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"The goose is nothing, but man has made of it an instrument for the output of a marvelous product, a kind of living hothouse in which there grows the supreme fruit of gastronomy." - Charles Grard, L'Ancienne Alsace table.In my time, I've seen many food trends waft through America's restaurant kitchens (not necessarily in chronological order, and with certain omissions): [Quiche][1] [Kiwi][2] [Raspberry Vinegar][3] [California "Cuisine"][4] [Chilean Sea Bass--now seriously endangered][5]. ["A Trio of..."][6] [Celebrity Chefs][7] [Chefwear][8] ["Blackened" Food][9] [Singing Scallops][10] [Southwestern "Cuisine"][11] [Balsamic Vinegar][12] [Fusion Cooking][13] [Vanilla in Savory Applications][14] [Organic Food][15] [Tiramisu][16] [Tall Food][17] [Polenta][18] [Portobello Mushrooms][19] [Nuevo Latino][20] [Wraps!][21] [Ferran][22] [Adria][23] [Infusions][24] and now...[Foie Gras][25]_Foie gras_ translates to "fat liver", which specifically refers to the livers of geese or ducks. How [those livers get fattened][26] is currently a topic in a heated debate of ethics, but it's unlikely that the production of foie gras will ever cease. Foie gras belongs to the wealthy--at an average of $110.00 per pound (goose), $75.00 per pound (duck)--and the rich are loath to sacrifice their symbols of privilege.Funny that we currently hear little protest against feedlots and corn-engorged cattle.It was the Pharaonic Egyptians who first cultivated the goose for it's liver. Observing that wild geese gorged themselves on native grasses, grains and fruits for two or three weeks prior to their arduous migrations, and subsequently noting the fattiness of the engorged liver--which translated to a lush, rich taste and texture--they began force-feeding geese to supply this delicacy to the courts of the pharoahs (the process of force-feeding, or tube-feeding, is known as gavage). Upon conquering the Egyptians, the ancient Romans took it one step further, using figs as the gavage, which imparted a sweet taste to the liver, and probably accounts for the modern practice of pairing foie gras with sweet wines ([sauternes][27], [port][28]), and the standard accompaniment of sweet, fruit-based sauces in foie gras preparations. The Romans kept on conquering, and it was in the area then known as Gaul that they found a people and environment suited to the production of foie gras--Roman emperors and their courts had by then developed annappetite for the delicacy. Today in France, foie gras d'oie (goose liver) production is concentrated in the province of Alsace (the Strasbourg goose), and the region of Perigord (the Toulouse goose) in the province of Dordogne. In the U.S., foie gras production is focused primarily on duck livers--usually the [Moulard][29] duck (not the Mallard), sometimes the [Muscovy][30] duck-- and is concentrated in New York's Hudson Valley, and Sonoma and Napa counties in California.Foie gras is graded "A", "B" and "C"; A and B are the grades usually encountered in good restaurants (C grade foie has the most bruising and discoloration).The "apparent cruelty" of the gavage process is a major topic of animal rights groups' protests, as are the conditions in which the fowl are raised. I can't argue with protests against the latter; a visit to a Tyson chicken production complex in the mid-eighties stands as one of the truly revolting experiences of my life--industrial chicken has been off my menus ever since. Funny that we currently hear little protest about large-scale chicken production. And despite the fact that gorging is a natural process in the lives of wild ducks and geese, when humans interfere with any natural process, there is cruelty. The bird is held securely while a tube attached to a large funnel is snaked into it's stomach. The funnel is then filled with a slurry of cornmeal and water, which is forced down the tube. Many birds die of "over-feeding", meaning that so much of the gavage is pumped into the animal that their stomachs actually explode. In their defense against activist criticisms, foie gras producers claim that that their fowl come running to be fed at the sight of the gavage tube--I've seen it happen. And I've heard many accounts of deaths from over-feeding. The result is a liver that can weigh up to two-and-a-half pounds; coming from a bird which weighs--on the average--25 pounds , the liver accounts for ten percent of the total bodyweight. And the liver is nearly all fat; foie gras is usually cooked in a dry pan (no need for oil), and will completely dissolve if left too long on heat. And, as Gerard says in the opening quote, the value of the goose's meat is secondary to the value of the liver. Goose meat is fatty, more so after the gavage process. The fat is rendered for cooking, specifically for a preservation technique known as [_confit_][31], where the meat--usually goose, duck or pork--is salted, cooked in it's own fat and then potted up under a layer of fat which acts as a seal. Cooking foie gras in it's own fat is a high-yield process--the similar densities of fat and foie allow the foie to cook without losing or absobing any fat. Any animal cultivated for human consumption is treated in a manner that verges on cruelty. Is Nature any less cruel in it's selection? Is McDonald's selling fewer burgers because people are worried about the cows? Is Tyson moving less chicken? Absolutely not. Foie gras, fur coats, sturgeon caviar...all are privileges of the wealthy. And that, I suspect, is the impetus of most "righteous", popular indignations--we can't afford it, we can't have it. But foie gras is here to stay, and is more accessible now than any time in history. As with any trend, any fashionable breeze, we overdo it. All fancy restaurants in this country are currently running foie gras on their menus, despite the controversies. And customers are eating it up. Why? Because it's luxurious; because it whiffs of money and the supposed automatic sophistication that money is rumored to impart; and because it tastes very, very good (perhaps due in part to the preceeding reasons, and certainly due to the high fat content).Standard Foie Gras Preparations - Au Torchon--see below. Best for goose foie. - Freezer-cured--a three-month dehydration process in the freezer, basically a controlled "freezer burn". - Pureed--piped into terrine molds. Also best for goose foie. - Poached--confit, stock, truffle juice... - Roasted, whole. Often marinated with port, sauternes, etc. - Sauteed, as garnish._"Foie gras is something that should be left alone. It should be minimally garnished. You eat it because you like the taste and feel of foie gras."_ - Thomas Keller.A Torchon of Foie Gras (_Torchon_ means "dishtowel" in French.)Carol and Bo March wanted to treat their friends, Stacie and Sean Williams, to an elaborate dinner to celebrate a happy business deal. I can't recall the menu with complete accuracy--a second course pasta with pancetta and a reduced balsamic dressing, then some lamb, and a decadent chocolate bauble for the finish...but the torchon of foie gras which started the meal remains memorable for the zen of preparation, and, of course, the sublime result. As with most food, foie gras tastes best served at room temperature or cooler, and since the torchon is barely cooked--a 90 second poach in a light stock--there is little loss of volume. This isn't a technically challenging preparation, but it does require a meticulous approach and several days' time. Keller serves it with pickled Bing cherries; I use young, tender greens, a light dressing of walnut oil, and some toasted bread ([_brioche_][32] is a nice treat). (Adapted from "The French Laundry Cookbook", Thomas Keller; Artisan 1999.)1 Moulard duck foie gras, about 1 1/4 pounds Milk to cover the foie gras 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (freshly-ground) 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon pink salt (contains nitrites which inhibit oxidation.) Approx. 2 quarts chicken or veal stock, or water. Parchment paper Cheesecloth Kitchen twineTwo weeks in advance: - Order foie gras: [D'Artagnan][33]. One week ahead: - Soaking: Unwrap foie and wash well with cold water. Place in a glass dish, cover with milk and let rest, refrigerated, for 24 hours (to draw out some of the blood). - Remove foie from milk, pat dry, and let sit 45 minutes or so to come to room temperature. - Pull apart the two lobes of the liver--a large lobe and a smaller one. Keep one lobe covered with a towel while you work on the other one. Remove any membranes from the outside of the foie gras. - Cleaning:Locate the primary vein at one end of the underside of the lobe. Slice through the lobe to the vein, following it's path, and pull the foie gras apart to see the vein clearly. Make another cut on either side of the vein to butterfly--flatten out--the lobe. Remove the primary vein with your fingers and a small, thin knife. - Carefully scrape through each lobe of the foie gras with a knife, or small fork, removing all the veins. The more you remove, the more refined the result. The consistency of the foie is like modelling clay; don't worry about the amount of scraping you do, but be sure to keep the outside of the foie intact--this will allow you to reform the lobe. Be sure to cut away any bruised or discolored areas to prevent contamination of the whole. - Marination: Mix together the kosher salt, pink salt, white pepper and sugar. Press the foie into a glass or pottery container in an even layer approx. one inch thick. Sprinkle half of the marinating mixture over the foie, pressing it into the surface. Flip the foie over and repeat. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the liver, then wrap the container completely in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24 hours. - Forming, Cooking and Hanging: Remove the foie from it's container and place on a sheet of parchment. Carefully break the foie up as necessary to form a loaf about six inches long by four inches wide. Using the parchment, roll the foie into a log, twisting and forming as necessary to form a compact cylinder. Unwrap the foie, discard the parchment and transfer the log to a piece of cheesecloth approximately one foot wide by two feet long, placing the log along the short end of the cheesecloth. Rolling away from you, roll it up into a tight log. Twist the ends to tighten and compact the form--you are working correctly if you begin to see the foie slightly compressing through the holes in the cheesecloth. Tie of each end of the chessecloth with several loops of twine. Tie three pieces of twine, evenly spaced, along the torchon, to hold the shape. Bring enough stock or water--or a combination of both--to cover the foie to a simmer in a wide pot. Poach the foie for exactly 90 seconds, and remove immediately to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. The foie will lose some volume from the poaching, and needs to be tightened and rewrapped. Using a dishtowel, re-roll the torchon (still in the cheesecloth) into a tight cylinder, tie off the ends, and hang with twine from a shelf in the refigerator for at least 24 hours, or up to three days. Service: Carefully unwrap your torchon of foie gras--you will see that the outside of the log is gray and oxidized. Cut the ends from the torchon--the cook's [_lagniappe_][34]--and with a thin, sharp knife, shave off the discolored interior. Slice into even pieces, plate and garnish. Makes 6 generous servings.Resources [The French Laundry][35] [WorldTable][36] [Foie Gras in the Ariege Pyrenees][37] [Georges Bruck, Strasbourg][38] [Edouard Artzner, Strasbourg][39] [Humane Society of the United States][40] [Violence On Our Plate: Foie Gras][41] [Foodlines: Foie Gras Q&A][42] [Recipe: Sauteed Foie Gras with Mache][43] [Cuisine AZ: excellent recipes in French][44] [La Gavage][45] [Whole Roasted Foie Gras with Rhubarb][46] [1]: http://www.virtualcities.com/ons/0rec/04quiche.htm [2]: http://www.foodreference.com/html/fkiwifruit.html [3]: http://www.recipesource.com/side-dishes/vinegars/raspberry3.html [4]: http://www.chezpanisse.com/ [5]: http://www.audubon.org/campaign/lo/seafood/chileanseabass.html [6]: http://www.instantmedia.com/blackstonefood/103ax50.html [7]: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/hosts_celebrity_chefs/0,1974,FOOD_9889,00.html [8]: http://www.chefwear.com/product_display.asp?target=IDAERLDE&style=1400&pattern=27 [9]: http://www.kpauls.com/ [10]: http://www.pacseafood.com/products/scallops.html [11]: http://www.coyote-cafe.com/ [12]: http://dmoz.org/Home/Cooking/Condiments/Balsamic_Vinegar/ [13]: http://www.rediff.com/news/1999/jun/18us1.htm [14]: http://members.tripod.com/~BayGourmet/vanillachef.html [15]: http://www.outstandinginthefield.com/previous/1999HapValTer.html [16]: http://www.dslextreme.com/users/fabrizioo/recipes/it/dolci/tiramisu.html [17]: http://www.freep.com/features/food/flat11_20030311.htm [18]: http://www.parshift.com/ovens/Secrets/secrets009.htm [19]: http://whatscookingamerica.net/portbellaTips.htm [20]: http://www.patrianyc.com/ [21]: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2002/020318.htm [22]: http://egullet.com/?pg=ARTICLE-dayonelbulli [23]: http://www.time.com/time/innovators/culinary/profile_adria.html [24]: http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/seasoning/kitchen/recipe-oils.html [25]: http://www.neuvicenperigord.com/foie-gras/photos_foie_gras.html [26]: http://www.poultry.org/foiegras.htm [27]: http://wine.about.com/library/types/bl_sauternes.htm [28]: http://www.intowine.com/port.html [29]: http://www.the-golden-egg.com/dir_aaa/inf_ducks.html [30]: http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/poultry/ducks/muscovy/ [31]: http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,374801,00.html [32]: http://www.bartleby.com/61/58/B0485800.html [33]: http://www.dartagnan.com [34]: http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary [35]: http://www.sterba.net/yountville/frenchlaundry/ [36]: http://www.worldtable.com/foiegras.html [37]: http://www.ariege.com/gastronomie/foiegras/eng.html [38]: http://www.bruck-foiegras.com/lamaison/_uk/index.html [39]: http://www.edouard-artzner.com/cadres/histoire_uk.html [40]: http://www.hsus.org/ace/11507 [41]: http://www.all-creatures.org/sof/plate-foiegras.html [42]: http://www.foodlines.com/tips/topics/fois_gras/index.shtml [43]: http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/vegetables/salads/mache/carrier.htm [44]: http://www.cuisineaz.com/include.asp?file=fichiers/lefoiegras/lefoiegras.htm&bandeau=no&actu=no [45]: http://www.randomscripts.com/humor/menu.htm [46]: http://www.hudsonvalleyfoiegras.com/recipe_2.html