Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the nation's largest producer, is used to fending off lawsuits brought by animal rights activists, but yesterday they won a bit of a reprieve. A New York State appeals court dismissed the majority of a case brought by the U.S. Humane Society, which was challenging an Empire State Development Corporation grant that Hudson Valley Foie Gras received in 2006. The court held that most of the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring......

Last week, City Councilman Tony Avella introduced a resolution to urge the state senate to outlaw the force-feeding of ducks and geese to produce foie gras. A bill has been on the back burners in Albany, and Avella hopes that his resolution will move things forward. Ariane Daugin, head of D'Artagnan, the nation's leading foie gras purveyor, had a some strong opinions to share on the matter. Read more about her opposition (and see the......

City councilman and mayoral hopeful Tony Avella held a press conference today at City Hall to spotlight a pending council resolution urging the New York State Senate to outlaw force-feeding ducks and geese to produce foie gras. A bill to ban the practice is languishing in Albany, and Avella hopes his largely symbolic gesture will push it forward. Yesterday Avella told the Village Voice that though there are only two foie gras farms in New......

The city's top restaurants represented in full force yesterday at D'Artagnan's Fourth Annual Duckathlon, a culinary competition where chefs tackle food-related and often wacky challenges throughout the Chelsea Market and Meatpacking District. Teams from Anissa, Craft, Craftsteak, Oceana, DB Bistro Moderne, Chanterelle and Gothamist's own Mother Duckers followed the duckprints around the neighborhood while guessing the weight of a suckling pig, matching testicles to their animal owners (pictured above), frantically flipping crêpes, and humiliating......

Charting the New York Times bestseller list for the third consecutive week is a memoir by the 42 year-old Las Vegas chef Jeffrey Henderson. Cooked: From the Streets to the Stove, from Cocaine to Foie Gras, is Henderson’s tale of becoming a teenage drug dealer in South Central Los Angeles, getting caught and going to federal prison, and of how Henderson ultimately flourished in restaurant kitchens as a chef, something that changed his life. When......

Anthony Bourdain, who has taken to guest-blogging for Michael Ruhlman, has already offered his opinions on Top Chef contestants. Now, he's on to bigger and better targets -- the personalities on the Food Network. He admits to watching it, "I find myself riveted by its awfulness, like watching a multi-car accident in slow motion," and has plenty to say about those who grace its airwaves. Emeril: "I STILL find him unwatchable." Giada: "Food Net seems......

January 13: Seasonal Game Cooking Class Chef Franck Delatrain of Café Centro will be cooking up seasonal game in a two hour cooking class. The menu consists of: Chestnut and Celery Root Soup with Melted Leeks and Foie Gras; Sturgeon Saltimbocca with Sage, Smoked Duck and Beluga Lentils; Fresh Pappardelle Pasta with Wild Boar Civet, Apple Smoked Bacon and Black Trumpet Mushrooms; Grilled Quail with Golden Beets and Frisee Salad, Poached Quail Egg and Spiced......

Gothamist has never had a taste for foie gras (although, some of us do) as we can't get past the fact that we're eating liver, but animal rights activists are trying to get the delicacy banned entirely. In an appeal to the state legislature, groups including the Humane Society asked the state's Department of Agriculture and Markets to label foie gras as an "adulterated" food, which is defined as food that is "diseased, contaminated, filthy,......

Ah, the end of the year. A time to look back and reflect on the things that have happend. Also, a time to get wasted. But that's neither here nor there (ok, it's a bit here, but it's ok to start drinking past noon, right?). We've already looked back at the year as we wrote it, but what about the year as you commented on it? Seems a reasonable enough request. So without further ado,......

August 19 - 26: A Celebration of Corn Zocalo is featuring one of our summer favorites with corn specials throughout the menu for one week: Mexican Popcorn at the bar, corn-on-the-cob with chipotle mayo, lime and queso fresco, quesadilla de huitlacoche, and a blue corn cake with roasted pork, tomatillo salsa and fava beans, among others. Zocalo, 174 E. 82nd St., 212-717-7772. August 22 - 26: Partage Tasting Menus -- Provence & the Cote d'Azur......

May 25: "Belly" Dancing -- North African Food and Wine Pairing Take a journey to Egypt, Lebanon, Morroco and the Mediterranean at Le Tableau Restaurant. $65 provides you with six courses, five wines, and one belly dancer. Menu includes Coriander Crusted Prawns with Chilled Harira, Lebnah and Smoked Syrian Almonds Grouper with Charmoula and Red Rice, Tahini Lime Sauce Squab Breast, and Foie Gras and Roasted Apricots. 511 East 5th Street between A and B,......

March 16th: International Chocolate Panel. The folks at the at 92nd Street Y are putting together a panel discussion and a fantastic-sounding tasting of chocolate from around the world. The panel, moderated by author and culinary historian Alexandra Leaf, includes Stephanie Teuwen, special events producer for the Chocolate Show, Clay Gordon, chocolate critic and founder of the New World Chocolate Society (sign us up for that one!), Francois Payard, chef-owner of Payard Patisserie & Bistro,......

Gluttony can sometimes be a good thing, like when it can raise money to benefit Action Against Hunger’s (AAH) tsunami relief effort. Embrace your gluttonous side, and hit up the Institute of Culinary Education's fundraisers next Monday and Tuesday. On Monday, January 17 at 6:30 p.m., there will be a demonstration class focusing on the foods of India, Thailand, and Indonesia. Julie Sahni, author of Classic Indian Cooking and countless other volumes; Corinne Trang, author......

It was everything we could have hoped for and more! From vintage champagne that smelled like wildflowers to the ice wine that tasted of honey and pineapple to the braised veal cheeks that tasted like . . .like . . . a little piece of heaven – our taste buds certainly got a workout at the Grand Tasting 2004. This annual event sponsored by PJ Wine to raise money for City Harvest featured over......