What Foie Gras Is, and the Selection We Carry
At its simplest, foie gras is the specially fattened liver of a duck or goose, and it sits at the very center of French fine dining. The name is French for "fat liver," and the texture is the point: dense, silky, and far more delicate than an ordinary liver. France remains its heartland, particularly the southwest around Périgord and Gascony, though it is also produced in the United States and Canada. Most foie gras sold here, including everything in our selection, comes from duck, specifically the Moulard, a breed prized for the size and richness of its liver. Goose foie gras exists and runs milder, but duck is the standard, with a fuller, more assertive flavor.
The selection runs from the pure to the spreadable. At the top is a whole Grade A lobe of duck foie gras from La Belle, the chef's starting point for searing or a homemade terrine. Alongside it are ready-to-sear fresh slices and a classic bloc, both from Rougié, the benchmark French house that has made foie gras in Sarlat, in the heart of Périgord, since 1875. Rounding out the range are silky mousses, some studded with black truffle or finished with port and ice cider, and traditional pâtés that fold duck and pork together in the Périgord style. igourmet has imported specialty foods directly from producers like these since 1997, and foie gras is held to the same bar: real product from named French and American houses rather than a commodity tin.
Whole Lobe, Bloc, Mousse, or Pâté: Which to Choose
Which form to choose comes down to how you want to serve it. A whole lobe, labeled entier, is the purest and most prized: the entire fattened liver, graded A for its size and smooth, blemish-free texture, ready to slice and sear or cook whole into a terrine. Fresh slices are the same Grade A liver pre-portioned into escalopes, which take the intimidation out of searing since they cook in a couple of minutes. A bloc is firm, pure foie gras, around ninety percent liver, reformed from smaller pieces into a sliceable block and seasoned simply with Armagnac and salt.
The softer forms are where foie gras becomes everyday. A mousse is foie gras whipped smooth with its own fat into a spreadable cream, sometimes layered with truffle, port, or maple, and it goes straight onto toast with no cooking required. Pâté takes that further, binding duck and pork together for a more structured, sliceable terrine in the Périgord tradition. As a rule, the grading runs from A, the largest and most pristine lobes used for whole and seared preparations, down through B and C, which are emulsified into mousses and pâtés where appearance matters less than flavor. None of it is hard to serve; the form simply decides whether you are searing, slicing, or spreading.
How to Sear, Serve, and Pair Foie Gras
Searing fresh foie gras is faster and simpler than its reputation suggests. Pat the slices dry, score the surface lightly, and lay them in a very hot dry pan with no added fat, since the liver renders plenty of its own. Thirty to sixty seconds a side is usually enough; the goal is a deep golden crust over a warm, just-set center, because foie gras pushed too far simply melts away into the pan. Season with flaky salt and pepper at the end, then serve each piece warm over toasted brioche with something sharp or sweet alongside, a fruit reduction, fig, or a drizzle of aged vinegar to cut the richness.
The cooked forms ask even less. Mousses, blocs, and pâtés are served chilled, straight from the package, spread or sliced onto toasted bread or artisan crackers and crisps and topped with a little fig or onion jam. The classic pairing is a glass of Sauternes or another sweet white, whose honeyed sweetness balances the richness, though Champagne and even a fruity red work too. A small portion goes a long way: foie gras is meant to open a meal or crown a holiday board, served in slices the size of a silver dollar rather than by the plateful. Treated simply, with good bread and one bright accompaniment, it needs very little help.
Also Worth Exploring
Because foie gras is the crown of French charcuterie, the wider French food and ingredients collection is the natural next stop, from duck fat and truffle products to the mustards and sweets that fill a French table. To serve it, the jams and spreads collection has the fig, quince, and onion preserves that play against its richness. And for the other half of a classic special-occasion spread, the caviar gift sets pair naturally with foie gras on a celebration table.
Foie Gras: Frequently Asked Questions
Foie gras is the rich, buttery liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened, and the term is French for "fat liver." Under French law it is defined as the liver of a duck or goose fattened by the traditional feeding method known as gavage, which gives the liver its dense, silky texture and concentrated flavor. It is a cornerstone of French gastronomy, especially in the southwest of the country, and is sold fresh as a whole lobe or prepared as a bloc, mousse, pâté, or terrine. Most foie gras sold in the United States, including the foie gras here, comes from duck rather than goose.
They are different forms of the same ingredient at different levels of preparation. A whole lobe, or foie gras entier, is the intact fattened liver, the purest and most expensive form, meant to be sliced and seared or cooked into a terrine. A bloc is pure foie gras, around ninety percent liver, reformed into a sliceable block. A mousse is foie gras whipped smooth with its own fat into a spreadable cream, the easiest form to serve. Pâté blends foie gras with other meats such as duck and pork, making it more affordable and more structured. Whole and bloc are for slicing; mousse and pâté go straight onto toast.