Tour de France of the best foie gras | Very Gourmand

Where are the best foie gras produced ?

You probably won't be surprised by the answer: the best foie grasAre obviously produced in France.

Our country is also the leading producer and exporter of foie gras in the world. It is estimated that we cover 80% of world production. Foie gras made with all the love of the terroir and French culinary traditions are exported all over the world… Of course to our European neighbors but also much further afield, to the Middle East, Japan or Brazil. They are appreciated for their unique flavor and for their unsuspected benefits.

Where is foie gras produced ?

Foie gras in France is not the prerogative of a single region, there are 5 areas specializing in this production:

• Aquitaine
• Midi-Pyrenees
• Brittany
• Pays de la Loire
• Alsace

The majority of producers still respect the craftsmanship transmitted by the elders. It is a local product that can only be exceptional if it is made according to the rules of the art. Today, more than 30,000 families make a living from the production of foie gras and this sector of activity generates no less than 100,000 jobs. But was the production of foie gras invented in France ?

The origin of foie gras goes back to the Egyptians.

Even if France largely dominates the foie gras market, it is not at the origin of its creation. You should know that this type of production does not date from yesterday, we find the first traces of it from Antiquity. This makes sense because waterfowl fat was used by peasants in ancient times for its good keeping ability. This natural virtue allowed them to feed themselves all year round and to face the famines which could sometimes rage. Historians have been able to date the creation of the first force-feeding techniques by the Egyptians to the 25th century BC. They were invented by simple observation of geese which gorge themselves abundantly before undertaking their migratory journey. The traces of consumption of foie gras strictly speaking, as we know it today, however, have only been spotted in Ancient Rome.

• The South-West: cradle of the best producers of foie gras

If you are already a foie gras lover, you probably know that many producers are located in the South West. This IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) represents no less than 50% of French production. In total, foie gras is produced in 13 departments in the South-West. From breeding ducks and geese to processing for consumption, including force-feeding, everything is done from A to Z by the 2,250 breeders-artisans in the area. For the anecdote, know that the production of foie gras developed in the South-West when Christopher Columbus brought back corn from these trips across the Atlantic in the 15th century. This food, ideal for force-feeding birds, is still used today. Want to learn more? Let's go together to tour the French regions that produce our best foie gras, starting with the famous Périgord PGI.

Périgord PGI

Périgord producers are spread over several departments: Dordogne and neighboring cantons of Haute Vienne, Corrèze, Lot, Lot et Garonne. Did you know that every year, foie gras is celebrated in Sarlat during the big festival called Fest'Oie, on the 3rd Sunday of February. Due to its great finesse and incomparable taste, foie gras from Périgord is often found on the tables of the great starred chefs. To prepare it, only two species of duck are authorized: the Mulard duck and the Muscovy duck. Product carousel

Chalosse IGP

In Chalosse, there are only 6 foie gras producing cantons: Pouillon, Montfort, Amou, Hagetmau and Saint-Sever. Over there, free-range ducks are raised in the open air and benefit from a beautiful oceanic climate. Mild climatic conditions, authentic terroir and artisanal manufacturing processes are the key ingredients in the production of top-of-the-range foie gras.

Gascony IGP

This IGP brings together the departments of Gers, Hautes-Pyrénées, Landes and the district of Saint-Gaudens. In this region, there are also 2 species of duck: Muscovy and Mulard. Waterfowl are traditionally fed corn, cereals and grasses for 12 to 14 weeks and are raised under optimal conditions (temperature and hygiene) in order to guarantee high quality finished products.

The IGP of Gers

For this IGP, it's very simple, it concerns only one department, that of Gers. There are the same species of duck but also geese. They also make the good reputation of the Gers, this department being designated as the basin of the breeding of fattened geese. For the record, know that the Gers is the only department to feed its geese white maize, a tradition that has been lost in other regions.

Landes IGP

As for the GERS, the IGP of Landes corresponds to only one department, that of Landes. The ducks are raised there in the open air on land covered with generous tussocks of grass. Force-feeding is only done over 10 days (i.e. 20 meals) from the 81st day after the birth of the duckling. Their food is composed of maize from the South-West, without GMOs, and the animals do not receive any antibiotic treatment during the fattening period.

Quercy IGP

IGP Quercy foie gras is produced in the Lot department and in some cantons of Lot et Garonne. In this region of France, we cook goose and duck foie gras in many ways: cooked the old fashioned way with a cloth, pan-fried on the plancha, prepared in duck jus, in lobes or terrines. with low temperature cooking… Enough to give you lots of ideas for your festive meals !

• Brittany

Brittany is famous for its cider and its galettes, it is a little less so for its foie gras. But over there, many enthusiasts produce this delicious French specialty and can compete just as well with the producers of the South-West. Moreover, the Loire, Poitou-Charente and Brittany alone provide 26% of our total production.

• The Pays de la Loire

Did you know that the Pays de la Loire produce more foie gras than the Gers itself? It's amazing, but true. The region ranks 3rd with an annual production of 22,000 tonnes of duck fat, including 3,200 tonnes of foie gras (2015 figures). The farms are mainly located south of the Loire, in Vendée, Loire-Atlantique and Maine et Loire. The Loire is also the cradle of white wines that accompany foie gras.

• Alsace

Admittedly, in Alsace, the production of foie gras is less than in the South-West, but it is also an ancient culinary tradition. From the 16th century, tasty recipes based on foie gras were prepared in Alsace. You should also know that when in the rest of the country duck foie gras predominates, in the Alsatian regions, it is rather the culture of force-feeding geese which is the most widespread. So, which IGP tempts you the most for your next dinner ?

The best way to make duck foie gras:

For the holidays, duck foie gras is often in the spotlight. This year, delight your guests by offering homemade foie gras for the Christmas aperitif. This festive recipe will please you, it is a homemade foie gras recipe that is very easy and quick to prepare.

• Preparation of foie gras
  
• Devein the foie gras if necessary.
  If your foie gras has veinlets or small red spots, drain it in iced water for 1 hour then dry it.
  Cut the foie gras diagonally, into large slices 1.5 cm thick, on baking paper.
  
• 2 - Seasoning the foie gras
  Weigh the salt, pepper and sugar according to the weight of your lobe. It takes 15 g of fine salt, 4 g of pepper and 8 g of sugar for 1 kg of foie gras.
  Season each slice on both sides with salt, sugar, pepper and some grated nutmeg.
  
  
  3 - Shaping the foie gras ballotins
  Lay a special cooking stretch film on a board, add half the slices of foie gras, overlapping them to form a sausage.
  Close with stretch film then close both.
  Roll several times, tightening the ends to form a ballotin 5 to 6 cm in diameter.
  Form a second ballotin in the same way.
  
  
  4 - Cooking the foie gras
  Pour water into a saucepan large enough to hold the two ballotins.
  Heat it until just simmering. Above all, it must not boil.
  Immerse the ballotins in simmering water, cook them for 5 to 6 minutes for a ballotin 5 to 6 cm in diameter. Keep them in water during cooking using a slotted spoon.
   
  If you have a cooking probe, the core temperature should be between 48 to 50 degrees. Otherwise, the visual cue is very simple: through the stretch film, you should see a thin layer of regular fat appear all around the ballotin.
  Remove the ballotins from the simmering water, immerse them for a few minutes in a large bowl of ice water (water with ice cubes added) to stop the cooking.
  
  
  5 - The foie gras service
  Keep the ballotins 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator before tasting them so that the flavors diffuse.
  Serve in very thick slices.