Heston Blumenthal has finally heard about foie gras? Where has he been?

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/dec/15/heston-blumenthal-foie-gras

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What strange news last week that Heston Blumenthal has dropped his French supplier of foie gras because he’s discovered it is produced in “horrific conditions”. How did he not know already? Doesn’t he read the papers? Hasn’t he heard that making foie gras is grisly for ducks and geese, whatever the conditions? People have been droning on about it for years. Wake up, Heston. That’s why it’s banned at Wimbledon, the RSC and Selfridges. Has been for years.

Back in 2011, a supplier of Heston’s, celebrity butcher Jack O’Shea, was bundled out of Selfridges for selling foie gras under the counter, to customers who knew the secret code. They would ask for “French fillet” and naughty Jack would slip them some.

But who cares, as long as we can eat whatever complicated, poncey-dick food we fancy? Like Jack O’Shea’s beef “fed on a special diet of grass, whiskey-brewers’ grain and oats formulated by a top animal nutritionist”. Or live langoustine twitching in your mouth, or cod’s throat cooked over wood.

“Do you honestly thinks anyone cares?” says Fielding, who has given up the fight. “It’s so far down the list. You’re so idealistic.”

No, I’m not. I don’t want the guillotine back. I’m a reasonable person. I just want everything to be a tiny bit more fair. I know it’s corny, but we have thousands of people here flocking to food banks and on the edge of destitution, and others so picky, wealthy and jaded that if you gave them a plain chop or a baked potato they’d faint with ennui. Bad enough that they need their food specially sourced, massaged, nourished, stuffed, plied with alcohol, smoked over grape-vine trimmings, prepared by snobby, fusspot chefs and served by staff whose behaviour has to be impeccable, but must they have a bit of torture as well?

“Never mind Selfridges,” says Rosemary. “They’re selling it down the road in one of those posh independent shops. The neighbours are furious with the protesters.” Why? “They can’t get their buggies along the pavement. Sod the geese.”

I give up. Nearly.