We've all heard about foie gras and we know it has quite a reputation. Many think foie gras is the epicenter of perfection in the fine dining world. It can be found on many great menus across the world. Customers at The French Laundry are often flooded with foie, Anthony Bourdain endorses foie gras, and at some point in the year Gordon Ramsay features foie at every restaurant he runs.
So what is the great food? Fattened duck or goose liver. And might I say, it is delicious. Its often served, seared, in a tourchon, a påte, or even as a creme caramel. The great debate with foie gras concerns the ethics of fattening the duck/geese livers. Ducks and geese don't have the same gag reflexes humans have. They can be force-fed much more easily than it would be to stick a tube down our throats. But does that make it right? Apparently enough people don't think so. In 2012 it will be illegal to sell foie gras in California. It's already illegal in Chicago. But this practice isn't new. Egyptians were force feeding ducks as early as 2500 BCE. There are currently a few farmers growing humane foie gras geese.
So let me know what you think. Should we be eating this rich buttery delicacy? Or should we find an alternative for the slim portion of the culinary world that is foie gras? . . . I'm sure you can see where I'm leaning already.
Here is a clip from Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations segment on Foie Gras.
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