Where does this habit of eating foie gras at Christmas come from?

Think you know everything there is to know about foie gras? No, you don't! Contrary to popular belief, it's neither a product of the South-West nor an original Christmas delicacy. So why is it so popular on every festive table? Loïc Bienassis, historian of food and culinary heritage at Tours University, explains.

A Strasbourg dish like any other

Already appreciated by the Romans, foie gras hasn't always had a place of choice at Christmas meals. "In fact, there's no connection with Christmas; it's a very recent trend. It used to be a regional product, but from the 18th century onwards it seduced the Parisian elites, where it became a rare and expensive delicacy that was democratized during the Trente Glorieuses ," asserts Loïc Bienassis.Then, from 1950 onwards, a phenomenon of standardization affected Europe, changing religious festivals, including Christmas. As a result, culinary traditions found in some regions spread to others. This is particularly true of Alsace, home of many culinary traditions, including foie gras. Contrary to popular belief, foie gras is not a specialty of the Southwest, but of Alsace, and Strasbourg in particular.

It wasn't until the late 1970s that foie gras became a Christmas product." It's one of those luxury products, like salmon, oysters or snails, that have gradually slipped into Christmas, because people spend more on it," he explains. The product has been so successful that its consumption has increased six-fold in the space of thirty years! What's even more astonishing is that " producers achieve between 70% and 75% of their annual sales during the Christmas and New Year period", according to Statista.

Three producers where to find foie gras for Christmas

Les Foies Gras du Ried

Give back to Alsace what is Alsace by buying from Francis Claude and Marc Grossmann! At the helm of this artisanal business since 2007, they offer a wide range of homemade products: foie gras, rillettes, terrines, chutneys and prepared dishes. Not to be missed!

• 37 rue du Château, 67460 Ichtratzheim. Tel 03 88 64 22 84
• www.foies-gras-du-ried.fr

Foie Gras Dupérier

It's no coincidence that Dupérier supplies so many top chefs(Pierre Gagnaire, Éric Frechon, Michel Bras...)! Choose from every possible type of foie gras, as well as prepared dishes, fine bottles and gift boxes. Practical: you can order directly from the website.

• 53 avenue du 19 Mars 1962, 40250 Souprosse Tel. 05 58 44 23 23
• www.duperier.fr

La Ferme de Mounet

Monique and Bernard Molas specialize in raising ducks and geese. In addition to their confits, foies gras and home-cooked Gascon specialities, you can also visit La Ferme de Mounet, take part in a free tasting session all year round, and stay in one of their country gîtes or hotel rooms. Even better: in winter, you can take a cooking class.

• Route de Parleboscq, 32800 Eauze Tel. 05 62 09 82 8
• www.ferme-de-mounet.com

Now that you know all about foie gras, perhaps you'd like to learn more about the origins of the Yule log? A great story to tell at the table!