Which bread is best to accompany with foie gras?

Magazines and online posts about French gastronomy often recommend enjoying a foie gras terrine on a freshly baked baguette with a glass of sweet wine like Sauternes. If you are unable to purchase a fresh loaf from your bakery, a part-baked loaf cooked and warm from your own oven is a good alternative.  And you don’t need to stick to plain white bread! There are many other loaves that combine with foie gras to form a delicious combination.

 Just as the right choice of wine will enhance the flavor of your foie gras, so can the bread. Whether rustic, sweet or spicy, many types of bread provide the right amount of texture and character to release the exquisite flavors of duck and goose foie gras. Rustic, cereal or fig bread: which bread combines with foie gras for the most memorable taste experience?

Here are our 5 favorites... served toasted to perfection, of course. 

1- Sourdough bloomer: pure rusticity 

With its dense crumb beautiful crust and an ever so slight acidity to challenge the smoothness of the foie gras, this is a veritable taste of yesteryear A mixture of wheat and rye flour, it really enhances slices of freshly pan fried liver or a whole foie gras. Whether or not you choose to serve with other ingredients like a chutney or truffles, this combination is guaranteed to please! 

2- Walnut bread: the nutty wholesome crunch

What could be better than the juxtaposition of two Périgord favorites? To serve your whole foie gras delicately atop a slice of walnut bread really is the alliance of all that is rustic and gastronomic!  The crunchiness of walnuts counterbalances perfectly the silkiness of truffled foie gras to deliver a real depth of flavor to this sublime dish. 

If you enjoy the combination of crunchiness with the smoothness of your foie gras, you can ring the changes by substituting bread containing hazelnuts, poppy seeds or sesame seeds! 

3- Dried fruit bread: balancing sweet and sour

We know that the flavor of foie gras excels when married with accompaniments or wine with fruity notes, so it is not surprising that that foie gras goes really well with fruit breads.  Bread containing raisins, figs or apricots work especially well, enhancing a foie gras from the Landes region and blending beautifully with the subtly spicy undertones of a foie gras from the Southwest.

A recipe idea? Arrange delicate slices of chilled foie gras on toasted bread, sprinkle with just a touch of sea salt and bring it to life with just a dash of balsamic vinegar: a perfect harmony! 

4- Gingerbread: the right balance of flavors 

While, of course, its softness does not create a great contrast of textures, the honeyed and spicy notes of a good gingerbread skillfully enhance the delicate sweetness of foie gras.Cut into squares or other shapes using cookie cutters, it revolutionizes the presentation of canapés accompanying your aperitif. Don't be afraid to gently toast the gingerbread for a few minutes to add a crunch to your nibbles!  

5- Soft bread: 

Plain bread or brioche, hot or cold, and sandwich bread is becoming increasingly popular with foie gras lovers who enjoy its sweet aftertaste that flatters the palate. It has to be said that from a presentation perspective, once split into triangles it completes the dressing of Perigord salads with a certain elegance and lightness!

 However, like white wine, its sweet notes can overload the taste buds, especially when served as a starter. Neither is it the finest bread in France! So use soft bread sparingly or, better, serve foie gras with whole meal or cereal bread. 

Finally, what kind of bread ought to be served with foie gras? 

It's really all down to personal taste! While the simplicity of an old-fashioned bread is sufficient to reveal the best flavor from a quality foie gras, a fancy bread adds a touch of madness to the menu. To satisfy all your guests, simply put a little variety on your table: that way you’ll be sure of pleasing all your guests all the time! 

And the food in each country is so rich and diversified, there is an infinite number of possible accompaniments to foie gras. Be daring in your combinations and don’t be afraid to be innovative.