KenJohn

All my flights on Thai First last year feature both caviar and foie gras courses. On my flight from London Heathrow to Bangkok in Thai First yesterday, there was caviar served but no foie gras course. Is this a change for Thai overall or just on flights from London (I can quiet believe the Heathrow kitchens wanting to be politically correct - Grrr!).

I did think the foie gras course did overload the amount of food served up and the meal was fully satisfying without it. I do my foie gras course though.

New for me was the serving of half a roasted garlic to spread on the bread. Appreciate you need strong flavours at altitudes to taste anything.

BinSabai

Standard is just the Caviar between savouries and starter on long haul flights in F (not on flights to Japan or even shorter like HKG).
Often the starter includes some foie gras (it's actually more often paté foie gras) but that is not a standard

vbroucek

I would not be surprised if SQ was another business that would succumb to all the fuss by people fighting for animal rights... It is currently banned in several European countries as well as in several states in USA... But to be honest, well prepared chicken liver pate can be as good as foie gras without the horrible abuse of ducks and geese... While I am personally not active in any animal rights movements, I applaud my government (Australia) for banning the produce of foie gras locally...

BinSabai

SQ?
foie gras similar as chicken liver paté?
in EU, Thailand and Japan allowed...

vbroucek

Afaik, you mostly don't get "real" foie gras, usually you get p té de foie gras or mousse de foie gras. That's where the reference to chicken liver pate comes from... "Real" foie gras should come from France only and afaik, Thailand banned all French poultry export with outbreak of H5B1 bird flu in 2015/16... Production of foie gras is prohibited in a number of EU countries including: Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Turkey and the UK.

BinSabai

i know the difference between foie gras and paté or mousse de foie gras, which contains just around 50% of foie gras, but still not comparable to chicken paté!
sales are not prohibited in the EU

vbroucek

Chicken pate and chicken liver pate are two different things - obviously, yes it is not foie gras, not pate de foie gras, but I would rather that... And yes, I have eaten all of that many times during years of residence in France.

Last time I checked, UK was still part of EU and afaik, it is illegal to produce or import foie gras in/to UK - so there is at least one EU country where it is fully banned.

CPH-Flyer

Only production is banned in the UK. Import and sale is still legal.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-new...as-uk-10727526

vbroucek

DISLAIMER - I am not an advocate for Greens, nor for PETA and other groups. I am just expressing my own personal feelings..
I am going to withdrew from this discussion... But first, to be honest, I think foie gras is over hyped in the same way as is the caviar (I do not like eating it) as are oysters (I live in the place that produces one of the most expensive oysters) etc.... All are products of inhumane processes, often farming in incredibly filthy environments... Every time I play golf, I see tractors being submerged in oyster fields (think oil and diesel leaking into the water). Yuck! I have grown in country where it was normal to grow rabbits, gees, ducks for food there... Yes, they were in cages, but never force fed by tubes... And I loved eating them... Particularly rabbit meat - it is so lean and healthy...

paolo64

These foods appeal more to people who are on a 'once in a lifetime' trip rather than frequent flyers, equating rarity and expense with good taste. For the same reason they prefer Dom Perignon, a drink ignored by those serious about sparkling. Really it's more about snob appeal and marketing than anything. Paricularly so in respect of caviar and champagne." If it's expensive it must be good" It's quite understandable.

KenJohn

You can speak for yourself !
I do over 100,00 miles in 2017 (top tier OneWorld and StarAlliance) and consider myself a foodie not a snob. I love Dom and can taste the difference. I love foie (which why I started this thread) and regularly order it at restaurants when I dine out on land.

Hey - I fly Thai. I cannot be a snob.

BinSabai

to claim that foie gras, caviar and Dom Perignon are overhyped, overpaid and food for snobs is an oversimplified statement.
where certain people smear the caviar on a garlic bread, gulp down foie gras in a hamburger or quaff off dom as part of a cocktail it might be justified

wheresmybagba

I've never seen a dedicated foie gras course. Normally it is served as part of some dated 70s style starter in TG F...embedded in some vile terrine or similar.

I wouldn't eat it if it was there. I appreciate there is no doubt all sorts of bad situations involved in the meat that I eat...foie gras is next level sadism though...no thanks!

KenJohn

On my return flight from BKK to LHR, there was both caviar and foie gras pate on the menu. I suspect the lack for foie gras ex-LHR is an LHR kitchen thing. I am doing the same LHR-BKK-LHR flights again early next months so now know what to expect.

On the LHR-BKK leg, I was offer a shot of vodka with my caviar course without asking. Only had this happen before when flying CX F. I know you can always ask but it is a nice touch of luxury.

BinSabai

as said, caviar is a separate standard course. most crews put the bottle of Vodka and according glasses on the tray and ask each passenger. with other crews, passenger has to ask
foie gras can be part of the starter but not always