Nature's Operating Instructions

I first heard chef Dan Barber relay this account of natural foie gras at the Slow Food Nation "Come to the Table" conference in San Francisco August 2008. It's a bit long, just over twenty minutes, but the message relayed is astounding. It's actually something I find myself increasing drawn to lately, this notion of "listening to nature's specific operating instructions." As Dan relays in his talk, if we find ways to work with the other sentient creatures we share the planet with, instead of in opposition to them for our own purposes, we often find mutually beneficial solutions. As he concludes his speech, he relays: "The most ecological choice for food is also the most ethical choice for food, whether we're talking about brussels sprouts or foie gras; and it's also almost always the most delicious choice, and that's serendipitous."