Why should a duck symbolise Melbourne or Australia?
You may be wondering this if you caught the opening of the Commonwealth Games on TV. And Michael Leunig didn’t divulge what he knows.
The truth is that Australia is secretly the largest producer of some of the best duck foie gras you’ll find in the southern hemisphere or Asia/Pacific.
Titter ye not.
This is a fast growing industry which is hidden from the world because the RSPCA says it will prosecute the FG farmers it finds.
Well actually there is another reason too. Neil Perry last year told me that the post 9/11 security crack down had stopped chefs smuggling the fresh stuff in from France or the US. There was a demand and somebody filled it. And I’m told there are other producers no more than a few hours outside Sydney.
Driven underground, this business is run by the kind of diamond geezers you’d expect to be pushing your top grade class ‘A’ narcotic.
I have to be circumspect here for fear of not only losing my supplier but being kneecapped by her.
Drive north up the Hume Highway, past the tree that looks like a chicken for perhaps 30 minutes, turn right towards (I’m not telling you) and find the hidden valley.
The honking will warn you that the flock is near.
Or perhaps you could meet at a petrol station this side of the Westgate Bridge on a dark Friday evening.
I just may divulge the details to regular readers. Or perhaps not.
Remember you won’t read about this in the newspapers.
Where’s that D’quem?
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
okay, you HAVE to email me the address Ed!!!
the duck thing was completely lost on me (and most others too i imagine) but i did like the tram. Have you seen Myer windows? Check out my most recent post.
Yeah, I liked the tram and the iris with the glowing globes. i thought the footballers looked very uncomfortable walking down the Yarra, like their shorts were chaffing or something. i did see the post… I’ve been lurking rather than commenting but will put this right.
I’m up for it too Ed, is there some kind of secret handshake or forelock tugging required? Does she sell the magrets as well? Haven’t got D’quem, but there is something else nice squirreled away in the cellar.
that’s d’Yquem right? Not d’quem. You should share the details with me just for that!
I’ll want that address next time I’m in the area. Last trip to France we stayed with people in the South West, who made their own foie gras from locally purchased livers – it was the best I’ve had. Do you know Air New Zealand recently removed Foie Gras from it’s Business Class menu because of ONE complaint.
Hey Hans, you’re not the first to notice my terrible spelling, especially late evening after a glass or two when my brain moves faster than my fingers.
Guys, I know you’d love the details but it seems I’ve seriously pissed-off these “diamond geezers” and I could be losing my own supply and be forced to slum it with ortolan. BTW I should confess that I don’t really have any d’Yquem but a rather nasty bottle of something sweet I misguidedly picked-up somewhere near Orange and should really be laid down and avoided.
I understand, really I do,*sob*.
Can you please tell me where there foie gras producers near Sydney are? I just came back from Christmas with family in France, and ate the most amazing home made fois gras made by the owner of a pub in Mirecourt in the North East. Am wanting to find some here!
Gabrielle, I’m afraid you just can’t get decent FG in Australia. You can get tins and pasteurized but it just dosn’t match the fresh.
That is a massive shame. I guess I will have to return to France to eat it then. Australia has failed in that department.