You only have to mention the words FOIE GRAS and the world suddenly divides into two.
There are those who throw-up their arms in horror, and there are the others who start salivating and become overcome with gastronomic delight. I happen to be of the latter persuasion.
I am not a huge consumer of foie gras; I buy just one jar a year for Christmas. The small 180 gm jar above cost me about £15, so it's not something I buy too often.
There's a lot of nonsense talked about the production of foie gras. My area of France was known for its foie gras; almost every small farm produced it as a by-product of fattening Ducks or Geese for 'Confit'. This tradition has now mostly disappeared.
Yes, the ducks/geese are force fed with dry crushed Maize, but they actually queue-up for the feeding process. There really is very little mistreatment involved. You need to treat the animals well, or they wouldn't comply.
The final product itself is one of the world's finest gastronomic treats. It is the essence of luxurious dining. In the days when I made my own Paté, I would always pop a walnut-sized piece of foie gras in the middle of each jar, but if you're thinking of buying foie gras for a special occasion, I recommend that you go the whole-hog and buy a small jar of 'Entier'. Yes, it's expensive (It may even be banned where you live), but it's worth every penny.
Life is for living. Don't be vegan, don't deprive yourselves of wonderful eating, and consume just a little foie gras once a year!
So many years ago I tasted it and I still remember it was very delicious.
ReplyDeleteIt really is! It's such a shame that all the controversy exists around its production. It really isn't as bad as people claim!
DeleteI haven't tried it but am sure it is delicious.
ReplyDeleteToo much fat content for my delicate digestion I think.
Yes, there's a lot of fat in it, but they do say that Duck Fat is good for you!!!
DeleteCro, this might be interesting reading for visitors to your blog.....
ReplyDeleteJust up the road from here is a foie gras producer.... they use ducks because they force feed themselves!!
A muscovy strain is used and a wet maize and molasses rich mix is pig trough fed.... and pig trough is the right word, because when you see the mix being poured into the trough and the birds behaving as if it is the opening day of the sales and behaving just like "pigs at a trough", you realsise that the only possible word is pigging it down.
Fifty of the huge flock [400 birds] are selected for prime fattening which takes place at the end of the season for a couple of weeks...
this takes place in fattening sheds and the birds are in baskets to restrict their movement... and you realise why when feeding time comes...
They are sitting there quietly quacking at each other and then they see the feeder being filled and all hell breaks loose. If they weren't restrained they'd mob the owner!! They do at the normal trough feeding, anyway!
A pair of tubes come from at hopper unit on rails and the feed is forced down them by an Archimedes screw.... there is no need to stuff the tubes down throats, the first pair attack the feed end of the tube as if they haven't been fed for weeks!! And they just swallow food for the timed period and then the next pair get their turn as the fed pair sit back and digest... the noise in the shed abates as the pairs are fed and the fed birds go into an after dinner stupor... the sort we get when we've eaten the Christmas offerings!! The "forced feeding" is more like taking advantage of their behaviour and feeding their greed!!
Personally, I am not a great fan of foie gras... I find it rich, horribly smooth and I have had much tastier things to eat....
But this is a personal account of what I saw when we visited the farm... tbh, I was looking to see the cruelty.... but actually found none... if their is a cruelty, it is taking advantage of the ducks' behaviour!!
Geese were a different proposition as they aren't naturally that greedy and were physically force fed, but I believe that selective breeding has created a strain that are getting increasingly greedy and require less human intervention.
So, there you have it, my personal record of a visit to the foie gras farm up the road!
A very different scenario to that of my neighbours. They used one of those plastic funnels with an auger inside to force the maize downwards. I was in Gamme Vert recently and noticed that they still sell them
DeleteMy neighbours always used those very ugly Muscovy Ducks too!
DeleteOur daughter LOVES it .... she would be force fed it like the ducks if she could !!! I like it too but can't remember the last time I had it . XXXX
ReplyDeleteFor me it's every Dec 23/24. No more, no less.
DeleteI feel ill just reading about all this....
ReplyDeleteYou will not be alone Sue. People are either pro or con.
Delete"Don't be vegan"? My son is vegan and through his "Bosh!" recipe books he has proven that you do not need to consume animal products to eat and live well. Vegan dishes can be very delicious and much kinder to the planet than a carnivore diet. Being vegan is not about depriving yourself.
ReplyDeleteNot eating foie gras is 'depriving oneself'. Life is too short.
DeleteWe often eat veggie/vegan; but not exclusively.
DeleteI'm certainly not a vegan. I'll try foie gras if I ever find it . It's not so expensive for a once a year treat.
ReplyDeleteNo, I consider it worth every penny.
DeleteCro - off topic, but I thought that this might amuse you.....
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2n3wwplp2o
Brighton does it again
Ha ha. Good old Brighton, they never do things by halves. Thanks for that!
DeleteEat what you enjoy, and enjoy what you eat. The French do such a wonderful job on that sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteThey always did. Not so much these days since Brussels got their hands on matters.
DeleteThere is nothing wrong about enjoying good food and drink. As for cost, it is not like it is a daily occurrence. All hale to the best pate you can find and...the prime rib roast and all that goes with it!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child we ate big joints of Beef almost every weekend (It was still affordable). These days you need to be well-off to afford a Prime Rib Joint. I haven't had one for decades. I may 'splash-out' when we return.
DeleteA couple of local supermarkets sell very expensive pieces of foie gras in very small square plastic "bubbles" attached to large pieces of cardboard. A strange way to promote it. It's not something I'd buy as I'm not keen on anything "fatty".
ReplyDeleteWe keep the fat for frying potatoes, etc. It makes the very best 'roasties'.
DeleteHave to say that I completely agree with you! I've only had it a few times and it was delicious and worth every cent! I think that a plate of bone marrow, plus some fois gras, along with some really good toasted bread would be my dream meal!
ReplyDeleteWhere do you get 'bone marrow' from these days? I used to have it as a child; grilled on toast I think. It was delish.
DeleteBone marrow, fat on a good steak,fresh side pork floured and fried till crisp. All things some people avoid. Heaven on Earth to me.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree 100%. All lovely.
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