While farm-to-table is bandied about a lot in the food industry, in France however, the variety of fresh produce grown by artisan farmers makes it feel a lot more genuine. We were all the more convinced that we were going to be in for lots of honestly good meals in this charming country when one of the first things we saw upon arriving at a Bresse poultry farm in Curtafond—our first stop of the trip—located south east of France, was hundreds of happy chickens roaming freely on open fields.
These chickens are free to move around outdoors as they please, enjoying ample fresh air and sunlight, and are given adequate food— it’s no wonder they look so carefree and healthy.
Compared to the living conditions of factory farmed chickens— most are raised in artificially-lit confined spaces with no access to fresh air and barely any room to move—it’s a far cry from how these Bresse chickens are bred. And according to breeder Jean-Michel Sibelle, a happy chicken is part of the recipe for a top quality end product.
“Our chickens are comfortable, relaxed and happy, and it reflects in the taste and texture of the meat,” Jean-Michel explains.
BRESSE IS BEST
Often referred to as the wagyu of all poultry, the Bresse chicken is truly quite a unique bird.
Apart from its distinctive features like its red crests, untainted white feathers and blue feet—a result of its terroir as the soil in Bresse is said to contain acids which act as a bleach, rendering the feathers white and the feet blue—the Bresse chicken is the only poultry in France to be granted the illustrious AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) status.
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