Ancient Delicacy

Though the “modern” foie gras we know today was perfected in France, evidence of cultivation of fatty liver goes all the way back to ancient Egypt, where tomb drawings depict geese being hand-fed by B.C. gastronomes. The imperial bacchanals of the Roman Empire also featured foie gras, known in Latin as iecur ficatum, or “fig liver,” so named for the practice of fattening the Roman fowls’ livers with sweet Italian figs. The French “foie” takes its name from this Latin root, and though today’s duck and goose livers, including D’Artagnan’s, are fattened with corn and soy, we love to celebrate the delicacy’s ancient diet by serving it with fresh or caramelized figs.  We also love D'Artagnan's foie seared and garnished with maple poached pears.