Foie gras in the South Pacific

By TONY WALSH

Hanging high above No 4, rue d'Austerlitz in downtown Noumea is the shingle of Comtesse du Barry, the leading French wine cellar and foie gras distributor in the South Pacific.

Inside, Jean-Philippe Bru carries on the tradition established by his grandparents in 1908 in the South of France where, from the small village of Gimont near Toulouse, they went from town to town selling "the best foie gras in the world." In 1936 their son-in-law, Henri Lacroix, entered the family firm and thrust it into the modern era of distribution - mail order.

Since 1964, his three children have taken the company worldwide including the outlet in New Caledonia. Through an interpreter, Bru explained the near 100-year success of the company. "The origin of our foies gras is guaranteed coming from the south-west regions of France: Gers, Hautes-Pyrenees, Landes and Pyrenees Atlantiques, with the livers selected by us from farmers who meet our strict quality standards.

"Importantly, our ducks and geese are reared free range and are fattened with maize followed by traditional cooking without additives."

A sample of Le Bloc de Foie Gras ($17 for a 250g tin) produced a well-rounded flavour, velvet smooth with a finely grained texture, the ideal accompaniment to our glass of Pachernenc du Vic-Bilh Sauterne ($27), from Pau in the Pyrenees.

Bru welcomes groups of 10 or more for evening foie gras sampling and wine tasting. He does not speak English so it makes the visit to his deli and wine cellar just that bit more culturally interesting. When it's time to have a look around Noumea, a novel form of transport is the Le Petit Train which runs at regular intervals throughout the day. The city tour takes 90 minutes and offers a running commentary in three languages: French, English and Japanese. The cost is $17. Passengers are free to get off in the city centre and the Botanical Gardens and pick up a later train.

Be confronted by an outstanding example of architectural brilliance at the Tjibaou Arts and Cultural Centre, a 10-minute taxi drive from the city centre. A gift to the local people from France, the $90 million complex was designed by Renzo Piano, one of the masters of contemporary architecture.

The complex houses permanent exhibitions of monumental sculptures, a Media Library dedicated to Kanak and Pacific culture and a "Mwakaa" Kanak area with tribal huts and paths. The entry fee is $10.

For visitors wishing to travel further afield and still leave the driving to someone else, (yes, they do drive on the right hand side of the road), Arc en Ciel Service offers a range of coach tours and cruises to the nearby islands. Philippe Armound, a tour co-ordinator with the company, lists highlights: "As well as our city tour and Tjibaou excursion, my recommended trips include the visit to Jate in the south to see and experience life in a tribal village, while in the north at Bourail there is the chance to see the workings of a cattle property."

Why travel 20,000km to France to experience the cuisine and culture when the same in microcosm is on offer here in the South Pacific?

Though discovered by Captain Cook in 1774 on his way to New Zealand and named after Scotland, New Caledonia became French under the rule of Napoleon III in 1853. This overwhelming French influence combined with the local Melanesian heritage gives the archipelago a uniqueness among the islands of the South Pacific.

A highlight for food-lovers on a visit to Noumea is to join the throng at the Municipal Market which occupies a commanding position on the shore of Baie De la Moselle.

If you are staying at the Novotel Surf Hotel, this experience will be more rewarding and informative if you seek out Jean Marc Perrigon, the executive chef, during your stay and ask if you can accompany him on his early rounds looking for the best for his kitchens.

The jovial Perrigon knows everyone at the market and will explain how he incorporates local vegetables and plants such as tarosmonts and ignames in his dishes.