CHICAGO -- Forget about skyrocketing gas prices, soaring property tax assessments and corruption that has federal investigators crawling all over City Hall. Aldermen have a more pressing concern: foie gras.

Chicago restaurants can no longer sell the pricey liver delicacy that most Chicagoans can’t afford, have never tasted and probably never will, under an ordinance unanimously approved at Wednesday’s City Council meeting over Mayor Richard M. Daley’s derisive objections.

“We have children getting killed by gang leaders and dope dealers. We have real issues here in this city. And we’re dealing with foie gras? Let’s get some priorities. Our priorities should be children, the quality of education. It should be seniors. We should worry about the gas price. We should worry about the global economy,” Daley said.



“I think we have four restaurants that serve foie gras. ... Someone talks about foie gras this week. What’s next week? What’s on your menu. ... You tell me what’s next week? We’re gonna decide what you should eat and what you should do? ... France is very proud of it, right? Maybe next they’ll start out wanting to [ban] French fries because of the name ‘French fries’ and maybe someone doesn’t like France," the mayor said.

Alderman Joe Moore (49th Ward) made no apologies for championing the foie gras ban. He contends the Council can walk and chew gum at the same time.

"It's not going to cost the taxpayers a single nickel. It’s not taking away any funds from any other city services or human service programs. It’s simply outlawing the product of a cruel and inhumane practice. That’s all it does,” Moore said.

"Simply because there are other inhumane acts that occur against human beings and there are a lot of problems we need to deal with doesn’t mean that we can’t take a short moment out of the day and forbid the sale of a product ... that’s not going to effect anybody. It’s not required for human sustenance," Moore said.

Veterinarians and animal rights activists have described in graphic detail how geese and ducks suffer while being force-fed to create the enlarged liver delicacy. They’ve made comparisons to the mistreatment of prisoners at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison.

In banning the appetizer, Chicago joins the state of California and a host of countries that have approved similar crackdowns. They include: the United Kingdom, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic and Israel.

Famed Chicago chef Charlie Trotter has already stopped serving foie gras, and more than 100 other Illinois restaurants have signed similar pledges.

Moore estimated that "not more than a dozen" local restaurants still serve the controversial appetizer.

Copyright 2006, Chicago Sun-Times Inc.