The Foie Gras Black Market Has Begun
California outlawed the sale of the French delicacy foie gras—fattened duck or goose liver—in July of 2012, but one Hermosa Beach restaurateur has found a workaround: Give it away for free. NBC LA reports:
According to the restaurant's menu, if a patron buys "THE" Burger, as it's called, they receive a free side of the prohibited organ.
Animal rights group PETA believes that the force-feeding process involved in the production of foie gras is inhumane to the birds and has sued Hot's Kitchen for refusing to respect the law:
"The allegation that you can have foie gras for free is as childish as it is illegal," said Matthew Strugar, with PETA. "The only way you can get foie gras is to purchase an eight-dollar burger."
Reason TV reported on the impending ban in early January 2012 and noted that animal rights groups have long used intimidation tactics, both legal and illegal, to stop restaurants from serving foie gras. Mark Pastore, co-owner of the San Fransciso restaurant Incanto, has seen his restaurant vandalized and has received threats for serving the product.
"I believe that the only way to deal with bullying tactics is to stand up to them," says Pastore.
But now that the activists have the power of the state on their side, standing up to them might prove more tricky.