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Location: Blogs Chef Nick Martin
Posted by: chefnick	Wednesday, May 30, 2007
The pursuit of food moves in many different ways ? I was deeply saddened, totally enraged and yet sympathetic when I heard of what happened, at Peter Gotts farm last week. Saddened as it is where he and his family live and they shouldn't have to be uncomfortable in their own home, as that's where they ply their trade and he is very much more than a food champion, he is a real voice for local foods , production and tradition, he has championed this all over the globe and will do for a long time to come, and a real nice bloke to know as well. Enraged I was as the people who did all the damage and destruction to his farm and livelihood, well it was the animals they are supposedly trying to liberate and free of mans grasp that actually suffered in this fracas. Sympathetic I am, as these people can't face up toe to toe and put their feelings across in an adult and sensible manner, they have to deface and disrupt things and then run away , generally in the middle of the night when no-one is around. Man, people or the human race, call it what you want were killing animals for the table, long before you and I were around, it's evolution Baby and that's the way it is, I like to think that I can look at things from both sides, and generally it works. I have fished the waters of the world and cooked and eaten what I have caught, seen deers killed by terriers, rabbits and hares caught and killed by dogs, I even took part in a pig fest in Spain where we killed a pig in very humane and gentle ways and then feasted on it for 3 days. Now get this, I got a broken nose and 2 very black eyes fishing for Tuna in the Canary islands, nobody told me that when you land them on the boat they twitch and jump all around the deck, imagine getting hit in the face by a 20k tuna, it hurts and it does for about 4 days. I'm going to continue on this after this post, so bear with me, Nick.....

Comments (3)

Re: My emotions are definitely stirred....

By Anonymous on Saturday, June 02, 2007

Now go back in time, maybe a thousand years or more if you know better, let's talk about ritual slaughter, lambs, cows,goats,and even people. They never gave it a second thought about humane killing or how the animals where reared and what they ate and how the RSPCA felt about this. It's in the scriptures.

Now we are more aware of the feelings of animals and their welfare but we can't deny whats gone on in the past and very much what still goes on now. Where does it stop ?

If we where to go and trash every battery farm, veal farm, foie gras farm, fish farm, hatchery, and not to forget convenience food production outlets and restaurants in the world, God help, Le big mac, or the flame grilled whopper, or even the zinger twister wrap, well come on now, we'd be busy for 365/ 24/7 and I haven't got time for all that as I have a family, a mortgage and basically a Life.

I'm a Local food Champion and that's my life, when I'm not singing the song of local producers ( not all meat and animals) I am slogging it out in all the restaurants and kitchens of the hotels that you all visit in your time off with your families and friends. "See it all boils down to the same thing" I'll cook your dinner but when in Rome do as the Romans do, but in your mind, "Think It Over"

People think in very different ways, I've learned that after 26 years cooking all kinds of animals and vegetables for the food industry, what gets me very mad is trends, this week it may be polenta, next week it will be Indonesian soy sauce. Pllease go with me on this one, I've seen a lot of things, "but not it all". I am very much in touch with all your feelings and passions, but as a chef I'm very much the middle man, and people will leave there feelings and ethics at the restaurant door. A bit controversial you may say, but it's just me, this is the way I think and act and you can always learn something new, ( my dad told me that )

Nick...

Re: My emotions are definitely stirred....

By admin on Saturday, June 02, 2007

For anybody that doesn't know what Nick is referring to. Peter Gott is a local wild boar breeder and his farm was attacked recently. As was a local pub that serves Wild Boar. Some animals died as a result of being "freed" and generally a limited amount of damage was caused by people unknown in the night.

I agree with Nick's sentiment, essentially if you've got something to say you should deal with it "in an adult and sensible manner". Rather than sneaking around at night trashing walls, cars and endangering both humans and animals.

If you are against killing animals for food, of course you have the right to hold that view. I have seen first hand how Peter cares for his animals, their welfare is paramount, and yes he is rearing them for the food chain, but in a way that entirely fits with my moral position as a meat eater.

Most of the good local producers go to great lengths to make sure that the animals they are responsible for get well fed and well cared for during their life and when it comes to slaughter time, any stress is minimised. Some have slaughter facilities on their own farms, most try to limit the travelling that an animal does before it gets to the slaughter house.

Of course there are some bad examples of poor animal welfare, I can't help but think that the misguided people who attacked Peter's farm would be better served trying to rectify this rather than conducting a hit and run operation where they did more damage than good whatever your point of view.

Martin

Re: My emotions are definitely stirred....

By chefnick on Saturday, June 02, 2007

One of the best systems for food that i have seen in a long time is the RSPCA freedom foods,

I was lucky to be the chef chosen to represent this area a couple of years ago to create recipes using local produce from freedom food registered farms,

I chose to use Jim Hadwins Mansergh Hall lamb, you can also get asparagus, strawberries, gooseberries and berry fruits in abundance from him and i have used them all,
someone once said you can't tell the difference as "fruit is fruit"

You can SO tell the difference, both in flavour and appearance,

plus it is local and we are supporting our local producers and suppliers,and the county,

Jim's farm suffered a totally accidental sabotage a few weeks ago,
the wrong field was ploughed over and he lost a huge amount of this years asparagus

In the freedom food book i am alongside Ainsley Harriot, Pru Lieth, Anthony Worral Thompson, Nick Nairn and the reciipe has become a bit of a signature dish for me,

If anyone would like a free copy of the book,
please let me know and i'll send it to you and even pay the postage,

My new phrase is " Use Them or Lose Them " and the article in last months cumbria life food and drink magazine say's it like it is,

I've got the article as a PDF file and i can send that as well,

I'd love you all to see it as it is great,

see ya soon,

Nick..