This is where the squeamish need to look away. Traditionally in France, the fattened little birds are drowned in a vat of Armagnac – managing to snuff out their life and marinate them at the same time. Killing two birds with one glug, as it were. French chefs argue that "it's not a bad way to die". Well, I suppose it might be less cruel than throwing a live lobster into a pot of boiling water, and probably less cruel than force-feeding a goose in order to fatten up their livers into foie gras.