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Category Archives: Food/drink/recipes
French Flavours: Pounti, Traditional Auvergnat Dish
During our recent visit to Cantal, we had the opportunity to taste again a dish that is traditional to northern Aveyron/southern Cantal: pounti. Before we first visited that area, 25 years ago, I had never come across this dish, not … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes, History
Tagged Auvergne, Cantal, French regional cuisine, Goose Fat and Garlic, Jeanne Strang, peasant food, picoussel, pounti, SW France
6 Comments
French Flavours: P is for Petits Fours
As Christmas is approaching, this week’s post is a frivolous look at a mainstay of the French apéritif, le petit four. At a party recently, someone challenged me to investigate the origins of the name, and Life on La … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes, History
Tagged amuse-bouche, aperitifs, appetisers, canapé, France, mignardises, mise-en-bouche, petits fours
13 Comments
Absinthe Friends
It’s the drink that symbolised the Bohemian culture of la Belle Epoque in late 19th to early 20th-century Paris. It was consumed by Toulouse-Lautrec, Baudelaire and Satie, painted by Degas and Manet and immortalised in early silent films. This beverage … Continue reading
French Flavours: Poule Farcie, a Classic French Dish
The ubiquitous roadside posters advertising French fêtes and other social events very often have “poule farcie” emblazoned across the centre. This dish has a number of advantages for large gatherings. It can feed a lot of people and much of it … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes, History
Tagged Bearn, chicken, confréries, French Wars of Religion, Henri IV, poule au pot, poule farcie, poule farcie recipe, SW France
5 Comments
Mushroom Feast
I am very partial to mushrooms, but I’m hopeless at finding them – at least the edible variety. This year is a mushroom year. Something about the climatic conditions – a damp September? – has had them popping out of … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes
Tagged cèpes, girolles, mushroom hunting, mushroom poisoning, rosés des près, SW France, wild mushrooms
10 Comments
Un café, s’il vous plaît
Coffee fuels the French, who have a penchant for strong black espresso-type coffee. Having to use coffee substitutes during World War II must have been a real hardship in that case. A chance remark to that effect during a recent … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes, French life
Tagged café culture, cafés, coffee, coffee substitutes, French cafés, French coffee, SW France, World War II
17 Comments
French Flavours E and F: Two Aveyronnais Specialities
Time for another instalment of my French flavours series. I realise I have only got to ‘E’ and we’ll never get to the end at this rate, so this week I’ll do ‘F’ as well and you get two for … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes
Tagged Aveyron, Aveyron recipes, Estofinado, Les Farçous, River Lot, rural life, Stockfish, SW France, Villefranche de Rouergue
7 Comments
French Flavours: D is for Diablotins au Roquefort
I have been continuing my researches to bring you another in my series of recipes of Southwest France. Here’s one you’ve probably never heard of – diablotins au Roquefort. I certainly hadn’t. Easy to make, with readily-available ingredients, they are … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes
Tagged amuse-bouche, Aveyron, Diablotins au Roquefort, French flavours, recipes, Roquefort, Roquefort-sur-Soulzon, SW France, walnuts
9 Comments
Cattle Country
Considering we are surrounded by them, I’m surprised I haven’t written more about these mainstays of local agriculture. Perhaps it’s because I have a love-hate relationship with them, especially when marauding herds have trampled down our garden. What am I … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes
Tagged Beef, beef consumption, boeuf, cattle farming, farming, food, rural life, SW France, transhumance
27 Comments
French Flavours #3: C is for Cassoulet
I can’t allow the letter C to pass by without writing about cassoulet, the signature dish of southwest France. It’s been around for a long time and the correct recipe is the subject of controversy. What is it? A stew … Continue reading
French Flavours #2: B is for lou Bajanac
In my A-Z of traditional French recipes, I’m trying to focus on those that originated in southwest France, where we live. So I’ve eschewed boeuf à la Bourgignonne or blanquette de veau, delicious though they are. Surprisingly, I found a … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes
Tagged Aveyron, châtaignes, chestnut soup, chestnuts, French recipes, Laguépie, lou Bajanac, Rouergue, SW France, traditional French recipes
8 Comments
French Flavours #1: A is for Aligot
The temperature was approaching -10C when I went downstairs this morning – outside, I hasten to add. This is the coldest spell we’ve had for five years. In this weather you want rib-sticking food; nouvelle cuisine doesn’t hit the … Continue reading
Posted in Aveyron, Food/drink/recipes
Tagged aligot, Aubrac, Aveyron, burons, food, Laguiole, Laguiole cheese, SW France, tome fraîche
40 Comments
Appetising Return to Belcastel
Last time, I wrote about a ghostly story linked to the château de Belcastel. This week, we had the opportunity to make a return visit to this plus beau village in Aveyron. Not only does it occupy a delightful setting … Continue reading
Posted in Aveyron, Food/drink/recipes, Places
Tagged Aveyron, Belcastel, Château de Belcastel, food, Michelin star, Plus beaux villages, Restaurant du Vieux Pont, SW France
16 Comments
Walnut Time
The walnuts start to fall here in SW France around the end of September. By mid-October, it’s positively raining nuts. This year, we were afraid that our crop would be minimal. Many walnuts fell early and were blackened and mummified, … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes, History
Tagged autumn, French country novels, huile de noix, rural life, SW France, walnut oil, walnut oil mill, walnut tart, walnut trees, walnut wine, walnuts
24 Comments
Opération Escargot
France’s cuisine was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2010, when it was included in the list of humanity’s intangible cultural heritage. Why “intangible”? Good food might be a consolation for the soul, but it’s also a feast for most … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes, Nature
Tagged escargots, food, French cuisine, gastropods, héliciculture, rural life, snail breeding, snails, SW France
22 Comments
Bach, an Ancient Village on the Causse de Limogne
This was a week of excursions. Yesterday, we rehearsed and sang in the biannual scratch choir concert in Puycelsi, a hilltop fortified village in the Tarn. As always, it was an inspiring event. The concerts are held in aid of the … Continue reading
Is the Rural French Café Dying Out?
The village café-bar is a typically French institution, just as the pub is essentially British. Our nostalgic vision of French rural life places the café (often doubling as a restaurant) at the heart of the village, along with the church, … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes, French life
Tagged France, French cafés, French village life, Ifop, living in France, rural depopulation, rural life, SW France
15 Comments
Pastis: A Quercy Speciality
Hands up everyone who thought pastis was an aniseed-flavoured apéritif. It is; but it’s not a local speciality here. The pastis I’m talking about is an apple dessert made with very fine pastry, which is particular to the Lot and … Continue reading
Le Temps des Cerises
The title (‘Cherry Time’) is that of a very famous French song written in 1866 and interpreted much later by Yves Montand. With the addition of some verses, it became one of the anthems of the revolutionary Paris Commune in … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes, Places
Tagged A Year in Provence, cerises, cherries, cherry-picking, Clafoutis de cerises, food, Le Temps des Cerises, Provence, recipes, SW France
12 Comments
Seasonal Treats: Asparagus and Strawberries
When we first moved here, it was frustrating not to find strawberries or asparagus in the French shops in the winter. I completely changed my mind a long time ago. There is a lot to be said for enjoying produce … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes
Tagged asparagus, food, Gariguettes, seasonal produce, seasonal treats, spring, strawberries, SW France
14 Comments
French Regional Cuisine: L’Auberge Lou Bourdie at Bach
Bach is a small village on the Causse de Limogne, in the heart of truffle country. In common with many rural French villages, it’s a quiet place nowadays. But it does have a rather good restaurant, l’Auberge Lou Bourdie.
French Restaurant Capers
French restaurants are currently on the menu in the news. A hapless blogger posted a bad review and was fined by a judge. And as from last Tuesday, restaurants have to indicate if any or all of their meals are … Continue reading
Sweet Lavender
Which part of France do we normally associate with lavender? Provence, naturally, where it plays a big part in the perfume and essential oils industry. But did you know that 10% of French lavender production at the start of … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes, Gardening, History
Tagged essential oils, lavande, lavender, lavender oil, lavender production, Quercy, SW France
8 Comments
A Brief History of Cheese
At the Tuesday market in Caylus, which stall has the longest queue? No contest: the cheese stall. It’s especially long in summer when the holidaymakers and second homers swell the population. But even in winter you can count on a … Continue reading
Posted in Auvergne, Food/drink/recipes, History
Tagged cheese, cheese production, dairy produce, food, France, French cheese, fromage, history of cheese
19 Comments
Facts – and Fantasies – about French Wine
Today was cold, damp, miserable and unpleasant. So let’s forget the weather and le ras-le-bol fiscal (discontent about taxes). Instead, let’s warm ourselves in front of the fire with a glass – or two – of one of France’s best-loved … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes, French life
Tagged French wine industry, SW France, vin, wine, wine consumption, wine production
5 Comments
Garlic and Garlic Recipes
What would French cuisine be without garlic? This pungent bulb has become one of the symbols of France. As often happens, personal experience led me to reflect on the role garlic plays in French culture, society – and especially gastronomy.
Posted in Food/drink/recipes, French life
Tagged ail, garlic, garlic recipes, l'ail blanc de Lomagne, l'ail rose de Lautrec, recipes, SW France, tourin à l'ail
6 Comments
Frog and Toad
In culinary matters, the French and the British often compete about who first discovered a particular dish. A notable example is burn’t cream – crème brulée in French. Both countries claim to have invented it . Now, there is … Continue reading
Posted in Customs, Food/drink/recipes, History
Tagged Amesbury, bufo bufo, Common European Toad, cuisses de grenouille, food, French cuisine, frogs, frogs' legs
19 Comments
Goose Fat and Garlic
A few weeks ago – only just found time to write about it – I attended the launch of a new edition of Goose Fat and Garlic, a book about the cooking and recipes of SW France. Jeanne Strang, who … Continue reading
Posted in Aveyron, Books/writing, Food/drink/recipes
Tagged Aveyron, books, Ferme Carlès, food, Goose Fat and Garlic, Jeanne Strang, recipes, SW France
15 Comments
French Provincial Cooking
When pondering what to serve dinner guests this coming Saturday I reached for my disintegrating copy of Elizabeth David’s French Provincial Cooking. Not because I expected to copy a user-friendly recipe but because it is chock-full of ideas. First published … Continue reading
Posted in Books/writing, Food/drink/recipes, Personalities
Tagged Elizabeth David, food, France, French cuisine, French Provincial Cooking, Writing
15 Comments
Chestnuts and Chestnut Recipes
This autumn’s chestnuts It’s that time of year again when the sweet chestnuts are falling. Very few chestnut trees grow near us but not far away, around Najac and Laguépie, they clothe the slopes. If you walk along the River … Continue reading
Posted in Food/drink/recipes, History, Personalities
Tagged châtaignes, chestnut cake, food, gâteau à la châtaigne, rural life, SW France, sweet chestnuts
17 Comments
