Customer Reviews

Foie Gras: A Passion

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is truly a one volume reference on the subject of foie gras. Mr. Ginor devoted a lot of time into the research of this book, and it shows throughout. Extensive research went into the historical portion. How foie gras came to hold its status is explained. The social and cultural elements are covered and explained. Foie Gras is a subject of controversy, both in regard to health and in regard to "animal rights". The book covers both areas, tactfully and tastefully. His arguments in defense of foie gras are well thought out and historically justified.

The recipe section of the book is beautifully done. The presentations are mouthwatering and the photography is gorgeous! The recipes cover the entire spectrum, if it can be done with foie gras, it is in here!. I found a few of the recipes to be a little far fetched, but that is only a matter of my taste, no reflection on the recipe creator, or of the author. A vast majority of them are wonderful! I am anxious to serve tham to my customers!

I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject of foie gras. I feel it to be essential in the reference library of the Professional Chef! Mr. Ginor: Very Nicely Done!

The recipes are great, well explained, and with phenomenal pictures. I also enjoyed learning how ducks are farmed and how the force-feed process works, so I can better understand why animal right rights activists complain.

However, I find it unacceptable to see so many pages dedicated to the history of Foie Gras, while only 2 pages cover a key part of cooking foie gras, which is how to clean and prepare it. And there are no pictures of that procedure.

Unlike Ginor, I tried foie gras much younger than him, I was about 10 years old and the same passion (Ginor's) began for me, living in Europe at the time my family and I enjoyed eating foie gras (not in middle east recipes!!) but just on a grilled "pain de campagne". The book is a good approach for newcomers in the business because it explains the history, process etc...

The recipes are great because they come out of the normal stuff we are used to, like foie gras au bocal, foie gras au torchon, foie gras saute au sauternes, foie gras with apples etc.. this book goes far beyond that with foie gras tamales, foie gras with poblano chile, foie gras with chutney, surf & Turf foie gras with grapefruit etc.. (a must have if you work or love foie gras)

A good source of inspiration for restaurateurs and chefs

Great presentation tips (very profesional pics.)

This book is highly uneven in its quality. Luxury food items often bring out authors that just want to make a quick buck. This book is written by a goose farmer so it is sad to see it fall into that same category.

The history section is 75 pages long. I would say too long, but that is my personal viewpoint. More important are the "missing" parts of the book:

First, we hardly get any information about different ways foie gras is sold; whole, pieces, reconstituted. We don't get any information about conservation techniques; for instance would it have been nice with a discussion of fresh versus pasteurised, etc.

Second, there are no simple foie gras recipes at all, but around 100 haute cuisine recipes. This is totally unacceptable. I don't mind the very fancy dishes at all, but the joy of eating foie gras gets totally lost in the book. Where is the section on just eating it cold with some good bread? Where is the section on simple accompanying ingredients, like figs, etc. Where is the section on quick pan-searing of the foie gras? These simple ways of eating foie gras are very joyful and it is a crime to leave them out all together.

This is not a forum for open discussion about the method of making Foie. This review section is about a book and how well it was written and the information you get from it. This is a great book about the preparation of Foie and some really nice pictures as well. I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in Foie.

This is the best book I have found on the subject. Like another reviewer said it's a shame the overall score was lowered by political rants of an uneducated reviewer.

I was thrilled to discover this lovely book and promptly gave it as a gift to a dear friend who loves to cook. I also sent a pound of foie gras under separate cover to accompany the book. My pal was thrilled to receive these companion gifts. As for those who complain about the complexity of the recipes - I think they are missing the point. Many, many years ago, the very first $40 cookbook - a Four Seasons cookbook - contained a recipe that called for the marrow of a thrush's spine. Even today in NYC, there are perhaps a very small number of chefs who would be able to find such an ingredient but that was not the point back then and it is not today. First and foremost, beautiful cookbooks are meant to provide a delicious read. This one does that and more. The book is a work of art, in addition to providing how-to prepare advice from a source with extraordinary first-hand knowledge.

Amazing book devoted to an amazing product. This book is so informative, that reading it, you can almost taste a slice of heaven.

It's such a pleasure to finally have a book on the greatest food ever.

Life is too short not to have this sort of culinary experience often! Divine - decadent - sensuous!!! What more can I add? Now you can have the info to prepare this wondrous food at home (or should I say - in private!). and beautiful pictures to relive or fantasize about the experience. Bon Appetit!

It's unfortunate that this book's rating has been artifically lowered by the political rants of a reviewer whose sole purpose was to find a soapbox on which to pontificate against the evils of carnivors. However, if you're serious about the subject, you won't find a better (or more mouthwatering!) treatment.