Foie gras, a fatty liver of ducks or geese, has been produced for thousands of years. The force-feeding technique used to fatten the birds has recently come under criticism, leading to bans in some countries. France strictly regulates the labeling of foie gras, which is often served in pate form.
Foie gras is the liver of a duck or goose fattened by force-feeding the animal. Though thought to be of French origin, and the name is definitely French, the process of overfeeding waterfowl to produce a fatty liver and foie gras-like substance has been in practice for thousands of years.
It is believed that the first types of foie gras may have been made in Egypt and the tradition was certainly carried on in Rome. The Egyptians also fattened their calves this way. How the tradition spread in Europe is somewhat controversial. Some cooking historians believe Gallic farmers retained the method after the fall of the Roman Empire. Still others believe that Jews residing in Israel under Roman occupation may have used the method.
A Transylvanian court chef notes the making of foie gras in a book from 1680. It is significant to note that Hungarians are the second largest producers of foie gras in the world. Recipes for foie gras may have existed both in the area surrounding Hungary and in France.
There are several types of foie gras that can be purchased in France. The types are distinguished by the cooking process and also by the amount of duck liver used. Duck is thought to produce an inferior product to goose liver. France strictly determines the labeling of foie gras. Foie gras entier, is a presentation of one or two whole lobes of the liver and can be cooked or raw. Foie gras is made from pieces of goose liver. Bloc de foie gras is just as it sounds, a molded block of liver that may contain chunks of duck.
Many are familiar with the use of liver in pate. Foie gras is often served in this form, accompanied by wine and bread. Beef Wellington is covered in foie gras pâté before being covered in pastry or bread dough.
The force-feeding technique that produces foie gras has recently come under significant criticism. Force-feeding ducks and geese are often considered cruel and can cause damage to the bird’s esophagus resulting in a painful, albeit short, existence. The geese and ducks are force-fed through a tube that extends almost 30cm inside the neck. This way, the animal cannot refuse food, and although the process takes less than a minute, many feel that there is no need to treat animals this way.
There has been such a revulsion over the way foie gras is produced, that many countries are enacting laws to ban the purchase or production of the food. Even the Benedictine pope has encouraged people to stop the practice. Unlike other animal rights issues, advocacy for bans or production halts crosses political lines and different forms of government.
Chicago became the first city in the United States to completely ban the importation and production of foie gras. California is proposing a ban by 2012, and New York has a similar ban in the works. Countries that have completely banned the production of foie gras include Ireland, Argentina, Denmark, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom. Other bans are being considered or are being worked on. There is no evidence that the French will ban foie gras.
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