Food: Foie Gras [edit]

Other Names: 鹅肝 (Chinese), フォアグラ (Japanese), الاوز غرا (Arabic), Фуа-гра (Russian), Черен дроб (Bulgarian) All Translations

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Edited by: Alisa Escanlar, Desiree Lowe, Darren Vengroff, Helen Pitlick, Barnaby Dorfman

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Foie gras ( in English; French for "fat liver") is a food product made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened. This fattening is typically achieved through gavage (force-feeding) corn, according to French law,French rural code : ("'Foie gras' is understood to mean the liver of a duck or a goose that has been specially fattened by gavage"). though outside of France it is rarely produced using natural feeding. Pâté de foie gras was formerly known as "Strasbourg pie" in English due to that city being a major producer of this food product.''The New International Encyclopædia'', ed. Daniel Coit Gilman, Harry Thurston Peck and Frank Moore. (New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903): Vol. XIII, 778. Foie gras is a popular and well-known delicacy in French cuisine. Its flavour is described as rich, buttery, and delicate, unlike that of a regular duck or goose liver. Foie gras is sold whole, or is prepared into mousse, parfait, or pâté (the lowest quality), and is often served as an accompaniment to another food item, such as steak. The technique of gavage dates as far back as 2500 BC, when the ancient Egyptians began keeping birds for food and deliberately fattened the birds through force-feeding. Today, France is by far the largest producer and consumer of foie gras, though it is produced and consumed worldwide, particularly in other European nations, the United States, and China. Gavage-based foie gras production is controversial, due to the force feeding procedure and the possible health consequences of an enlarged liver that could be faced by the duck or goose. A number of countries and other jurisdictions have laws against force feeding or the sale of foie gras.

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Tags: European, Foul, French

[edit] About Foie Gras

The fattened liver of a goose or duck. The rich, buttery flavor of foie gras makes it a delicacy popular in French cuisine. It is prepared over low heat, as the fat has a lower melting point than other animal fats, and oftern served in mousses, terrines, and pates. Some people have ethical objections to foie gras because the foul are often force-fed, a practice known as gavage.

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