Few ingredients inspire more soaring praise and provoke greater outrage than foie gras. Literally meaning “fat liver,” foie gras is traditionally produced by force-feeding geese or ducks, a process which has become the object of widespread controversy and debate. In
Foie Gras: A Global History, Norman Kolpas strives to provide a balanced account of this luxurious ingredient’s history and production from ancient Egypt to modern times. Kolpas also explores how foie gras has inspired famous writers, artists, and musicians including Homer, Herman Melville, Isaac Asimov, Claude Monet, and Gioachino Antonio Rossini. The book includes a guide to purchasing, preparing, and serving foie gras, as well as ten easy recipes, from classic dishes to contemporary treats.
Norman Kolpasis a widely published writer and editor on lifestyle topics, including food, art, architecture, and travel. The author of more than forty books, he also writes for magazines including
Southwest Artand
Western Art & Architecture. He is based in Los Angeles.
"A savory, unctuous delight, foie gras ranks near the top of a gourmet’s most prized and coveted gustatory pleasures. . . . Kolpas inventories foie gras’ appearance in literature (Melville, Maugham), art (Monet), and even music (Rossini). Full color pictures entice, and Kolpas’s enthusiasm shines forth throughout, yet, he refrains from belittling foie gras’ adversaries."
"Kolpas argues that overfeeding geese mimics what pre-migratory birds do naturally, and our disapproval betrays an ignorance of bird physiology. . . . [An] excellent, brief chronicle of foie gras."
"Whether the recent decision of Fortnum & Mason to stop selling foie gras has you applauding or appalled will depend on where you stand when contemplating this French delectable. Kolpas's work will probably not be of interest to the former camp, but the lattelÓx
![Foie Gras: A Global History [Hardcover]](/itemImage/2/7/1/3/2_4476316.jpg "Foie Gras: A Global History [Hardcover]")