Michel Bras

Laguiole

My first memories of foie gras go back to my childhood, immediately after the war, when my father was still a blacksmith. For us, foie gras was a rare delicacy that was only eaten on very special occasions, one of which took place once a year at Christmas. After midnight mass, the family would gather for a meal during which we’d share a “Nadalou,” a dried sausage made the previous winter specifically for celebrating the Nativity, various dishes, and foie gras.

The foie gras that we ate wasn’t from Aubrac. They were from distant farms, near Rodez. They were cooked in the traditional way, shelf-stabilized, and dated. Much later, once I had become a cook, I went back to this tradition of keeping shelf-stable foie gras for several years, knowing that it only got better with age. This practice has practically disappeared today.

Because of its presence at our most special feasts, foie gras represents what I call “the flavor of Aubrac,” this intimate space in which I include all these foods of emotion: based more on love than on science, these flavors of our childhood.

“With foie gras, I like compositions that are understandable, flowing”

As to creativity, foie gras is a product that allows a phenomenal range of expression. Between raw and cooked, any variations are possible. The same goes for aesthetic or associative considerations. In my personal vision of foie gras, I like compositions that are understandable, flowing. I also seek out associations that bring out the relationship between sweetness and acidity and that carry the mark of each season. In the following recipe, I invite my guests to celebrate the arrival of spring, the explosion of Mother Nature that brings Aubrac’s harsh winter to an end. Grilled, this foie is perfect sliced. It is accompanied by an herb jus that conveys the ardor of this spring explosion. Naturally, this requires a foie gras of the highest quality. Rougié is my choice for having the right people with whom I can share my ideas, and for providing a raw foie gras that meets all my expectations.

“We like to create lively dishes that evoke surprise and joy”

With my son Sébastien, we like to create dishes that bring together poetry of composition and the poetry of words; lively dishes that evoke surprise and joy. It is for this reason that we sprinkle our plates with “niac,” little touches or flourishes made with liquid plant emulsion, a vegetable architecture, spiced or sweet dashes...I think that food ought to generate emotions, create an ambience at the table, and be delectable above all. In regard to this surge of energy that has taken over the world of gastronomy, I believe it is always wise to apply common sense to the creative process. The problem with certain types of cuisine today is that we sometimes feel as if we’re eating nothing but technique. It can be dazzling, or amazing, but, somehow, it’ll be missing the point if there isn’t any savoriness. For me, cooking must be alive; it’s something that tells stories. Simply put, we cook the way we live.

Restaurant Michel Bras
route de l’Aubrac - 12210 Laguiole
Tél. 0033 (0)5 65 51 18 20
www.michel-bras.fr

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