Israel Romero / Tuesday, March 16, 2021 / Categories: Blog The origins of foie gras El Foie Gras Since humans began to settle and abandoned hunting and gathering, they started domesticating animals for their sustenance. Ducks and geese have been raised all over the world, and their fat (easy to preserve) served as food year-round for peasants. Foie gras has been appreciated for more than 6,000 years. Legend has it that “foie gras” is linked to the practice of divination, which consisted of reading the entrails of animals sacrificed to the gods. After this practice, the most prized parts of the animal were used for gastronomic purposes. The Egyptians studied the behavior of wild geese and their migrations. They observed that before the long migratory journey, the geese gorge themselves, increasing their weight by almost 50%. They discovered that the fat accumulated in the liver, that organ so prized for making foie gras. To have this delicious product within reach, it was necessary to raise geese and feed them forcibly. Thus, already in Egypt (ancient empire 2845–2400 B.C.) they were gradually domesticated. In the tombs of Cairo, activities related to the breeding of waterfowl have been observed. It was probably the Greeks who transmitted this knowledge to the Romans. Then the tradition of breeding geese was carried on by the Hebrews, and later it spread across Europe, especially to France, Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria. There is also a depiction in the Louvre Museum showing an enclosure full of ducks and geese. A boy holds one of the ducks with a funnel in its mouth to put in the feed. The others seem to be waiting for the feast; some are already stretching their necks. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the domestic raising of ducks and geese became economically important. Farmers began selling foie gras in the markets, providing an extra source of income. It was not until the 19th century that foie gras gained culinary importance. “Foie gras houses” developed, becoming important places to commercialize this product. Composer Rossini, in 1857 (Paris), always praised his culinary encounters with two foie gras–based recipes. He invented the famous “Tournedos Rossini”: beef sautéed in a pan and topped with a slice of foie gras that has been briefly seared beforehand; and “Macaroni Rossini,” which are filled with foie gras, Périgord black truffles, cooked ham, all chopped and mixed with egg yolk. To this day they retain a reputation in markets such as Samatan, Brive, Sarlat, Gimont, etc. Today the regions worldwide known for their long tradition in producing this product are Alsace and southwestern France. Currently, many Eastern European countries also have foie gras operations. Surely reading this has made you hungry… I present to you the Foie Gras El Greco, produced in Barcelona — a top-quality, 100% natural product. It is made from duck liver sourced from an artisanal farm in France, located in a privileged setting surrounded by abundant aromatic vegetation. Selection and procurement are carried out personally by El Greco, thereby ensuring thorough oversight. This foie gras is salt-cured from raw material acquired in Les Landes and distinguished with the Label Rouge and the IGP Landes. It comes in some very original varieties such as mi-cuit Foie Gras with apricot and cocoa or mi-cuit Foie Gras with apple and Calvados. I encourage you to try them! Veggie Karma — vegan cheeses from another dimension The Digitization of Spanish Producers Print 2 Rate this article: No rating Please login or register to post comments.