Gastronomy in the south of France

The oldest café in Paris and the story of ice cream

Discover how ice cream helped a young Italian establish a cafe in 1686 that was frequented by Voltaire, Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Danton and Robespierre. the-oldest-cafe-in-paris-and-the-story-of-ice-cream.html

Burnt offerings provide a rare insight into the medieval diet

Analysis of culinary remains – burnt and unburnt – that were discovered in a mountain village in the Montagne Noire provides a fascinating insight into what people were eating seven or eight centuries ago. burnt-offerings-provide-a-rare-insight-into-the-medieval-diet.html

An artist in the kitchen

Did you know Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was an accomplished cook as well as a great artist? Try one of his recipes.an-artist-in-the-kitchen.html

Occitan gastronomy on the grandest scale

I have often written about the gastronomy of southern France, particularly from a historical angle, but never before have I devoted an entire article to a single restaurant. I am making an exception for Les Grands Buffets in Narbonne because it is an exceptional eatery in so many ways. occitan-gastronomy-on-the-grandest-scale.html

Limoux, where the carnival goes with a fizz

The town of Limoux lies on the river Aude 25 kilometres upstream from Carcassonne. It has two claims to international fame: its carnival and its sparkling wine. limoux-where-the-carnival-goes-with-a-fizz-and-its-on-now.html

Discover and make mesturets – an elusive dessert from the south of France

Today, it is rare to find the mesturet on the shelves of a boulangerie-pâtisserie or on a restaurant menu. This is a traditional dish made almost exclusively at home, and every ancient family seems to have its own recipe and continues to use it. In many cases, the recipe is a closely-guarded family secret, but I can reveal my own unique version, based on oven-roasted butternut squash. discover-and-make-mesturets-an-elusive-dessert-from-the-south-of-france.html

How did Lautrec get its pink garlic?

Exactly when pink garlic took root in Lautrec is unknown, and its miraculous appearance is, perhaps inevitably, the subject of a legend. how-did-lautrec-get-its-pink-garlic.html

Authentic cassoulet recipe

Here is my translation of a recipe from the Grande Confrérie du Cassoulet de Castelnaudary, the association that organises the town's annual Fête du Cassoulet. Unlike some recipes, it does not stipulate using a wood burning stove fuelled by branches of gorse from the Montagne Noire. Instead, it combines authenticity with practicality. recipe-cassoulet-of-the-grande-confrerie-du-cassoulet-de-castelnaudary.html

Celebrating the pink garlic of Lautrec

Even if you share Her Majesty the Queen’s distaste for garlic, there is plenty more to savour at Lautrec’s pink garlic festival. Enjoy these photos from the 2022 edition. who-likes-garlic.html

Castelnaudary – Fête du Cassoulet

Castelnaudary, home of cassoulet, a dish which according to legend was invented during the Hundred Years’ War. More certainly, it was first canned in 1836, a technological innovation which allowed this iconic dish to travel to kitchens and dining tables across France and around the world. castelnaudary-fete-du-cassoulet-17-21-august-2022.html

Roquefort – a high price for success? The mayor recounts his problems with cheese

I enjoyed a fascinating interview yesterday with Bernard Sirgue, mayor of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon. This tiny village in the south of France is famous for transforming ewe’s milk into blue cheese worth €350 million a year. We discussed the challenges of administering a commune where 80% of the properties are owned by the world’s largest dairy group, most of the others are owned by six other cheesemakers, and all of these companies choose to leave the majority of their buildings uninhabited. roquefort-a-high-price-for-success.html

Harvesting the pink garlic of Lautrec

Travel through the countryside around Lautrec this weekend, and you can’t miss the pungent smell of garlic. The annual pink garlic festival may have been cancelled due to covid-19, but the harvest goes on and the air is rich with odours which make some people recoil and others go ‘yum’. or ‘miam’ if they are French. those-fine-country-smells.html

Notes from the natural wine fair at Durban-Corbières

I spent yesterday afternoon trying to find out at the Glouglou natural wine fair in Durban-Corbières. Most of the exhibitors were certified organic, but they have all gone much further in their quest to minimise the artificial techniques used in most modern wine production. lining-up-my-work-for-the-day-natural-wines.html