When you know better, you do better

I am struggling and conflicted. Just thinking out loud here. On one hand, I have read Eating Animals (I finally finished it, Victoria, and have passed it on to Cecilie.) and I understand the suffering that goes on in factory farms where chickens are produced. This summer I have made every effort to buy humanely raised and killed animals – and in the process, have cooked a lot less beef, chicken and pork.  Here’s the dilemma. I have some Cornish game hens in my freezer. They are from Perdue who claim not to use antibiotics or cages. But a simple web search shows that humane treatment does not necessarily follow those claims. 

So, do I cook the game hens who have been in my freezer since before I was aware? On one hand, I am sorry that I bought them. On the other hand, just throwing them away seems like more of a negation of their right to a happy chicken-y life.  Not that they care now, but upon reflection, perhaps the proper thing to do is to cook something special with them. Something that takes time and care and possibly even expense. I am thinking an adaptation of Julia Child’s coq au vin. It won’t make the Cornish game hens feel better, but I will.