Foie gras whole and recognized producer groups of geese and ducks for their quality.
Chosen after rigorous and demanding blind tastings, 4 producers Grolière, Espinet, Pré aux Canards, and Castelnau, not to mention the foie gras from the brand Foie Gras Gourmet produced by the foie gras cooperative of Chalosse in the Landes have been selected.
On the site Foie Gras Gourmet, there is no industrial foie gras but foie gras from family businesses or cooperatives grouping together breeders of geese or ducks favoring quality over quantity, and very committed to the well-being of their animals.
Raised outdoors, with unlimited water, the birds have a healthy and balanced diet with corn and wheat from the farm, but also enjoy the insects and earthworms they find in the fields.
All these producers have experienced a similar story: they started by making "homemade" preserves during family meals, then sold them at local markets, to restaurants, and increasingly to tourists, who are more and more numerous traveling hundreds of kilometers to come taste foie gras, confit, duck breast, and gizzards.
These companies rarely have the opportunity to export their foie gras to many countries, and their customers are gourmets and residents of the South-West who know how to recognize superior quality products, local restaurants, and increasingly tourists who enjoy spending a few days in the South-West of France to take in the stunning landscapes and taste the traditional South-West salads (with foie gras, gizzards, etc.), mushrooms, truffles, sauces.
Quality and tradition have been maintained for generations.
These foie gras producers have been perpetuating tradition and quality for several generations. To obtain a delicious whole duck foie gras, the quality of the duck and goose livers is crucial. A very rigorous selection must be made to retain only the "extra" quality livers, and after this meticulous control step, the lobes must be separated and the veins of the liver manually removed, seasoned only with spices (a pinch of salt and pepper), without preservatives, additives, or colorings, which will allow for the development of a subtle flavor and thus preserve an authentic taste and texture.
These companies have chosen to use few machines and to work primarily by hand with qualified personnel, accepting the demands and patience required for these products. But tradition also rhymes with an extreme requirement for sanitary quality in order to ensure perfect food safety for foie gras.
