Food Nazis Strike

As reported in the Chicago Tribune this AM, the foie gras ban law in Chicago was actually enforced:

Chicago's first foie gras bust went down Friday morning at a hot dog joint on the North Side, just as Doug Sohn was about to open for the day.

It could hardly have come as a shock.

Sohn, the owner of Hot Doug's, had been itching for a fight since the City Council overrode the angry veto of Mayor Richard "It's the silliest law ever" Daley. The ordinance took effect Aug. 22.

Sohn was issued a warning several months ago, but he stood his ground. He continued to serve his foie gras-laced hot dogs at his restaurant in the 3300 block of North California Avenue, advertising their ingredients on his Web site and on a board hung boldly near his front door. "I was poking the grizzly bear, and it snapped my head off," Sohn said Friday.

He was slapped with a citation, and his foie gras was sealed as evidence by a Health Department inspector. Sohn faces a fine of $250 to $500 at his March 29 date with a hearing officer, who could set the amount at the higher end if he or she senses a disregard for the law.

On Friday afternoon, Sohn seemed to be considering whether to fight on. He took the duck-liver dogs off the menu and got ready to go on vacation. If anyone wants to reach him, he'll be considering his options over a plate of foie gras in France, where they are surely shaking their heads.

We'll be looking for similar busts in New York (and other locales nation-wide) over the recent trans fat ban.

-Wes