What Is Foie Gras?
Filed under: Dining
Foie gras (pronounced ˈfwä-ˈgrä, French for "fat liver") is a food product made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened, typically through gavage (force-feeding) corn. It is a delicacy in French cuisine. Foie gras' flavor is described as rich, buttery, and delicate, unlike that of a regular duck or goose liver. Foie gras is sold whole, or is prepared into mousse, parfait, or pâté, and often is served as an accompaniment to another food item, such as steak. France is the largest producer and consumer of foie gras, though it is produced and consumed worldwide, particularly in other European nations, the United States, and China. Gavage-based foie gras production is controversial and considered by some to be cruel. A number of countries and other jurisdictions have laws against force feeding or the sale of foie gras.
At some restaurants you may see the term prix fixe. What does this mean? It is a French term that refers to a set menu that offers a limited selection of courses for a single price and offers either one option per course or sometimes a choice of two or three potential selections. A prix fixe menu generally includes the full meal from appetizer to dessert. At fine restaurants it allows the chef a greater level of control when selecting dishes that complement each other. The prix fixe menu creates an experience that expresses the full measure of the chef's expertise. Often a wine pairing with different wines selected to enhance each dish can be ordered.
You've probably heard the term molecular gastronomy bandied about when talking about some of the most well-regarded restaurants in the world. The term referred originally to the scientific discipline involving the study of physical and chemical processes that occur in cooking but has been expanded into a kind of cuisine that looks at food through an entirely new lens. Old standards are reimagined in new ways by using new techniques. Often the discipline is best expressed through elaborate tasting menus that involve a series of small, precise courses. The overall goal is not as much satiation as it is in delivering a new taste experience.
