The different foie gras

Foie gras is considered throughout the world, from the United Kingdom, Singapore to California, as one of the finest foods on the planet. It is most usually eaten at the beginning of a meal, either as a canapé or as a starter.

Today, we can choose from either duck or goose foie gras. The foie gras from geese is the more delicately flavoured of the two varieties. With its delicate and subtle flavour it is renowned by many. Duck foie gras, with its slightly more robust flavour is the more popular of the two today. 


At Foie Gras Gourmet, we only sell foie gras which has been preserved in glass jars or in tins. Tins and glass preserving jars are the traditional way for foie gras to be conserved. The livers are cooked at between 105 and 115 degrees Celsius to ensure a perfectly smooth texture.

Laws and regulations governing the preparation of foie gras and the use of its name are extremely rigid.

Labels which appear on jars and tins must adhere to strict standards: 

- Whole foie gras : 

  • according to the capacity of the jar or tin, it must contain either a whole liver, a part of a liver or a maximum of two pieces from two different livers

 Foie gras : 

  • pieces from several different livers 

- Bloc of foie gras :

  • several livers, blended to ensure a smooth flavour 

Bloc of foie gras with pieces : 

  • blended livers with small pieces of liver added following the blending 

- Mousse of foie gras :

  • blend of foie gras with added fat

- Foie gras parfait :

  • contains at least 75% foie gras 

- Pâté of foie gras : 

  • contains at least 50% foie gras 

In addition, there are many pâtés and terrines available which contain varying amounts of foie gras. For example, Périgueux pâté contains 40% foie gras and several products in the Grand-Mère range contain some foie gras. 

Here at Foie Gras Gourmet, all our products are either whole foie gras or blocs of foie gras. 

      

To make the finest foie gras, it is important that the animals live on farms with large spaces. The birds must feel secure, including being fattened on a rich, healthy diet with plenty of water. 

The quality and size of the duck or goose liver needed to produce excellent foies gras depends on the environment in which the animals are raised, and all interventions, such as the use of pipes that could injure the throat or any other organ of the birds, must be banned. 

Unlike in many countries, it is possible to visit these farms and restaurant chefs and retailers build relationships by frequently visiting the farms to ensure that the birds are well cared for. 

Chefs of good restaurants will be able to give you the name of their foie gras producer (and if you ask the personal chef of the president of the French Republic, he will tell you that the foie gras and the duck meat come from Espinet).