# "Faux" Gras



## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 3, 2012)

Foie Gras has been outlawed in many states in the U.S. But here is a recipe that attempt to recreate the rich, buttery texture, and great flavor, without force feeding any foul.

Chicken Liver Pate:
Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh chicken livers
Salt
Black pepper
1 tsp. ground Thyme
1/4 cup diced onion
1 stick salted butter
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
Chicken broth

Place the chicken livers into a sauce pot and cover with water. Bring water to a boil, and cook for about fifteen minutes, or until the chicken livers are just done through.

Saute onion in a little butter until tender. Place into a blender. Remove the livers from the liquid and place into the same blender. Blend while adding just enough chicken broth to get the mixture moving in the blender. Add the butter. Blend until silky smooth. Empty the water from the sauce pan used to cook the livers. Remove the blended chicken lkivers from the blender and place into the sauce pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, and thyme and stir in. Let the mixure cook for five minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, a little at a time. Cook over low heat until most of the moiture has steamed out (about five to ten minutes more). Remove the pate' from the pan and into a bowl with a tite fitting lid. Chill until cold. Serve with crackers or toast points.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Timothy (Jan 3, 2012)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Foie Gras has been outlawed in many states in the U.S. But here is a recipe that attempt to recreate the rich, buttery texture, and great flavor, without force feeding any foul.
> 
> Chicken Liver Pate:
> Ingredients:
> ...


 
Your recipe sounds pretty darn good, Chief. I love chicen liver pate!

Give me a box of Ritz and a tub of pate and I'm good to go!


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## ChefJune (Jan 3, 2012)

> Foie Gras has been outlawed in many states in the U.S.


 
It has? I know the California law goes into effect July 1. Where else has it been banned?

This is a very controversial subject. Unfortunately, the ducks and geese cannot talk to tell us that feeding them like that is natural for them...

However, there's nothing wrong with a good chicken liver pate. Or duck liver either, for that matter. Not all duck livers are "foie gras."


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## Timothy (Jan 3, 2012)

ChefJune said:


> It has? I know the California law goes into effect July 1. Where else has it been banned?
> 
> This is a very controversial subject. Unfortunately, the ducks and geese cannot talk to tell us that feeding them like that is natural for them...
> 
> However, there's nothing wrong with a good chicken liver pate. Or duck liver either, for that matter. Not all duck livers are "foie gras."


 
I believe California is the only state in the USA to ban Foie gras though an act of Law, but other countries have banned it:

United States

State of California: Sections 25980-25984 of the California Health and Safety Code, enacted in 2004 and to become effective July 1, 2012, prohibit the "force feed[ing of] a bird for the purpose of enlarging the bird's liver beyond normal size" as well as the sale of products that are a result of this process.

City of San Diego: On January 8, 2008, the San Diego City Council unanimously[60] passed a resolution that "commends the Animal Protection and Rescue League (APRL) for raising awareness of the cruel practice of force-feeding ducks and geese to produce foie gras, commends the many San Diego restaurants that have stopped selling foie gras before the California statewide ban goes into effect, and encourages San Diegans to avoid supporting this extreme form of animal cruelty." The resolution also cites an independent Zogby poll finding that 85% of San Diegans favor an immediate ban on foie gras.

City of Chicago: On 26 April 2006, the Chicago City Council voted to ban the sale of foie gras, effective 22 August 2006. Breaches of the ban were to be punished with fines of $250–$500. Alderman Joe Moore, who proposed the ban, described the method by which foie gras is produced as "clearly animal cruelty."

In response, several Chicago chefs filed suit and deliberately violated the law by continuing to sell foie gras. Furthermore, a handful of chefs served foie gras without charge, which they considered not to be against the law. Even for establishments that were violating the law, the City issued warning letters but, until February 17, 2007, no citations were given. 

On that date, Doug Sohn, owner of a gourmet hot dog shop was charged with a violation. Although the fine could have been as high as $500, Sohn agreed to pay a $250 fine on March 29. Several unusual dishes, including foie gras pizza, have been created in Chicago, in defiance of the City Council's banning of foie gras. 46,000 pounds of foie gras were sold in Chicago in 2006.

In December 2006, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley referred to the ban as "the silliest law" the City Council has ever passed. As a result of the ban, Chicago restaurants Spiaggia and Tru developed dishes designed to simulate the foie gras experience. 

Chicago Tribune restaurant critic Phil Vettel found Tru's "Faux Gras" "close to the real thing", and Spiaggia's "terrina de fagato grasso vegetariano" "undeniably rich and indulgent", but "[lacking] the characteristic foie-gras intensity".

In response to Mayor Daley's objections on the foie gras ban, the City Council overwhelmingly repealed Chicago's ban on May 14, 2008.

[edit] Argentina

Foie gras production is illegal in Argentina as a mistreatment or act of cruelty to animals.

[edit] Israel

In August 2003, the Supreme Court of Israel ordered the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture to ban the force feeding of geese, effective 31 March 2005. The last appeal was withdrawn in October 2005, but the law was left unenforced until February 2006. Most protest activities were conducted by the Anonymous for Animal Rights organization, which also tracks the enforcement of the ban, and files complaints against farms that conduct illegal force feeding.


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## janina (Jan 3, 2012)

Um, yum!  I will have to try this as soon as I lose my holiday pounds. Bring on the baguette, wine, and faux gras.  Thanks for sharing!


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## CWS4322 (Jan 3, 2012)

I love liver pate....brandy is my favorite liquor to use, but the DH (soon to be ex) doesn't eat organ meats...a friend of mine stocked up on shoes as her therapy, I think eating foods he didn't like might be the perfect therapy...there has to be a silver lining to every closet, oops, cloud!


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jan 3, 2012)

Longwind, your recipe looks really good and I've filed it away to try soon! Also you did a nice job writing it up. I'm curious, did you develop this recipe personally or if not then where did it come from?

I'm a little frustrated at having law such as this while still having plenty of other cruel practices allowed to continue. For example it seems a bit cruel to me to have a chicken live out its whole life in an area scarcely larger than its body and never seeing natural sunlight. On the other hand I guess this is what we get unless we accept the increased costs of producing free range chicken.


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## CharlieD (Jan 3, 2012)

I think there is so much cruelty in this world against humans that we better of take care of that first. People had been forth feeding geese for centuries. I am all against cruelty, but how can we define the cruelty. We slaughter millions of animals daily for human consumption. Did those animal rights people who came up with the idea of electrocuting animals ever tried it on themselves?  I doubt.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jan 3, 2012)

I don't want to go too far off topic, but just didn't want anybody to get the wrong idea about me. I think we have too many laws. I'm opposed to the foie gras prohibition. However I think Longwind's recipe is a good effort to address making a similar recipe without using specially fed geese, replacing the fatty force fed goose livers with a lower fat liver and adding butter to restore the fattiness.

Does anybody know how much taste difference there is between livers from geese raised without force feeding vs. ordinary chicken livers?


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## salt and pepper (Jan 3, 2012)

I'm SO glad I don't live in that Country!


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## salt and pepper (Jan 3, 2012)

Is FAUX  a Califorina word?


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jan 3, 2012)

salt and pepper said:


> Is FAUX  a Califorina word?



I think it's from that place where they eat all the snails and frogs.

Where in the world could you go to McDonald's and request a wine list?


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## salt and pepper (Jan 4, 2012)

Good reply , I don't mean to offend anyone , but whats wrong with frogs, snails, wild game? Who has the right to tell me what to eat? Not Michelle Oboma or any one else. Mabe this is not the place to make my point , But while I'm still free I'll eat what I want! Point in hand: went to the store today , as I did'nt have time to make cole slaw,I went to Safeway , and got a pound of slaw. Chemicals , junk food , what a mistake. Give me a hunting licsense any day!!!


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## taxlady (Jan 4, 2012)

Faux is French for false.


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## 4meandthem (Jan 4, 2012)

The ducks aren't being mistreated and they don't mind it!
I however mind being shoved into a airline seat where I can't move and can't eat eat for hours.

Another mindless law! As of yesterday I can't get a plastic bag from from the grocery store to take my fois gras home in either. I had to purchase several reusable bags that took ten times the amount of plastic to produce and will break down even slower.I also have to purchase plastic bags now to line my garbage can since I can't re-use the purchased ones regularly.

Maybe we could eliminate a few of the lawmaker jobs and hire back a few of the firefighters and police we lost.

The pate recipe looks great and probably just as satisfying as the real thing but we should have the right to choose for ourselves shouldn't we.

My FIL like to make sandwiches out of pate and they are pretty good.
White bread, mayo (why not at this point),pate,pickle,tomatoe,lettuce and fresh ground pepper. I bet bacon would be good too. I will have to try it.


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## salt and pepper (Jan 4, 2012)

4meandthem, good comment! They are not law makers , they are law TAKERS!
 OK , Lets get back to cooking.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Jan 4, 2012)

salt and pepper said:


> Is FAUX  a Califorina word?


I thought it was a "news" channel.
I visited a few F/gras farm in Perigord when driving to the South of France.They all had feeding times up for visitors to view the method.
Rather like cows the birds on hearing the doors of the feeding barn open waddled inside and I kid you not fought to get the tube in them.
Question what do you think happens to the carcasses ?


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## ChefJune (Jan 4, 2012)

salt and pepper said:


> Is FAUX a Califorina word?


 
Of course not! It's a French word that mean fake or imitation. as in faux fur or faux leather....


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## Timothy (Jan 4, 2012)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> I thought it was a "news" channel.


 
Nope, that would of course, be "Fox News" Fox and Faux are pronounced the same, but Fox is the cable news station which in 2010, took the top 10 spots for most watched cable news programs in the age 25–54 demographic and the top 12 spots among total cable news programs viewers. It's popular among some less sophisticated people to make fun of those who are at the top, just because they ARE at the top and an easy target. I cringe each time I hear the "Faux News" slur.


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## CharlieD (Jan 4, 2012)

I'm sorry Timothy, i do not watch FOX news, but what you said is insulting to people eveuywhere. Typical liberal propaganda, which is only liberal when people agree with them.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jan 4, 2012)

Timothy said:


> Fox and Faux are pronounced the same...



Faux is pronounced to rhyme with "foe" or "foh." faux (has audio example)



CharlieD said:


> I'm sorry Timothy, i do not watch FOX news, but what you said is insulting to people eveuywhere. Typical liberal propaganda, which is only liberal when people agree with them.



Perhaps there's a reason politics should not be discussed at the dinner table.


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## lyndalou (Jan 4, 2012)

I hear you, Greg. and yes. Faux is pronounced "foe"


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## Timothy (Jan 4, 2012)

lyndalou said:


> I hear you, Greg. and yes. Faux is pronounced "foe"


Sorry about that. I've seen it used as "Fox" so many times...


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## ChefJune (Jan 4, 2012)

Timothy said:


> Fox and Faux are pronounced the same,


 
I don't think so, Timothy.  Fox is pronounced.... well, "Fox," but Faux is pronounced "Foh."


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## Timothy (Jan 4, 2012)

ChefJune said:


> I don't think so, Timothy. Fox is pronounced.... well, "Fox," but Faux is pronounced "Foh."


 
Yes, obviously I'd forgotten. My point still stands.


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## Dawgluver (Jan 4, 2012)

My brother took my mom shopping for a coat a few years ago.  She told the salesman she was looking for faux fur.  He showed her a coat that she liked.  The very distingushed looking salesman then asked, " And now, madam, for your other three furs?"


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## taxlady (Jan 4, 2012)

Dawgluver said:


> My brother took my mom shopping for a coat a few years ago.  She told the salesman she was looking for faux fur.  He showed her a coat that she liked.  The very distingushed looking salesman then asked, " And now, madam, for your other three furs?"


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## Timothy (Jan 4, 2012)

Dawgluver said:


> My brother took my mom shopping for a coat a few years ago. She told the salesman she was looking for faux fur. He showed her a coat that she liked. The very distingushed looking salesman then asked, " And now, madam, for your other three furs?"


 
Now THAT'S funny!


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## jusnikki (Jan 4, 2012)

How do you force feed a goose?? And why did they have to force feed it? Annnnd why would they have to outlaw goose liver???? LoL


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## Timothy (Jan 4, 2012)

jusnikki said:


> How do you force feed a goose?? And why did they have to force feed it? Annnnd why would they have to outlaw goose liver???? LoL


I think they actually put a funnel down it's neck and push food into it.

The gooses body, in responce to its massive over eating, grows a over-large liver.

Who was the person who figured that out? "Oh, I think I'll stick a funnel down this gooses neck and feed it 20 times it's normal amount per/day"

Weird.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jan 4, 2012)

I think it's liver products made from the livers of geese that were force fed that was banned, not livers from normally fed geese.

I was thinking that starting out with ordinary goose livers might be good for this recipe, but the livers would probably be pretty expensive (compared to chicken livers) and it's hard enough to find geese in markets anyway. IIRC I've never seen anything but whole geese at local supermarkets and butchers.


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## jusnikki (Jan 4, 2012)

Timothy said:


> I think they actually put a funnel down it's neck and push food into it.
> 
> The gooses body, in responce to its massive over eating, grows a over-large liver.
> 
> ...


 

THat's the first I've heard of that. LOL, poor geese. So why not outlaw the force feeding? Why outlaw pate? I'm gonna have to google this..lol.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jan 4, 2012)

jusnikki said:


> So why not outlaw the force feeding? Why outlaw pate?



If you outlaw the practice of force feeding you have to enforce it at the source. Good luck US trying to enforce US laws in EU. (I'm imagining US special forces parachuting into French farms that raise geese.)

By outlawing the product the law can be enforced at the US border, or border of other jurisdiction having the law.


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## Dawgluver (Jan 4, 2012)

Checked Wikipedia, force feeding is the law in France for true foie gras.  If they do it differently, they have to call it something else.


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## Timothy (Jan 4, 2012)

jusnikki said:


> THat's the first I've heard of that. LOL, poor geese. So why not outlaw the force feeding? Why outlaw pate? I'm gonna have to google this..lol.


 
I guess there is no way to tell by the pate itself if forced-feeding was performed.

Your new hairstyle is nice, Nikki. You old one was very nice too. It makes no difference what beautiful women do to their hair; it always looks great!


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## Andy M. (Jan 4, 2012)

Timothy said:


> I guess there is no way to tell by the pate itself if forced-feeding was performed.
> 
> Your new hairstyle is nice, Nikki. You old one was very nice too. It makes no difference what beautiful women do to their hair; it always looks great!




You can tell by the name, assuming the product is accurately named.  Paté de foie gras is goose liver paté made with force fed goose liver.  Paté translates to paste, foie is goose liver and gras means fat or big.

Foie gras is just the fattened goose liver, which can be cooked up on its own for a delectable appetizer.  

BTW, force fed duck liver is sometimes sold as foie gras too.


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## Timothy (Jan 4, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> You can tell by the name, assuming the product is accurately named. Paté de fois gras is goose liver paté made with force fed goose liver. Paté translates to paste, fois is goose liver and gras means fat or big.
> 
> Fois gras is just the fattened goose liver, which can be cooked up on its own for a delectable appetizer.
> 
> BTW, force fed duck liver is sometimes sold as fois gras too.


 
Thanks Andy. That's very informative. I flunked high school French.

Mercy Bucket Mon Sewer! See what I mean?


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## Andy M. (Jan 4, 2012)

Timothy said:


> Thanks Andy. That's very informative. I flunked high school French.
> 
> Mercy Bucket Mon Sewer! See what I mean?



You're welcome.

I had no problem understanding that.


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## Greg Who Cooks (Jan 4, 2012)

Dawgluver said:


> Checked Wikipedia, force feeding is the law in France for true foie gras.  If they do it differently, they have to call it something else.



That's ironic that the French have laws  requiring it, while some/many US states have laws forbidding it.

I forgot what the Europeans call it, but I guess like Champagne must be from grapes grown in that region of France, or otherwise it has to be called sparkling wine. However California can produce and market Champagne, but obviously can't be sold in EU unless perhaps they relabel it. 

They can probably do it in EU without force feeding as long as they call it something else, maybe _liver paste made from free range ducks_.


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## jusnikki (Jan 4, 2012)

Timothy said:


> I guess there is no way to tell by the pate itself if forced-feeding was performed.
> 
> Your new hairstyle is nice, Nikki. You old one was very nice too. It makes no difference what beautiful women do to their hair; it always looks great!


 

Awww thank ya Tim... Yea I guess you couldn't look at the pate and say, "this goose was force fed"...lolol. But I do feel sorry for the birds.. You know how you feel when you over eat...I bet that's how they feel...


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## jusnikki (Jan 4, 2012)

Andy M. said:


> You can tell by the name, assuming the product is accurately named. Paté de foie gras is goose liver paté made with force fed goose liver. Paté translates to paste, foie is goose liver and gras means fat or big.
> 
> Foie gras is just the fattened goose liver, which can be cooked up on its own for a delectable appetizer.
> 
> BTW, force fed duck liver is sometimes sold as foie gras too.


 
Oooh so you can tell.... ya think it changes the flavor?


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## Andy M. (Jan 4, 2012)

jusnikki said:


> Oooh so you can tell.... ya think it changes the flavor?



Yes, I do.  I've never had the two side by side so can't describe it.


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## Silversage (Jan 4, 2012)

I don't care what the laws are or where it comes from.  Foie Gras is on my top 10 list of favorite foods!


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## Bolas De Fraile (Jan 5, 2012)

As a kid my Mum raised Geese and Ducks, unlike chicken they will not thrive and produce eggs in an enclosed cage(for those with qualms about F/G I hope you only eat free range chicken products ie the livers for faux gras),I was given the most dangerous job feeding the geese.The difficult part was stopping the dominant birds hogging the food.Geese are vicious and will eat as much as you can put in front of them, if they could speak the battle cry would be "SUPER SIZE ME".
I repeat I have visited F/G farms, these are not the concentration camps for chickens that exist in both our countries us to produce the large amount of eggs for our food industries.They are nurtured because of the value of the liver.
I will only eat non crated rose veal,how many states in the US have banned this practice?


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## ChefJune (Jan 5, 2012)

Dawgluver said:


> Checked Wikipedia, force feeding is the law in France for true foie gras. If they do it differently, they have to call it something else.


 
Wikipedia is NOT the ultimate authority for much of anything.  Anyone can post "facts" there.

If you want some authentic information try the *Hudson Valley Foie Gras* web site (click on the title.)


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## Timothy (Jan 5, 2012)

ChefJune said:


> Wikipedia is NOT the ultimate authority for much of anything. Anyone can post "facts" there.
> 
> If you want some authentic information try the *Hudson Valley Foie Gras* web site (click on the title.)


 
I find that Wiki is a GREAT place to *start* research on almost any topic. It will provide enough information to give direction to any remaining research I wish to do.

I think Wikipedia is a fantastic service. It's almost unbelievably huge. In another ten years, I think it will be the largest database of information on the planet.

The information in it is verified. Try posting some nonsense on it and see what happens to your post. I tried once and my post never even appeared. It was canceled prior to being put on the page, so I have to disagree with your statement that "Anyone can post "facts" there." It's true only if the facts are really true facts. Anything you find on Wiki that isn't true, you can report easily and it will be removed promptly.


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## taxlady (Jan 5, 2012)

ChefJune said:


> Wikipedia is NOT the ultimate authority for much of anything.  Anyone can post "facts" there.
> 
> If you want some authentic information try the *Hudson Valley Foie Gras* web site (click on the title.)



A commercial website is more authentic?

Interesting link. I suspect that force feeding ducks and geese can be either humane or cruel.

From the Hudson Valley Foie Gras website: "Our trained caretakers spend four times as much caring for each animal as is the case in other foie gras farms."

There's obviously variation in how it is done.

I have certainly read, other than on Wikipedia, that force feeding is a requirement for calling it "foie gras" in France.


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## GB (Jan 5, 2012)

I was listening to a story on NPR a week ago where they were talking to a chef in Spain who has figured out how to get the geese to overeat on their own without force feeding them. He claims that geese naturally overeat if left to their own devices. The trick is that the geese must think they are free and not captive. This means no fences, not feeding bins, not indoor facilities and lots of loss to natural preditores. the chef (I forget his name) has won awards for his foie gras. An American chef heard of this and flew to Spain to learn his techniques. He has tried to recreate this in the states, but without luck so far.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 5, 2012)

Wow!  And I was only trying to give everyone a recipe that they could make at home.  Foie Gras isn't even available anywhere close to where I live, legal or illegal; and so I make my chicken liver pate' as a way to get some "good eats" on my table.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## GB (Jan 5, 2012)

GB said:


> I was listening to a story on NPR a week ago where they were talking to a chef in Spain who has figured out how to get the geese to overeat on their own without force feeding them. He claims that geese naturally overeat if left to their own devices. The trick is that the geese must think they are free and not captive. This means no fences, not feeding bins, not indoor facilities and lots of loss to natural preditores. the chef (I forget his name) has won awards for his foie gras. An American chef heard of this and flew to Spain to learn his techniques. He has tried to recreate this in the states, but without luck so far.


Here is a link to the audio story for anyone interested. It is worth the listen.

Act Three. Latin Liver. | Poultry Slam 2011 | This American Life


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## taxlady (Jan 5, 2012)

GB said:


> Here is a link to the audio story for anyone interested. It is worth the listen.
> 
> Act Three. Latin Liver. | Poultry Slam 2011 | This American Life



Neato


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## Timothy (Jan 6, 2012)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Wow! And I was only trying to give everyone a recipe that they could make at home. Foie Gras isn't even available anywhere close to where I live, legal or illegal; and so I make my chicken liver pate' as a way to get some "good eats" on my table.
> 
> Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


And good eats it is too, CLN. Chicken Liver Pate is one of my favorite snack foods.  Some Ritz, some cheese and CLP and I'm a happy camper.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Sep 24, 2013)

To that pate' recipe at the beginning of this thread, add 1/8 tsp. ground ginger.  It takes the flavor to a whole new, and delicious level.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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