Natural Foods

Whole Foods has taken a strong position in the natural foods industry.  When they stated they would no longer purchase their duck products from Grimaud Farms due to their relationship with Sonoma Farms, of course Grimaud's ears perked up.  Whole Foods is a huge customer of theirs.  Sonoma Farms is one of a few companies in the U.S. that raises moulard ducks, which produces the delicacy called foie gras.  Grimaud processed the ducks for Sonoma. 

I spoke to Grimaud Farms today and they have cut all ties with Sonoma, and they no longer carry or process any of Sonoma's products.  I believe Grimaud is a good quality company and they treat their animals humanely and provide quality animal husbandry.   Their muscovy ducks are not penned up and although they are housed in a barn, the doors are open so the animals receive fresh air and indirect sunlight.  I realize this is not the ideal, however, pressure from companies such as Whole Foods will continue to improve the quality of care these animals receive. 

More and more chefs around the country are becoming concerned with how animals are being raised.  One chef in particular comes to mind.  He is Chef Sean Cavanaugh from the Vail Marriott in Vail, Colorado.  He requires a background on all of the products he purchases and wants to know how and where the animals were raised and what they were fed.   He is adament about only purchasing products from animals that were free range, antibiotic and hormone free.  He truly cares how the animals lived their lives before arriving to him.  Ducks raised in a barn are not good enough.  He sourced a supplier whose ducks are raised on a pond with a large net covering it.   This allows the ducks to fly, swim and do all of the natural things ducks do in the wild. 

The challenge with raising some natural animals is that the human palate is more familiar with grain fed animals.  They are fattier and more tender most of the time.  Therefore, when some individuals taste a natually fed animal, they perceive it as not as tasty, or it may be a bit tougher.  I equate it to growing up on canned corn.  Perhaps if you were to try the corn on the cob fresh out of the field it wouldn't taste as good because it isn't what you're used to.   

Fine dining or even upscale restaurants sincerely care about your experience at their restaurant.  When you're at a restaurant, (even if you have no interest in ordering the "buffalo"), ask questions about it.  This will facilitate a number of actions.  If the server doesn't know if it was a free range animal or not, he or she will have to find out.  This will result in another person becoming aware of the term 'free range' and more conscious of natural foods.  Second, the question will most likely be posed to the chef if the server doesn't know.  The chef is responsible for the menu planning and purchases and is extremely sensitive to the customers' desires and questions.  This will cause the chef to take note and possibly search for natural foods to put on his menu to accomodate his clientele.   So basically, your questions at a dinner table may aid in the movement of natural foods being offered at more restaurants.  Don't be afraid to ask!  It isn't rude, in fact, it is becoming very acceptable and restaurants are educating their staff so they are prepared for these type of questions.  If anything, you will raise the awareness levels of those you encounter and those in the background who make the decisions.