Our History and Philosophy
Minnesota made in the French Tradition
In the rolling hills of southeastern Minnesota, just miles from the Mississippi River lies our farm, Au Bon Canard.
The small scale of our family operation allows us to:
Produce high-quality Foie Gras and other duck delicacies, following traditional artisanal methods and a seasonal cycle.
Provide humane living conditions for our birds throughout their lives.
Respect our birds, our land, and our customers.
“I honestly don’t think there is a better lobe of Foie anywhere in the country. I’ve personally been to the farm and have seen the process from A-Z. Au Bon Canard is easily the best product out there.”
We care for our small flocks of pasture-raised ducks without antibiotics, dietary supplements, appetite stimulants, or growth-promoting hormones to ensure a pure and natural gourmet product.
Our ducks live primarily outside, with plenty of space, sunshine, grass, and bugs to nibble on.
With a USDA approved and inspected processing plant on site, our hand-raised Foie Gras and duck meat benefit from small-batch processing and expert hand-cutting of portions.
The Team that Pioneered ABC
From the Pyrenees Mountains to the Bluffs of the Driftless Region
Founders of ABC, Liz and Christian on the farm with some friends
Prepping some delicious Foie Gras for shipping
Born and raised in the south of France, founder Christian Gasset continued his family’s ongoing legacy of promoting regional French cuisine -- in partnership with his wife, Liz.
Christian combined a life-long love of the culinary traditions of his country with technical skills acquired through studies in France’s Perigord region, world-renowned for Foie Gras production, as well as the creation of other classic recipes made from duck meat, such as cassoulet, confit, and rillette.
As a small farmer and food enthusiast, Christian is committed to respecting the age-old traditional method of producing Foie Gras, as developed by the Egyptians and perfected by centuries of French peasants: the slow and careful hand-feeding of locally grown corn to small groups of ducks.
After 20 years of experience working with the best chefs in the best restaurants in the Midwest, we are convinced that you will taste the difference, too.
Current History and Transition
Christian and Troy with Troy’s first foie
Troy grew up at the farm neighboring Au Bon Canard. Growing up he would help Christian with chores around the farm. Even taking care of baby ducks for short periods of time.
In the fall of 2022 Troy started working closely with Christian through all phases of Au Bon Canard in order to learn the finer details of Foie Gras production.
June of 2023 Christian and Liz moved to France to enjoy a much-earned retirement and Au Bon Canard officially changed hands. That July Troy started with his first batch of baby ducks and ABC continued.
Since June of 2023 Troy and his wife, Katie, have spent countless hours on the farm raising ducks, goats, chickens, cows, and most importantly a family.
Au Bon Canard will continue to produce quality foie gras while doing everything possible to insure a humane husbandry of our ducks.
Shop Our Foie Gras
Our Foie Gras has a rich, smooth, almost nutty flavor. It can be prepared in a myriad of ways -- from classic torchon to terrines, pates, and mousse, seared, sautéed, served with pasta or as an accompaniment to other proteins, such as steak.
