I finished reading Michael Pollan's "Omnivore's Dilemma" last night. He writes about the industrial food chain, versus the organic food chain, and adds a third (eye-roll inducing) section on hunting and gathering. Reading this book put happy animals at the top of my mind.
I want to steer us clear of the industrial food chain as much as possible. Even if it means eating less meat overall, or eating only what vegetables are in season (and always, always cooking!). My husband is game...he loves his vegetables. I cook two or three veggie dishes each meal*...with a small portion of something select from the butcher. My boys, however, reject crappy food and new healthy food at the exact same rate. They eat from a very narrow band of foodstuffs. They survive on rice and pasta with butter and avocado rolls and fruit. I am convinced that it doesn't matter how much my cooking improves, they will need to grow out of this phase before they can appreciate it (and I will be ready when they start asking for a second and third bite!)
Back to my happy chicken... it was a chunky little guy! Chubba chubba!! The taste was standard. I didn't find that it tasted any better than organic chicken. I will buy one again if I am having dinner guests because I love that the entree comes with its own story. Otherwise, I was not converted. I may have overcooked my happy chicken a bit, because of it's size. I used the thermometer, but the last 7 minutes did me in, I think.
ps. Michael Pollan mentions that the reason for washing chicken before roasting is to get the skin nice and plump so that it browns beautifully...of course you need to thoroughly dry it before you slap on the oil...have you heard this?
*Tonight we had roast sweet potato and fried kale with garlic (not my favorite), along with white rice (for my boys)