04-01-2015
It may seem a fairy-tale, yet it is true. In Extremadura Eduardo Sousa produces foie gras from geese and ducks without depriving them of their freedom and without any forced feeding. An approach that charmed American chef Dan Barber, both for the ethics of its production and for the extraordinary quality of this fat liver
We’re in Pallarés, a small village in Extremadura, Spain. 400 people, no demographic boom to be expected. Over here, however, in the dehesa that characterises this region (you can read about it here), thousands of geese run free. They eat what they find on the ground, they fly, they explore the surroundings and most of all they return to where they came from. It is in that place that they will be slaughtered, to extract an excellent foie gras. This, however, without ever using forced feeding, not even once, and without depriving them of their freedom (so should they decide to escape... nothing or no-one could prevent them to do so). All this takes place at Pateria de Sousa, run by Eduardo Sousa, who’s only task was to continue a centennial tradition. Indeed, this story begins in 1812, when Martin, Eduardo’s grandfather, arrived to Extremadura from Denmark. At the time, this was one of the less inhabited and wildest regions in Spain, and it still is. Grandfather Martin soon noticed that during the periodical migrations, many geese and ducks would fly over his property; they were exactly on the migratory route of these birds. What he didn’t expect, however, was that some of the geese would start to stop in his fields, attracted by the natural marshland in this region, by the mild climate, the great quantity of food available in this land. Foie gras, it can be easily imagined, is not an invention of man. So by observing these free geese, the Sousa noticed how, in order to get ready to the next migration, these birds (geese but also ducks) would eat large quantities of grass and acorns, in order to accumulate a big fat provision that they would then assimilate during the long journey (between 5K and 10K km). The consequent fatty liver is therefore absolutely natural.
A photo of the fields at Pateria de Sousa
Eduardo Sousa together with his French partner Diego Labourdette
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Journalist, based in Milan. At 8 years old, he received a Springsteen record as a gift, and nothing was the same since. Music and food are his passions. Author and broadcaster at Radio Popolare since 1997, since 2014 he became part of the staff of Identità Golose Instagram: @NiccoloVecchia