About Hudson Valley Foie Gras

Foie gras (pronounced fwah grah) is the fattened liver of a waterfowl (either duck or goose, but in our case, only duck) produced by a special feeding process. It results in a luxurious product that is at once velvety and meaty. Historically, foie gras has been cooked in a paté or terrine and served cold. The last decade has seen the gain in US popularity of serving foie gras seared hot with a sweet and tangy fruit garnish.

Hudson Valley Foie Gras is a grower of the Moulard Duck from which Foie Gras is produced. HVFG is situated on 200 acres in Ferndale, New York, a two hour drive from Manhattan. HVFG is headed by two individuals, Izzy Yanay, a Masters in Philosophy from the Weitzman Institute in Israel, and Michael Ginor, a B.A. from Brandeis University and an M.B.A. from New York University.

The facility is unique in that all the stages of production, from breeding to packaging, exist in one location. This concept was developed by Izzy Yanay with the advent of the Moulard Duck. The Moulard Duck is a crossbreed between a Moscovy male and a Pekin female, which are artificially bred. This technique was invented in Israel in the mid 1970's and Izzy was one of the first to utilize this technology in the production of Moulard Foie Gras. As a hybrid is more resistant to disease than either parent, it become feasible for the entire production to take place under one roof. In 1982, Izzy introduced Foie Gras into the United States utilizing this plan.

Izzy Yanay, General Manager, along with Michael Ginor, President, formed Hudson Valley Foie Gras in 1989. Currently the farm distributes nationwide through gourmet and specialty food distributors. Critical acclaim from around the world has placed the company as the premier producers of Foie Gras and Moulard Duck products. Hudson Valley Foie Gras' corporate goals include the stabilizing of Foie Gras prices and the assurance of a steady supply as well as public education and increased product awareness. In keeping with the promise to develop a more economic high quality product, a significant portion of the farm's proceeds is directed toward research and development.

Hudson Valley Foie Gras is just as committed to its role as a food producer and the responsibilities and privileges which that may carry in helping, assisting and feeding the less fortunate. This is accomplished by being involved with several foundations, organizations and individual chefs who are committed to the same purposes.