Duck, duck...

I'm not going to get into the politics of foie gras -- well, not now, anyway -- but I will let you know that it's a momentous day for foodies in the Windy City. Chicago has repealed its two-year-old ban on restaurants serving foie gras.

Well, it's not quite the 21st Amendment, but it should be big doings in my former hometown.

I'm sure you can read more about the news on Chicago newspapers' web sites, but the link in the first paragraph points to the New York Times food blog for a reason. Click through and read the last two paragraphs of the article -- the part in which a Chicago alderman warns his colleagues that "It" could happen to them -- and then check out reader comments 4, 5 and 7. Maybe I'm just tired and slap-happy, but I laughed my ass off.

(Don't read the other reader comments if you have a weak stomach.)

All of this should make the kids over at Hog Doug's, purveyor of the world's best hot dogs -- seriously, there's no debate -- pretty happy. (Check out the daily specials for an idea of the monstrously ingenious things they do with encased meats.)

If memory serves, Doug was cited a few times for continuing to serve foie gras in (or on?) his sausages, despite the ban. Was pretty clever how he tried to get around it though, by intentionally misspelling the item on his menu. Something like fwah grah, I think. Damn, I could really go for a trip to Hot Doug's. Who's in?

Oh, and thanks to my gorgeous and wonderful wife for sending me the news.