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Fatty Duck

Friday, October 12th, 2007

Foie Gras – I love it.  I avoid it because it is not good for one’s health, but I also rarely see it beyond the door of Mirepoix.  Government regulations inspired by PETA and other food police will soon make it impossible to find in the US.  My research in the past discovered that it was first enjoyed in Egypt where the geese fattened their livers on their own in preparation for migration.  They gorged themselves.  The Egyptians copied the natural process by force-feeding the birds – basically the same technique employed today and the one that has gotten the industry into trouble in the food righteous countries.  Egypt and Madagascar has presented two different foie gras experiences of late.

First, at Saqqara, Egypt in one of the temples, I found reliefs depicting the force-feeding of geese. A series of reliefs depicted all kinds of bounties being presented as offerings to the gods.  Apparently foie gras was recognized as a food worthy of the gods more than 3000 years ago and was part of those offerings.

Second, Madagascar has been influenced greatly by the French.  Last night the menu had a foie gras salad consisting of foie gras, duck confit and country pate on a bed of greens.  Fabulous!  Cheers to the Egyptians, French and Malagasies!  And especially to the ducks!

Posted in Africa, egypt, europe, france, madagascar, Travel | No Comments »

Frankfurt, Germany

Saturday, June 10th, 2006

Trying to catch up… Headed to the Jo’Burg airport in a few minutes to go to Zanzibar, Tanzania, but I have a few thoughts on Frankfurt.  Last weekend the city was decked out for the World Cup.  A large ceremony was set up on the river banks presumably for that evening.  I found the city to be much nicer than I expected (generally, I am not a big fan of large European cities).  I walked around the old section and the shopping district.  The weather was overcast and drizzly – what else would one expect in Northern Europe.  I did the chocolate scene eating ice cream, cake and coffee and chocolates followed by some bratwurst and beer.  OK, not a well-balanced meal day, but my clock was all screwed up.  Found the street-side cafes to be very nice.  The shopping was very high-end.  The highlights being a watch store where Cartier and Rolex were very low-end and The Mercedes Spot where folks eat inside the showroom.  The most expensive watch in the store window only went for 96,000 Euros and I didn’t see much gold or diamonds if any on it.  Hundreds of Swiss watches with names I have never heard for more than 10,000 Euros.  I thought a $15,000 Rolex is extremely ridiculous!  The Mercedes cars being shown all looked fairly normal to me except they had price tags between 75,000 and 150,000 Euros.  I only make note of these outrageous items because of the comparison between the Haves in the north and the Have-Nots that I have seen already in Africa.  With all the smiling faces I saw in Mozambique (more later), I wonder if all the wealth that we are accustomed to (actaully, I’m not sure I know anyone accustomed to $150,000 watches) has made us just as happy and easy-going.  Wil I trade in my former and future life to be a Have-Not?  No.  But I will continue to report back about the amount of spirit in the folks that we may think of as “the poor chaps”.  Considering I am on a totally HAVE trip to Africa, I will do my best to try to see beyond my wealthy prism.  I look very much forward now to my three weeks working with the Ugandans to get a more accurate picture on things.  I am already learning a lot about the situation in South Africa as well as other African countries and I can only say now that is very complicated.  Much more so than I think we understand in our comfortable digs.  As the saying goes, don’t believe everything you read (including what is reported by me!).  Off to the Jo’Burg airport in a few minutes for Zanzibar – the island of sultans and spices.

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