The Foie Gras Wars: How a 5,000-Year-Old Delicacy Inspired the World's Fiercest Food Fight

by Mark Caro

In announcing that he had stopped serving the fattened livers of force-fed ducks and geese at his world-renowned restaurant, influential chef Charlie Trotter heaved a grenade into a simmering food fight, and the Foie Gras Wars erupted. He said his morally minded menu revision was meant merely to raise consciousness, but what was he thinking when he also suggested -- to Chicago Tribune reporter Mark Caro -- that a rival four-star chef 's liver be eaten as "a little treat"? The reaction to Caro's subsequent front-page story was explosive, as Trotter's sizable hometown moved to ban the ancient delicacy known as foie gras while an international array of activists, farmers, chefs and politicians clashed forcefully and sometimes violently over whether fattening birds for the sake of scrumptious livers amounts to ethical agriculture or torture. "Take a dish with a funny French name, add ducks, top it all off with celebrity chefs eating each other's livers, and that's entertainment," Caro writes. Yet as absurd as battling over bloated waterfowl organs might seem, the controversy struck a serious chord even among those who had never tasted the stuff. Reporting from the front lines of this passionate dining debate, Caro explores the questions we too often What is an acceptable amount of suffering for an animal that winds up on our plate? Is a duck that lives comfortably for twelve weeks before enduring a few weeks of periodic force-feedings worse off than a supermarket broiler chicken that never sees the light of day over its six to seven weeks on earth? Why is the animal-rights movement picking on such a rarefied dish when so many more chickens, pigs and cows are being processed on factory farms? Then again, how could the treatment of other animals possibly justify the practice of feeding a duck through a metal tube down its throat? In his relentless yet good-humored pursuit of clarity, Caro takes us to the streets where activists use bullhorns, spray paint, Superglue and/or lawsuits as their weapons; the government chambers where politicians weigh the ducks' interests against their own; the restaurants and outlaw dining clubs where haute cuisine preparations coexist with Foie-lipops; and the U.S. and French farms whose operators maintain that they are honoring tradition, not abusing animals. Can foie gras survive after 5,000 years? Are we on the verge of a more enlightened era of eating? Can both answers be yes? Our appetites hang in the balance.

Genres: Food, Nonfiction, History, Animals, Politics, Food Writing, Culinary

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a longtime vegetarian/near-vegan, I bought and read this book with a bit of apprehension - clearly the author was not on an anti-foie crusade, and I wasn't sure it was going to be a pleasant read. However, I was quickly reassured by the authors thoroughness in presenting all the information, and listening to all the different stakeholders.

That's not to say that the book is completely "objective" (as if such a thing were possible), or that the author's own views on the subject don't come through (hint - he's not a vegetarian and he's eaten his share of foie gras), but I think he does a really good job of presenting the information in an informative (and sometimes even funny) way.

What I was more pleasantly surprised by was that the book really delves into the moral complexities involved. While the author isn't a vegetarian, he has clearly thought about the moral issues involved in eating meat, as well as the problems posed by factory farming. I think he poses some compelling arguments that the distress to the animals from the gavage (force-feeding) is not as bad as one might imagine, and he pokes holes in some of the more extreme arguments made by animal rights advocates.

Worth reading for anyone who's curious about where their food comes from, regardless of their stance on the issue of force-feeding.

[Mike Crawford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely an interesting read, but only 3 stars because I found myself skipping around the book. Caro breaks up his stories a bit -- kind of like what you find on TV shows with multiple story lines -- and I couldn't be bothered to wait until he decided to get back to the story I was interested in to finish it off (e.g. in one case I wanted to follow the story of the Chicago city council vote without having to wait a couple hundred pages for it to be resolved). I also would skip around because I wanted to read about specific chefs and their responses to the increasing pressure to ban foie gras (Bourdain has a limited role, but you'll find all sorts of Philadelphia and Chicago chefs mentioned). I think the only section that is relatively coherent is the long string of farms that he visits to describe the condition of the animals. So I limit my stars because I didn't like the book's structure -- an admittedly subjective opinion.

But I liked reading the book and finding myself getting irritated by one side or the other, which was unexpected since I went into it thinking I was on the fence about the topic. I think I actually was just not very informed. And that's the result of this book. Caro, to my read, is not a proponent of either pro- or anti- foie gras, which is great. However, I did find that the book made me more "one side or the other" rather than "middle of the road" -- and in this case I think that polarization of the reader is a good thing.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting topic that turns into a very long tale. The book is as much the story of Caro's research as it is the 'wars'. The wars are overly detailed and became quite boring. This would have made a great multipart newspaper article.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very educational and should be must reading for anyone involved with animal activism and especially anyone protesting foie gras today.
I was around back when the events of the book were happening (around 2006-2008) so it is personally very interesting to read the chapters on the foie gras campaign in Philadelphia, which is discussed in detail in a few chapters of the book.
Foie gras was a red hot issue in the mid 2000's, partly because Chicago had passed a ban on it (later rescinded). There is a lot of fascinating backstory on what transpired behind the scenes and how the ban passed, and then failed.
It's very well written and overall unbiased - highly recommended!!

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great book to end the year with. Caro thoroughly researched this book by going to the source - visiting farms, council meetings, restaurants, etc. to get to the truth.

While the book is about a decade old I'd argue it's still relevant as the connection between animal ethics and our dinner tables is timeless.

[B Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seemed reasonably balanced. Anyway, I will continue to order Foie Gras whenever I see it.

[Emmy]

Not bad, but not holding my interest very well, either. I guess I realized as I got a few chapters in that I just don't care enough about fatty goose livers to read this whole book.

[Anon Mouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! Great research, funny, easy to read, educational, entertaining.

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is nearly impossible to make a sweet-and-sour sauce which is neither too sweet nor too sour. Striking the perfect balance is the mark of a truly expert chef. It is nearly impossible to write a book describing the collision of people for and against the production and service of foie gras which favours neither side in the controversy. Striking the perfect balance is the mark of a truly expert writer. Mark Caro, a journalist reporting for the Chicago Tribune, did it. In his book "The Foie Gras Wars," Caro dispassionately sets forth the positions of wild-eyed animal-rights terrorists whose methods are akin to those of organized crime and the Taliban, callous food giants who reduce an animal's existence to a boxed life calculated only to produce the most product for the least money, sincere and reasonable animal-rights advocates, and those who grow and serve foie gras in a sensible and responsible way. The reader is not only led to an understanding of the controversy -- shall ducks and geese be force-fed for the last few weeks of their lives to produce enlarged livers which taste very good -- but to an understanding of the politics of food, which is of more general application. Only a few readers are inclined to pick up a book on the ethics of eating; this would be an exceptionally good choice were one to choose only one such book.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thought-provoking book - and a fascinating look at how politics work, what gets done and what doesn't and why, how an issue arises and subsides. Although I'm a vegetarian and not likely to eat foie gras, I appreciated the way the author so thoroughly explored the issue of whether or not animal cruelty is involved in its production. What it came down to, for me, is how much the specifics of each human/animal situation matter and how difficult it is to make rules that cover all possibilities. It was appalling and uncomfortable to me to read about the tactics used by some animal rights organizations in this story, as well as to see how focusing on what people see as an attainable goal can pervert their basic values and purposes. Pretty easy to lose sight of the forest while you're stressing over a particular tree. I gave the book only 3 stars instead of 4 because I thought it could very easily have been edited down to a shorter version without losing anything important. Had to slog through some parts of it wondering when it might ever pick up again. I nevertheless recommend it for those virtues it does have and the opportunity to think about how we live and eat.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly entertaining and informative exploration of the world of foie gras - those who love it, loathe it, and the political fracas that result when the two meet. Mr. Caro explores the modern struggles of food lovers and animal lovers from its genesis in Chicago, when Charlie Trotter banned foie gras after visiting an unnamed (and likely fictional) foie gras farm, to its ban by the city of Chicago, and subsequent repeal.

Mr. Caro engages in extensive interviews of all sides of this controversy, and largely lets each party's views stand through their own words. Overall, Mr. Caro keeps his viewpoints to himself, but I suspect he is eventually OK with foie gras, but will keep its intake to a minimum out of dietary concerns.

Whether you love foie gras or loathe it (for the record, I love it), you'll find much to enjoy in reading this book. If you are largely indifferent to the controversy but love the intrigue of old-time back room politics, you'll find much to like in here, as well - especially the Chicago-centric chapters.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I remember, back in the day, some activists set loose a bunch of ducks from a foie gras farm. I thought "That's pretty cool. Go activists!" Now, I wouldn't say that.

The book is a thorough and funny explanation of the controversy surrounding foie gras and how it's produced. (Ducks or geese are force fed over a period of weeks to make their livers fatty.) The author takes tours of factories and farms, goes to France, visits restaurants, brings protesters and farmers together for heated debate, hangs around city council meetings, and generally makes a full time job of it. It's all more than you need to know about foie gras -- by the end of the book, Caro writes that even his sources are amazed he's still researching the subject. But I love it because I remember my reaction to the duck escape -- having all these behind-the-scenes details is like seeing the man behind the curtain.

Is foie gras cruel? Depends on how it's produced. Like all meat product, actually. Right?

[Lucy Montgomery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is there anything you would like to know about foie gras? Everything you might be interested in learning (and more) can be found in The Foie Gras Wars. The book was a comprehensive examination of the controversy surrounding foie gras (due to the force-feeding of the geese or ducks whose livers are used to make it) -- it includes everything from the history of force-fed fowl to details about production methods in the US and France, the preparation/cooking methods of rural French farmers and highly-trained chefs to animal rights activists, organizations, and their protests and current legalislative issues. I enjoyed the book -- it is well-written, avoids heavy-handed commentary and presents varying options fairly -- but it does feel long and somewhat over-detailed. I think it could have used some additional editing, simply to make it shorter and faster-paced.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are living in an age when it’s no longer enough to sit down and enjoy a meal. There are people ready to take up the cudgels to protect animals and there are those just as fierce in their determination to kill, prepare and eat anything that ever drew breath. This book digs deep into the rationale, philosophies, politics, history and social mores of the passionate adherents on both sides of the question. To eat meat or not? And if you eat meat, where do you stop? Whether you eat fois gras or have never even heard of the stuff (“It comes from what?!?”), you’ll likely have an opinion yourself about whether it should be eaten by human beings or simply find yourself arguing out loud, defending your food choices, as you read. An engaging, absorbing book about the historical nature of food stuff in particular and mankind’s eating habits in general.

[Hallie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview of the foie gras industry in general, the rise of the industry in the US, and the controversy that circled it in the past few decades. One sign for me that this was a good book and a good read was how annoyed I got reading through different parts of this book - putting aside which side of the argument I personally support, the fact that the author did such a good job of laying out the issue and depicting what happened in California, Chicago, and Philly speaks to how well he was able to explain the matter in simple and compelling terms.

Make no mistake, though - as much as the author does try to spell out both sides of the argument for and against this industry, at the end of the day this book definitely leans towards support of the industry. Animal rights activists beware.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about
a)The French delicacy Foie Gras, which is made from fattened goose or duck livers
b)Animal rights activists
c)Politics
d)all of the above
The answer is "d".
For the most part this book reads like a Carl Hiassen novel, full of wily characters, dastardly doings in city council chambers, unwitting farm fowl and one luxury food item that ties them altogether. "The Foie Gras Wars" is full of balanced reporting on a highly controversial subject. I had no idea how controversial actually, and learned so much about not only foie gras, but the politics of food and animal rights causes.

[Adam Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was for foie gras before, and this made me even more comfortable on my position. It shows how easily shock tactics can be used to sway an uninformed public, and it also shows how many of the campaigners relied upon those same shock tactics as the only source of information. The reader can easily make up their own mind from the book, and that there is so much more involved within the whole situation than both sides of the controversy show.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting take on all sides of the foie gras issue. Speaking as someone who raises her own cage-free almost-free-range chickens, I was most interested in the description of he foie gras farms and the feeding (gavage) methods. I'll let you form your own opinion on whether it's "torture" for the ducks and geese or not, but I fond my opinion changing the more I read.

The book also made me hungry for foie gras, which I've never had before - I'm curious as to how it tastes.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it. Must try foie gras again, ate it a couple of times in France but did not know much about it at the time.
Makes an interesting point about the ethics of eating animals and what "suffering" means. Force feeding ducks and geese doesn't sound as bad as battery hens laying eggs or crated pigs! So if you object to foie gras you should become vegan.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting to learn about the process of "making" foie gras. I love the stuff, and this book did not convince me to not eat it (although it is more difficult to find here in California). But, when offered a choice, I would definitely choose more "humanely" processed liver. I think that the processing of chickens in the US is a much more horrid problem that needs to be dealt with.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know much about Foie Gras, and I've never actually had it. But, this interested me as I like to learn about the production and science of the food we eat. It doesn't take a stance whether pro or con Foie, but it does give you enough information to decide for yourself.

[Elizabeth]

As heard on "Midday" on WYPR.

[JulieK · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author's lively, chatty style makes this much more entertaining than you would think.

[Katrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

kind of boring and too long, I mean there is only so much that can be said - pro and con - about Foie Gras.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for foodies, even those who don't eat foie gras.

[Anne Bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining read for a foodie. I thought it was even-handed and well-written.

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book actually made me want to eat foie grasmore often. Insightful, well balanced and very well researched.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

foodies will love the interesting journalistic style of this book.

[k reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Thorough and even handed. The author has done copious amounts of research and it bogs down a bit in the middle but for the most part, an interesting read.

[John Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific food writing with that rare POV in journalism: balanced.