I’m very excited to share with you a completely new experience I had over the holidays. I made a Foie Gras from scratch. My belle-mère took me to the “marché de foie” early one morning and I watched the farmer remove the over-sized liver from the duck. Then I took it home and followed my father-in-law’s family recipe (with a great deal of help from my mother-in-law) to season and cook the foie. We even had to devein it. As an American with no farm experience under her belt, you can imagine how many firsts this represented for me! Especially since a few years ago, before this whole French life started for me, I wouldn’t have touched Foie Gras with a ten foot pole! Now here I am making one.
I can attest to the success and deliciousness of this recipe as we enjoyed it en entée during Christmas Day dinner. I was a little nervous to serve it to so many people, French people at that who have a certain expertise in eating Foie Gras, this having been my very first go at making a Foie Gras. To my amazement, it worked out beautifully and it is a remarkably easy delicacy to make!
This video is Part 1 of a three-part mini-documentary series I’m putting together on Foie Gras. The farmer and his wife from whom we bought the foie invited us to their farm to see how the ducks are raised and feed. I was immensely curious given all the talk of animal cruelty and such surrounding Foie Gras in the States. That field trip will be Part 3 of the series. Part 2, the next video to come, will be our experience at the foie market, talking to the vendor who is a fourth generation duck farmer, buying the foie and watching the farmer remove it with giant gardening shears.
It really doesn’t get any more French than this!
As a side note, the French are neutral on the political context of Foie Gras. It’s part of French life (a very appreciated part, I might add) and as you will see from the video, most French people are much closer to the food they eat than North Americans – much closer in the sense that they aren’t squeamish about seeing the animal who died to feed them. The line linking the food change is obvious and natural to the French. Having grown up in another, totally opposite food culture, I’m forever intrigued by such differences.
I hope you enjoy the video! We had great fun putting it together for you!
If only I wasn’t vegetarian.
All smiles: indeed!
Thanks for doing this video. I may be millions of miles away from your part of the world but with your posts, it’s like your giving me a glimpse of France one post at a time.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Take care.
This was really interesting! I loved the gentleness and care you put into making this — very great respect for ingredients. That buttery layer of fat must have been divine when you served it. A delightful video and post!
That’s fascinating! I’ve never made foie gras, my parents just buy tins of the stuff for Christmas but it looks easy; I’m not sure I can buy it raw in England though.
I see you are currently reading l’Assommoir by Emile Zola. I will be interested to read your take on it, as it is one of my most hated books, it makes me depressed just to think about it!
Your French accent is very good by the way.
Thank you for this video. I am from deep South Louisiana where the cajun french people live. My great grandmother would make this when I was little and other family members make it now, but no one can get it quite like hers. Of course I was only 10 then, and everything she did amazed me and no one could ever do better, so it may just be that stuck in my head. They use the livers of wild duck and “pool daux” (I dont know the real name for the bird) they are hunted in the swampy bayous & lakes, I am sure that alters the taste too.
I’m originally from Alabama so I knew your part of the world a bit. My dad has some time in Southern Louisiana. And during my years living in Canada I was able to experience a little of where the Cajins came from. Such an interesting history! Thanks for dropping by!
What a wonderful post! I’ve still not been able to try foie gras…the only way I can get it is mail order. It’s on my list of must try/cook foods, so hopefully soon I will be able to get some. I will definitely reference back to this post during preparation.
You can order it online at a number of places; so long as it is in a sealed can when it arrives in the country, you should be okay with customs. Some reliable addresses are: Hediard: http://www.hediard.com/savoury.html ; La Grande Epicerie: http://www.lagrandeepicerie.fr/#en-GB/e-boutique/Epicerie_salee/Les_foie_gras_et_terrines,27 ; Comtesse du Berry: http://english.comtessedubarry.com/foies-gras.html ; Valette: http://www.valette.fr/5-foies-gras .
I grew up on a farm (of sorts, Dad was a veterinarian) and cared for steers and pigs which ended up on the dinner table. Even helped butcher a pig and some turkeys once. Hated it at the time, but I think everyone who eats should experience a working farm. The best pate` I ever had was in Italy, but I haven’t visited France. Yet. You make it look very inviting!
I think it is so important that people realize from where their food comes. We all know it, learn it in storybooks as children, but somehow as we grow up we invoke a mental block between the farm, the slauder house, and the table. The realization helps avoid wastefulness, if nothing else. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for liking my post on The Lourve! I am thoroughly enjoying your blog and making my way through your posts! Love it!
Fascinating! I really enjoyed watching this video. I didn’t know that it has cognac in it.
When we traveled through the Dordogne, my husband and I saw many goose “farms.” The geese were roaming free in open fields. They have a longer (and, no doubt, happier) life than their US counterparts. The French respect and care for the animals that feed them is apparent and the end result is tastier, healthier food. Your foie gras looks delicious, but now that I’m back in California, I’m sure this is a recipe I won’t be able to try.
That was awesome. I’ve never had it and always wanted to. Thank you for sharing that. Love the blog.
Thank you! Love yours too, find it most inspirational! All my best for a wonderful 2012!
reminds me home
Pingback: Homemade Foie Gras – Part 2 Buying the Foie « Becoming Madame
For all things there is a first time. Well done! Looks delicious! I make paté regularly but have never attempted Foie Gras…yet.
Pingback: Farming for Foie Gras – Part 3 « Becoming Madame