Foie Gras: A Passion Book

Rich and silky, fresh foie gras is one of the world's great foods. But until the mid-80s, due to importation restrictions and without domestic production, none was available here. Michael A. Ginor, proprietor of Hudson Valley Foie Gras, was among the first to establish production of domestic duck foie gras, which excited the livers' current popularity. Foie Gras: A Passion, by Ginor and Mitchell Davis, celebrates foie gras in words and pictures; though it contains 80 chef-created foie gras recipes, accompanied by alluring color photos, the book is best appreciated for its thorough exploration of its subject. Those interested in this extraordinary specialty, and its place in modern American cooking, will embrace the book.

Commencing with a comprehensive exploration of foie gras history, which began with geese domestication in ancient Egypt, and continuing with an exploration of its production and use in Europe and America (there's a fascinating glimpse of foie gras's role in 19th-century Jewish cooking), the book then limns the modern methods by which foie gras is obtained and sold. The authors also address animal rights issues--they maintain that liver-fattening methods respect the birds' eating habits and physiology--and provide notes on wine and foie gras pairings as well as practical purchasing, cooking, and handling information. Recipes such as Caramelized Torte of Foie Gras, Smoked Eel, Spring Onion, and Apple are featured, as are the work of chefs including André Daguin, Emeril Lagasse, Jacques Pépin, and Charlie Trotter. If the recipes are beyond the reach (and pocketbook) of most cooks, there is much else to enjoy and ponder in this singular food book, a vital addition to a culinary library. --Arthur Boehm