Few ingredients inspire more high-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 and engaging account of this luxurious ingredient’s history and production from ancient Egypt to modern times. Kolpas also explores how foie gras has inspired writers, artists and musicians including Homer, Melville, Asimov, Monet and Rossini. The book includes a guide to purchasing, preparing and serving foie gras as well as 10 easy recipes from classic dishes to contemporary treats.

"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." - Booklist

"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." - Spectator

"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 latter is treated to a summary of the 4,500 year history of foie gras, from Ancient Greece, Egypt, and Rome, to Jewish cooks in the Middle Ages, Escoffer's 85 recipes, and its role in Hungarian cuisine." - The Field

"Kolpas strives to provide a balanced account of this debated pâté’s history and production from ancient Egypt to modern times." - Montecito