Matteo's Says Farewell to Foie Gras Before Ban

Fine dining enthusiasts enjoyed foie gras legally for the last time earlier this week at  in Carmichael before it is banned.

A new California law prohibiting restaurants from selling the fatty delicacy is scheduled to take effect Sunday. Animal rights activists and chefs have locked horns over the ban, which was passed in 2004.

Matteo's hosted what it called "The Final Curtain Call on Foie Gras" on Wednesday and about 80 people enjoyed food with foie gras and wine. The ban, passed in 2004, is scheduled to take effect Sunday.

"Foie gras is a beloved delicacy for chefs around the world," said Mary Jo Ford, Matteo's wine director. "Our philosophy is family here at Matteo's so we wanted to offer an opportunity for our customers to enjoy foie gras one last time."

Guests enjoyed a foie gras BLT on sour toast; a PBJ with Foie mousse, challah toast and lingonberrie; baby red potato skins with shallot mascarpone and foie, Stu pizza cooked in foie fat and with foie bits and popcorn with foie butter.

Foie gras is created by force-feeding ducks and geese to create a plump and tender organ. Animal lovers argue that the force-feeding, which ultimately results in an almost 10 times larger liver, is cruel and causes animals unusual emotional distress.

"It's not a regular indulgence for us," said Courtney Kral, who was at Matteo's with husband Chris from Folsom. "I understand why the pan was put into place; there are better ways to make foie gras cruelty-free but it's expensive and it seems a bit much to ban it all together."

California's only foie gras producer is in Sonoma County: Sonoma-Artisan Foie Gras, whose owner Guillermo Gonzalez, told The New York Times that he'd be forced to shut down if the ban went through.

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For more about the issue, check out this report on KQED radio, this report on the Huffington Post and this report in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Additional reporting by Alexis Fitts.