Bonjour et bienvenue to La Marmite, your source of fun food information from France.
On to the second leg of our whirlwind culinary tour of France - one speciality for each of the regions of France. Last month we were in the north, and this month we're heading south.
En route!
Poitou Charentes
OK, I skipped right over those luscious Loire Valley wines, but I will have my revenge with the
Pineau de Charentes. This sweet fortified wine makes a superb apéritif, especially when served with an equally strong taste such as foie gras. Pineau is made by blending wine with Cognac and the result is not to be missed.
Limousin
Right in the middle of France, this region boasts considerable agricultural endeavor.
La Moutarde Violette de Brive comes from this region and is made by blending mustard grains with the pulp and skin (called the must) of
purple grapes. The grapes give the mustard its lovely violet color and distinctive taste.
Auvergne
Likened to caviar by some fans,
Les Lentilles de Puy are very tasty little green lentils that hold up exceptionally well to cooking. You can use
Le Puy green lentils in all sorts of French dishes where they will impress you with the depth of their mineral-rich flavor.
Rhône Alpes
Here we are in mountain country, home of healthy appetites.
Tartiflette is a layered
potato cheese casserole, that includes bacon, onions, and wine
or cream. Traditionally topped with the locally produced Reblochon cheese, you can susbitute another cheese such as Brie or Munster. This is one of my favorite quick dinners.
Aquitaine
Heading on into the south of France, we come to the region where Bordeaux wine is bottled. To go with all that great wine, you'll find a lot of great food. Les
Caneles Bordelais, sometimes spelt
canneles, are little rum imbibed vanilla cakes with a crunchy, dark brown shell. Trust me on this, they are divine.
Midi Pyrénées
Reigning over this region, you will find the city of Toulouse, home to many of its own specialities.
Les Pavés de Capitol are yummy little chocolates flavored with nuts and orange. They are shaped in flat squares in imitation
of the cobblestones, or
pavés, that cover the
Place de Capitol in the city.
Languedoc Roussilon
There is a heavy Catalan influence on the cooking in this region that shares a border with Spain. Recently, I was quite charmed to learn of a local speciality
Cargolade, or grilled snails: a French stereotype gone
rustic. Reserved for celebrations, a huge grill laden with snails still in their shells is placed on an outdoor fire. People stand around the barbecue and basically eat these things off the grill with perhaps an aioli sauce. Typically a snail is not much food, so afterwards some more meat is added to the grill and the party carries on.
Provence Alpes Côte D'Azur
Now we are in sunny Provence - land of fresh fruits and vegetables, garlic, olive oil, fish, seafood, and . . .
la Socca Nicoise. This is a flat bread made from chickpea flour, olive oil and a little seasoning. Baked in a wood
burning oven, this is one speciality that needs to be eaten hot off the griddle. Find it in Nice, Marseille and throughout the region.
La Corse
A ferry boat ride across the Mediterranean brings us to Corsica, a land of rustic culinary traditions. Among the different cured meats specialities (known as
charcuterie), you will find
Figatellu, made from pork
liver. This cured ham is
traditionally grilled on a fire and eaten simply in a sandwich. In a restaurant you will find it sliced and served with a pat of butter, a small pickle, and bread.
Next Issue:
Hope you enjoyed the culinary tour of the regions of France. Did anyone notice that I left out four regions? They are overseas departments and will be featured in another issue of La Marmite. Meanwhile, the next issue, due out
on December 8th, will feature Les Gourmandises de Noël.
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A bientot and remember to enjoy your food!
Your friend in France,
Kim
