Foie gras is a French delicacy made from the fattened liver of a duck or goose. The term "foie gras" means "fatty liver" in French. The liver is enlarged by force-feeding the bird a mixture of grain and fat, a process known as "gavage". The liver is then sold whole or prepared as mousse, parfait, or pâté. Foie gras is considered a gourmet luxury dish and is mainly consumed on special occasions, such as Christmas or New Years Eve réveillon dinners in France. However, the recent increased availability of foie gras has made it a less exceptional dish. Foie gras is regarded as a controversial food item due to the force-feeding process, which is considered cruel and inhumane by animal rights activists. The production of foie gras has been banned in several countries, including the UK, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland, Turkey, Argentina, Australia, and Israel. In the United States, California and New York City have banned the production and sale of foie gras.