Ducks and geese are part of the ancient poultry farming tradition of the province of Girona, and farms used to fatten them up for the festa major and the long Christmas festivities. In 1976, this knowledge of ducks, plus our proximity to France, led to the first attempts to produce foie gras but the experiment was a failure. In 1982 a group of young entrepreneurs started today’s foie gras industry, when Mulard chicks were smuggled in. The Moulard duck is an American-Asian hybrid, the result of crossing a Pekin duck and a Muscovy, or Barbary, drake, native to the Andes.
L’Empordà is the main producing area. Ducks are also bred to produce foie gras in the La Selva and Gironès regions.
The foie gras industry is not limited to the sale of raw liver; it has progressed to take advantage of the whole animal, transforming it into gastronomically valuable products, not limited to fresh food. Confits, ham, tinned gizzards, stuffed neck and, in recent years, patés combined with other ingredients all confirm the growing creativity of this sector.
Foie gras with the 2016-2017 Girona Excel·lent seal
Collverd foie gras.
Collverd is one of the pioneering enterprises producing duck liver pate and the largest. The whole, natural, fresh foie gras is compact and has an ideal colour and weight.
Collverd mi-cuit.
Collverd’s extensive experience has enabled it to perfect one of the classic duck liver semi-preserves: mi-cuit. Classic cuisine in its purest form.
Celler Can Munnar liver pate.
Narcís Solés Navalls and Montserrat Pagès Massaguer are also pioneers in rearing ducks; since 1995, they have been carrying out the whole process from their home, to make one of the best traditional products: foie gras pickled in salt.
Collverd mi-cuit with marine plankton.
There are no limits to innovation in Girona’s businesses. Without forgetting traditional quality, this 21st century mi-cuit combines the flavours of sea and country.
The foie gras
sampling jury.
Manel Romero
Lecturer at the Girona School of Hotel Management and Tourism
Salvador Garcia-Arbós
Journalist and food critic
André Bonnaure
Chef and technical expert in foie gras
Xavier Franco
Chef at Les Magnolies restaurant
Joan Roca
Chef at El Celler de Can Roca restaurant
