptations laid out before them. I suppose toting all those very, very heavy plates all evening makes for some fearsome exercise.

PS I actually came here at Helen's suggestion to a...

2008-09-25T22:55:00.000+01:00

PS I actually came here at Helen's suggestion to ask you a question.

How can I cook soya so it stays in solid lumps? I have memories / visions of Chinese style dishes with chunks of whole tofu in it.

Whenever I've tried I've bought something like Blue Dragon Tofu (firm only, on more recent occasions!) http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/363546_Blue_Dragon_Tofu__Firm_Silken_Style__349g.html

Then I try frying it in a reasonable amount of oil, hot or cold, for ages or not very long. Whatever I do it breaks up into tiny fragments, like kind of soya breadcrumbs.

Which is OK, but it then becomes more like a protein supplement to the rest of the dish, rather than a textured part of it.

Anyway, Helen thinks you may have suggestions :)

Yum!Due to an amazing coincidence of space and tim...

2008-09-25T22:52:00.000+01:00

Yum!

Due to an amazing coincidence of space and time, I went to Au Pied de Cochon two years ago when I was in Montreal for a few days.

I was on my own, and sat at the bar, which was excellent. Mainly because the female staff (I won't insult them with the mere epithet "waitress") were gorgeous and friendly. The bustling atmosphere, and happiness of it all, combined with kindliness, made dining alone there most pleasant.

I had a black pudding pie. It was delicious, but I could only eat half of it. This being North America, the remains were nicely packaged up for me, and it made a fantastic brunch on the train the next day.

I must have had a pudding as well, but can't remember what it was. Must have been awesome!

Au Pied de Cochon is the canonical example of what is excellent about Canada in general - European quality food, with American size portions.

If you go back on Friday, ask any of the waitresses if they'll marry me!

Definitely insulating kind of food!I felt full jus...

2008-09-25T22:02:00.000+01:00

Definitely insulating kind of food!

I felt full just reading it. Are you hungry again yet?

Remarkably, most of the people in there looked - y...

2008-09-25T20:30:00.000+01:00

Remarkably, most of the people in there looked - you know - normal. (Apart from one very large gentleman who looked as if he had just swallowed one of the tables.) It's quite beyond me - perhaps the cold winters do something odd to the metabolism.

My arteries are furring up just looking at those p...

2008-09-25T20:24:00.000+01:00

My arteries are furring up just looking at those photographs.

I love my fat, but that looks like definite Mr Creosote material. I take it you weren't surrounded by ladies who lunch on half a salad leaf and a bottle of Perrier.