Huoqiu county brings affordable foie gras to the table

7月21日,《中国日报》头版China Vibes(向·往中国)专栏刊发关于安徽六安霍邱法式鹅肝的报道Huoqiu county brings affordable foie gras to the table(《霍邱平价鹅肝走上百姓餐桌》）。

Huoqiu county brings affordable foie gras to the table

霍邱平价鹅肝走上百姓餐桌

Once a rare luxury, French delicacy is now a casual indulgence, thanks to producers in Anhui province

曾经稀缺昂贵的法式珍馐，如今走入寻常食客生活，这背后离不开安徽产区从业者的耕耘。

BY ZHU LIXIN IN LU'AN, ANHUI

记者 朱立新 安徽六安报道

Sitting in a century-old restaurant in Shanghai, Hu Jianyuan orders a dish that was once the epitome of European luxury: cherry foie gras. Eight glistening slices, each a perfect 12 grams, arrive at his table — priced at 198 yuan ($29). Hu smiles as the delicate, buttery flavor explodes in his mouth. Hu was no ordinary diner; he has played a large role in developing the delicacy. The restaurant is just one of his foie gras-producing company's many clients.

坐在上海一家百年历史的餐厅，胡建远点了一道曾经是欧洲奢华美食代表的菜品—— 樱桃鹅肝。八枚油润透亮的鹅肝，每一枚12克，端上桌售价198元（折合29 美元）。细腻绵密、奶香浓郁的滋味在口中散开，胡建远面露笑意。他并非普通食客，而是推动这款美食产业化的关键人物，这家餐厅只是他旗下鹅肝生产企业众多合作客户之一。

Back in Huoqiu county in Lu'an, a city in East China's Anhui province, Hu's story began in fields filled with the honking of Landes geese. Here, far from the gilded dining rooms of Shanghai, lies the unlikely epicenter of China's foie gras revolution.

故事的起点在华东安徽省六安市霍邱县，成片养殖场里不时传来朗德鹅的鸣叫。远离上海装潢奢华的高端餐厅，这座县城意外成为中国鹅肥肝产业变革的核心地带。

Huoqiu raises 5 million Landes geese and produces more than 5,000 metric tons of the luxury food product annually — accounting for more than a third of the entire nation's output.

霍邱全县年出栏朗德鹅500 万只，鹅肥肝年产量超5000吨，占据全国总产量三分之一以上。

In Hefei, the provincial capital, the food scene is delicious but down-to-earth. For local resident Zhang Wanjing, foie gras is now a casual indulgence.

在省会合肥，美食丰富又充满烟火气。合肥市民张婉静如今随时都能享用法式鹅肝美食。

In March, Zhang found herself savoring a foie gras sushi roll at a Japanese restaurant, at just 18 yuan apiece. "The menu didn't say where it came from, but I could take a pretty good guess," she said with a knowing smile. "It's probably from Huoqiu."

今年3月，她在一家日料店品尝鹅肝寿司，一枚仅售18元。“菜单没标注产地，但我心里大致有数，”她会心一笑，“多半来自霍邱”。

And in Huoqiu, foie gras is affordable food, enjoyed stir-fried, pan-fried or even in hotpot.

而在霍邱本地，鹅肝已是平价菜肴，爆炒、香煎、涮火锅皆可。

On Hefei's Oufengjie — the "European-style street" brimming with eateries serving international cuisine — visitors can now find at least four restaurants serving foie gras. But like truffles and caviar, foie gras, originating from the Landes department in France, was once a rare luxury.

合肥欧风街汇聚各国风味餐厅，如今至少四家门店供应法式鹅肝。法式鹅肝与松露、鱼子酱齐名，原产于法国朗德省，曾经是难得一见的高端食材。

Today, the Landes goose, world-renowned and much-sought-after for foie gras, is widely bred in countries like Hungary and China.

如今，因出产鹅肥肝闻名全球的朗德鹅，在匈牙利、中国等多个国家实现规模化养殖。

Hu has been part of this quiet culinary revolution for over 20 years. In 2003, he was one of the first in Huoqiu to gamble on Landes geese.

胡建远投身这场静悄悄的美食产业变革已有二十余年。2003年，他成为霍邱首批试水养殖朗德鹅的创业者之一。

Initially, he faced challenges selling fresh foie gras in upscale markets and hotels in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, often encountering skepticism.

创业初期，他带着新鲜鹅肝开拓北京、上海、广州等城市高端商超与酒店市场，屡屡遭遇质疑。

"I said it was from Huoqiu, but they hadn't even heard of the place and were hesitant to use it. That setback taught me that without a brand, even the best products wouldn't gain trust," said Hu.

“我说鹅肝产自霍邱，可很多人压根没听过这个地方，不敢选用。一次次碰壁让我明白，没有自主品牌，再好的产品也难以赢得市场信任，”胡建远说道。

In 2006, he registered his Longxiang brand, which went on to become a well-known trademark in China, and his company is now the largest among over 140 foie gras producers in Huoqiu.

2006年，他注册 “龙翔” 品牌，该商标后续获评中国驰名商标。如今，他的企业是霍邱140余家鹅肥肝生产企业中规模最大的一家。

The turning point came when a foreign chef at a high-end Hefei restaurant simply poked the liver with his finger, inspected the texture, and declared it equal to French imports — only fresher and far less costly. An instant partnership was born.

产业迎来转折点，源自合肥一家高端西餐厅外籍主厨的一次品鉴。这位主厨只用手指轻按鹅肝、观察肌理，随即判定品质不输法国进口货，而且更新鲜、价格更低。双方当即达成合作。

The cherry foie gras that Hu consumed in Shanghai, is sold from his factory at just 5 yuan apiece. But in high-end restaurants, the price varies, at between 20 and 30 yuan apiece.

胡建远在上海品尝的樱桃鹅肝，工厂出厂单价仅5元一枚，而高端餐厅售价一般在20至30元。

Since 2013, Hu has continuously developed new products, now numbering more than 30, turning foie gras into ready-to-eat specialty snacks.

2013年起，胡建远持续研发新品，产品线现已拓展至30余款，把鹅肥肝加工成各类即食特色零食。

"If you're a seasoned foie gras enthusiast, visiting China, and more specifically Anhui, would be a great idea," said Hu.

“如果你是资深鹅肝爱好者，来中国，来安徽，一定会不虚此行，”胡建远说。

Liu Qinqin contributed to this story.

刘琴琴参与报道

编辑/袁慧 监制/兰天 终审/孙峰 朱天明