Food for Thought

In a recent post in the Wall Street Journal, Katherine Hobson talks about a study that suggests the more we think about our food cravings, the less we want them.

Ya…I don’t buy that.

When I crave something, say, chocolate, and I start to think about how it melts in my mouth and I can taste its sweetness. Then I start to think about other foods I like that is sweet, like frozen yogurt. Then, I begin to think about the topping I’d put on my fro-yo, which is usually something crunchy, like granola. Granola is my soymilk’s best friend. What else do I like with soymilk? How about a chocolate chip scone! Hmm…chocolate…

Well, now you see where this is going.

Somehow I just find it hard to believe that thinking about food makes the craving go away, because the more I think about food, the more I want to eat. And then usually the only way to curb the craving is by giving into the food’s calling.

So now that writing this blog has gotten me thinking about food, I'll be in the kitchen. 

Fast-Food – Chic en France

Mona Lisa in the Louvre, Louis Vuitton on Avenue des Champs-Elysées, and Monet’s Garden at Giverny – now you can add one more spécialité française to the list:

foie gras in fast-food restaurants.

The Belgian fast-food chain, Quick, will offer foie gras burgers to its customers in France between December 17 – 19. Customers will be able to purchase the burgers for €5 each only during these three days – if they can get past the herds of animal rights activists protestors.

Foie gras has long been criticized for the cruel treatment of the ducks and the geese in production of the delicacy.  It is already banned in 15 countries. Although the US is not one of them, the force-feeding of ducks and geese to make foie gras will be banned in California starting 2012. On November 16^th, animal right activists gathered outside the Providence restaurant in LA where a fundraising dinner that served a menu with foie gras was held.

But foie gras has been part of the French cuisine and culture for many, many years and should be respected. We don’t see any French protestors raging against the caged chickens and hormone injected cows here in Fast Food Nation. If it bothers you, don’t eat it, but don’t ruin other people’s appetites.

So I say – let them eat, or, laissez-les manger!