WAV Comment – Everyone will have their own opinion whether COP26 was a success or more of a failure. It is not for us to tell others; here below we supply a few links which you can review and then, given the info, decide for yourselves.
There are potentially positives; but have we not heard the issue of funding suffering nations from meetings in the past, and which have never been fulfilled ?
One thing is for sure, the world is in a crisis; and until world governments who really can make a difference for those who only suffer as a result of their actions, or inactions, we will continue to remain in crisis. The clock is ticking, and is very near to midnight.
So, please read the info in the attached links and hopefully at least get a better overall picture of both the pros and the cons.
We are used to slow-moving traffic from our cow fraction, but today there was a complete traffic jam.
Of course we immediately dispatched the general supervision (Pippilotta), but unfortunately even this highly qualified expert could not find any reason for the blockage.
It is probably a closed protest of the herd, Chaya is presumably dictating her demands to Omic.
But we are deeply relaxed, it can only be a matter of little things like new times for the straw bale service, faster maintenance intervals for the cow cleaning machines or an immediate increase in the daily apple quota.
So nothing that cannot be eliminated easily. We even think it’s nice when something like this is mooed openly, because that’s the only way we can keep improving.
THE MAJOR travel company, Expedia has announced it will no longer sell holidays that include tickets to controversial whale and dolphin shows.
The Prime Minister’s wifeCarrie Johnson has been a leading voice in the campaign against the shows.
Captive whale and dolphin shows have been popular tourist draws in the past but they have attracted criticism in recent years due to allegations of cruelty.
Expedia said it would no longer sell tickets to the controversial shows.
In a statement the Expedia Group said: “We recently adjusted our animal welfare policy.
“As a result, attractions and activities that involve performances by or interactions with dolphins and other cetaceans will no longer be available on our sites.”
A spokesperson told the Mail on Sunday that Expedia would still sell tickets but only on one condition. “Seaside sanctuaries that provide captive animals with a permanent seaside living environment are allowed if they are accredited and do not feature interactions or performances,” they said.
The sanctuaries will have to be accredited and not involve any performances or interactions with staff.
Carrie Johnson, animal rights campaigner and the Prime Minister’s wife, has spoken out against the tourism practice.
The animal rights group PETA, praised the move by Expedia Group, saying: “PETA congratulates Expedia for officially rejecting cruel ‘swim with dolphins’ encounters and SeaWorld prisons.
WAV Comment: Well done Daniel for your actions over plant based. Yes, for sure, it is the way forward in future – you have the means to see this and believe in your actions; you have our full support.
In May, the Swiss cook transformed the menu at Eleven Madison Park, his three Michelin star establishment in Manhattan, scrapping its renowned meat dishes such as glazed duck for an entirely vegan offering, a move that raised eyebrows in the industry.
Critics are just critics; we are all critics in our own right; so what makes them know better than you ?
You have a vision, so stick with it. It is the right vision for sure.
Mark.
Top chef quits Claridge’s as hotel rejects his vegan vision
Claridge’s three Michelin star chef Daniel Humm has dramatically parted ways with the Mayfair hotel in a row over his attempt to give the restaurant a vegan makeover.
Talks were under way to overhaul the establishment’s menu, famed for its foie gras, roasted venison and dry-aged duck, after the 45-year-old axed meat from his “world-best” New York restaurant to make it fully vegan.
Claridge’s told The Telegraph on Friday that its culinary offering was under review, “including the possible introduction of a fully plant-based menu”.
But on Friday night the row came to a head as Mr Humm confirmed he was leaving the hotel after just two years, insisting that “the future for me is plant-based”.
A spokesman for Claridge’s said: “We completely respect and understand the culinary direction of a fully plant-based menu that Daniel has decided to embrace and champion and now wants to introduce in London.
“However, this is not the path we wish to follow here at Claridge’s at the moment and therefore, regretfully, we have mutually agreed to go our separate ways.”
In May, the Swiss cook transformed the menu at Eleven Madison Park, his three Michelin star establishment in Manhattan, scrapping its renowned meat dishes such as glazed duck for an entirely vegan offering, a move that raised eyebrows in the industry.
New fine-dining plates included cucumber with melon and smoked daikon, and sunflower butter with bread rolls.
Despite a scathing review from the New York Times’ acclaimed food critic, Pete Wells, Mr Humm justified the decision by stressing that “the current food system is simply not sustainable, in so many ways” and insisted “we need to inspire change”.
A similar vision was being pursued at Claridge’s, prompting concern that its two centuries of culinary tradition, including foie gras torchon, butter-poached native lobster and roasted venison, would be ditched for climate-friendly vegetables with a lower carbon footprint.
Mr Humm said on Friday night it was “with sadness” that in December he would leave Davies and Brook, which has gained one Michelin star, adding: “The future for me is plant-based. This is our mission and what we stand by as a company, and at this time this is not the direction that Claridge’s feels is right for them.”
‘Maybe he should bring back the celery root steamed in a pig bladder’
He said it was a “dream come true” to join the hotel in 2019 and praised the “beautiful restaurant with a dedicated and passionate team”. Claridge’s thanked him for his efforts and promised an update on its future plans in due course.
Mr Humm, a leading voice in the charge to make the food industry more eco friendly, visited the Cop26 environmental summit in Glasgow this week and expressed his wish to “make plant-based food delicious, magical and luxurious”.
After the vegan overhaul to his 12-course New York restaurant drew criticism, Pete Wells wrote in the New York Times: “Almost none of the main ingredients taste quite like themselves in the 10-course, $335 menu the restaurant unwrapped this June after a 15-month pandemic hiatus.
“Some are so obviously standing in for meat or fish that you almost feel sorry for them.”
The critic remarked that Mr Humm achieved “purer, deeper results out of vegetables before the restaurant went vegan” and suggested that “maybe he should bring back the celery root steamed in a pig bladder”.
William Sitwell, The Telegraph’s restaurant critic, suggested that a high-end vegan Claridge’s restaurant could be a “clever idea” without the costs of buying in protein. “That restaurant has driven away classic Claridge’s customers very successfully already and this cements that view,” he said.
While veganism was not for Claridge’s appetite, Alex Gauthier, the Michelin-star French chef, responded to protests at the doors of Gauthier, his Soho brasserie, over the force-feeding process to produce foie gras by turning his restaurant vegan.
Now he cooks a version made of lentils, walnuts and cognac.
Regards Mark
Photos – the Teklegraph
Comment – thanks Stacey:
Imagine being pissed off and indignant because a chef refused to prepare food requiring violence and suffering.
People are disgusting.
I hope Mr. Humm becomes widely, incredibly successful and famous.
Alexis Gauthier says he has emulated the buttery taste of the original in his ‘faux gras’ recipe. Photograph: Gauthier
UK government asks chefs for vegan recipes to replace foie gras
Restaurateurs invited to discuss plant-based ‘faux gras’ ahead of expected ban on liver-based spread
It is prized for its rich flavour and exclusive image by top restaurants and gourmands, but now foie gras is going vegan as the government meets chefs to discuss how to make alternatives out of nuts and mushrooms.
Vegan restaurateurs have been invited to meet UK government advisers to discuss how to create plant-based “faux gras” in the event of an upcoming ban, the Guardian has learned. Sources said the government hoped to show that a gap in the market left by a restriction on the trade of the controversial product could be filled by high-end chefs who are willing to produce alternatives.
MPs have vowed to ban trade in foie gras, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is consulting on legislation to outlaw the sale and import of the liver-based spread.
Foie gras production is illegal in the UK on animal cruelty grounds, as the ducks and geese whose livers are harvested are force-fed to make it. However, top restaurants still import and sell from countries such as France.
The force-feeding process is known as gavage, where grain is poured into a funnel or tube that has been thrust down the bird’s neck. After two weeks, the liver has swollen to many times its normal size.
Photo – WAV Archive
The French chef Alexis Gauthier, who runs fine-dining restaurant Gauthier Soho and plant-based restaurant 123V in Bond Street, both in London, decided to stop serving foie gras in his establishments after activists from Peta demonstrated outside and he read up on the meat and dairy trade.
He now serves a faux gras at his Soho venue made of mushrooms, lentils, walnuts and cognac, and says the concoction has emulated the buttery taste sought after by foie gras fans. Since this year, all the food served at his restaurants is plant-based.
The government has asked him for his recipe and invited him for talks with policy advisers to see if a gap in the market caused by a ban could be filled by his creation.
An email to vegan chefs, seen by the Guardian, says: “I understand your restaurant serves an alternative to foie gras. We would appreciate the chance to arrange a virtual meeting with the chef or someone else from the team to discuss a few questions in this area. These would be questions about your views on foie gras and the challenges and opportunities associated with ‘ethical’ alternatives.”
Gauthier says foie gras was once a bestselling item on his menu and that he used to sell 20kg of it a week, but claims people are now travelling from around the country to try his faux gras. He said it took patience and precision to emulate the texture, appearance and depth of the delicacy in a vegan version.
Many luxury shops and restaurants are turning their back on foie gras, including Fortnum & Mason, which stopped selling it earlier this year.
A government spokesperson confirmed officials were seeking meetings with those involved in creating faux gras to inform their decision on how the effects of a ban could be mitigated.
In a heavy pan, sauté the shallot in two tablespoonfuls of the olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic, chopped herbs, and mushrooms. Add the cognac and turn up the heat.
Add the soy sauce, reduce the heat, and cook over low heat for six minutes. Remove the pan from heat and let cool.
In a food processor, process the mushroom mixture, the remaining olive oil, the lentils, walnuts, beetroot puree and black pepper until almost smooth. Add an optional extra splash of cognac to give it that je ne sais quoi.
Place in a small glass jar and refrigerate for a few hours before serving. Serve alongside toasted slices of sourdough or other bread.
The finger has been pointed at animal rights activists who reportedly protest against the circus every year
Eight camels and a llama escaped from a circus in Madrid after the fence guarding the animals was reportedly cut.
Police shared a tweet stating that they had found the exotic animals roaming the streets of the capital at around 5am on Friday.
They were found not far from where the circus, named Gran Circo Quiros, is based, in the southern district of Carabanchel.
However, the circus has claimed that the animals were released in an act of “sabotage”.
The circus said on Instagram: “Last night we suffered an animal sabotage, the animals are well.”
Circus manager Mati Munoz blamed animal activists for the camels escaping, telling AFP that the electric fence around the animals’ enclosure had been cut.
He added that animal rights activists protest the circus every year.
The City Council of Madrid has banned wild-animal circuses, saying they don’t meet “animals’ physiological, mental, and social needs” or respect their welfare.
Bactrian camels originate from the rocky deserts of central and eastern Asia and are able to survive in extreme conditions. However, the vast majority of them are now domesticated.
Wild animals are now banned from travelling circuses in the UK after legislation was passed under the Wild Animals in Circuses Act 2019.
It includes any animal not typically domesticated in the UK, such as big cats, camels, elephants, reindeer and zebras.
Danish industry gather about solutions for laying hens
11 November 2021
Dyrenes Beskyttelse
Together with The National Organic Association, Eurogroup for Animals’ member Animal Protection Denmark hosted a major industry meeting in the egg and poultry industry on sternum fractures in laying hens in Denmark. This was the first time that the whole industry is meeting, and that underlines the seriousness of this matter. The focus was on new initiatives and actions to bring the serious problem to life.
For the first time, the Eurogroup for Animals’ member Animal Protection Denmark and the National Organic Association brought together the entire Danish egg and poultry industry as well as the Danish Minister of Food, Agriculture & Fisheries, Rasmus Prehn. The purpose was to discuss sternal fractures and come up with a number of concrete initiatives and actions that the industry itself can initiate, and which Danish politicians and other stakeholders can support through their work. In the autumn of 2021, the Danish egg and poultry industry got a breather, after the University of Copenhagen published the report “Keel bone fractures in Danish laying hens: Prevalence and risk factors”. suffers from sternal fractures due to ovulation.
At Animal Protection, we are of course appalled at how widespread fractures of the sternum of laying hens are. It is completely and utterly unacceptable that this is more the rule than the exception for hens in all branches of egg production. At the same time, it is a difficult and very unfortunate situation for the profession. The support for today’s meeting shows how seriously the problem is viewed by everyone with responsibility for and influence on both the problem and the solutions.
Britta Riis, Director of Animal Protection Denmark
The meeting was also attended by the retail industry, which is met every day by consumers who want to buy eggs with a clear conscience. That is why the meeting has been particularly important.
We have had a joint discussion, which has given an overview and an understanding of the challenges in all parts of the food system, which unfortunately pushes the farm animals beyond any reasonable limit. We, therefore, look forward to both the Minister and the producers taking the task further from the action-oriented discussion today. We are pleased with the Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Rasmus Prehn’s call for everyone to put pressure on the European regulation of breeding, and that the Minister himself promised to raise the matter with his European colleagues since the problem is by no means only Danish. We ourselves are putting pressure on via the animal welfare organisations’ European association, Eurogroup for Animals.
Britta Riis, Director of Animal Protection Denmark
Richard Ratcliffe’s wife, Nazanin, has been used as a pawn now for over 5 years;detained by the Iranian authorities. Richard is now into his 18th day of a hunger strike to highlight this issue even more.
Boris Johnson, the UK PM, along with many of his senior ministers, have let this issue fester for far too long. It is a gutless British government led by a gutless British PM.
There will be no more corridas in the oldest bullring in Mallorca!!
Instead, it should be transformed into a socio-cultural center.
The bullring in Alcúdia is the oldest of its kind in Mallorca. Photo: Amalia Estabén
This has now been confirmed by the mayor of the municipality, Bàrbara Rebassa, on request in a municipal council meeting.
A company had been managing the community square for years. But now his license has expired.
As the “Ultima Hora” reports, the concession is not to be put out to tender again.
If Mayor Rebassa has his way, the arena will in future be used as a center for the activities of clubs and cultural institutions.
If possible, the community also wants to set up rehearsal rooms for musicians.
The Alcúdia bullring was built in 1892 in the Sant Ferran bastion, which is part of the 17th century city walls. It has 1037 seats.
Traditionally, two bullfights were held here every year.
In recent years these corridas have been accompanied by anti-bullfighting demonstrations outside the gates of the bullring.
But there are also headwinds from the advocates of bullfighting.
On October 12, the community received a letter from a law firm.
According to Rebassa, it pointed out that the corrida is a cultural asset and that the law obliges the community to maintain bullfighting. The mayor rejected this with the argument that the system no longer complies with the applicable regulations.
And the brave, civilized authorities of Spain, who view bullfighting as a disgrace to the country rather than a cultural asset.
There are still those too.
Time is ticking against the bullfight and we know… it will end!
World Animals Voice 