from
Behind the French Menu
by
bryangnewman@gmail.com
The
four regions of the Dordogne-Périgord are divided by color on local maps.
Map courtesy of the Comité du Tourisme de la Dordogne
The
Dordogne- Périgord
Geography, history, and flavor are inextricably linked in the Dordogne-Périgord, where the French Revolution saw the renaming of the old province of Périgord as Dordogne. That name change may have been over two centuries ago, but the locals still identify themselves as Périgourdines. They honor their heritage that is world-renowned for its Cuisine Périgourdine.
Dordogne is part of the administrative region of Nouvelle Aquitaine, inland from the Atlantic coast and to the east of Bordeaux; it is a tapestry of prehistoric cave paintings, medieval castles, and lush natural beauty. The result of this fusion of manifests itself in the region’s cuisine, which is divided into four color-coded geographical areas. Each color connects to the landscape's unique character and its accompanying culinary treasures.
Château de Biron in
the Dordogne.
Photograph courtesy of en.sarlat-tourisme.com
As
the Cuisine of Périgord developed, each of the colored regions shown below
claimed bragging rights for particular specialties. However, good recipes are
shared, and the best will be on menus all over Périgord. If, I have
given a particular region unwarranted honor, then I hope the others will
forgive me.
Périgord Blanc -White Périgord
White Périgord is the central region of Périgord and home to the city of Périgueux, which is its préfecture, the departmental capital of the Dordogne/Périgord. The city of Périgueux is considered the creative heart of Cuisine Périgourdine. Périgord Blanc took its name from its exposed white limestone cliffs. The River Isle runs through the City of Périgueux and the River Auvézère runs through part of the area.
Périgueux
farmers’ market.
Photograph
courtesy of nouvelle-aquitaine-tourisme.com
©
Alban Gilbert CRTNA — Périgueux
On the menu in Périgord
Blanc:
Filet de Bœuf Grillé
Sauce Périgueux – A grilled fillet steak, the tenderloin, served
with Sauce Périgueux.
Sauce Périgueux is a rich sauce made with the truffe
Périgourdine, the
black Périgord truffles, and Madeira
wine. The
herbs used will depend on the chef.
To order your steak cooked the way you like it, click here.
Fillet
of Beef Sauce Périgueux.
Photograph
courtesy of hegyessy.
www.flickr.com/photos/hegyessy/6648153257/.
Salade Périgourdine - Salade Périgourdine is probably the
most famous duck salad in all of France; it is usually served as a cold entrée,
the French starter, and is occasionally served as a light lunch.
This duck salad is served on lettuce or
other salad greens with a vinaigrette dressing, and
traditionally, duck gizzard confit constitutes the
chief duck ingredient; however, that can vary with the chef and the price you
will pay. Slices of smoked duck breast may be added. and as the menu moves upscale, pâté de
foie gras, a pâté of fattened duck's
liver, may join the list of ingredients.
Salade
Périgourdine au foie-gras
Photograph courtesy of Trip Advisor
Cassoulet Périgourdine - Cassoulets are substantial and filling heavy winter stews, and the Cassoulet
Périgourdine is one of France’s most famous. As may be expected, this hearty
stew will include a stuffed neck of a goose or a duck, flageolet beans, duck confit, garlic sausage and tomatoes.
The geese of Perigord
Photograph
courtesy of Simon Bonaventure
www.flickr.com/photos/bonaventure/5191758758/
Charlotte aux Fraises du
Périgord – A Strawberry Charlotte made
with the abundant strawberries of
White Périgord.
A strawberry Charlotte
is made with sponge cake or ladyfingers placed around the layers of
strawberries and custard or whipped cream; it will be served
chilled.
White Périgord is the center of strawberry cultivation in Périgord, and the variety and tastes will amaze you. After tasting a few, you will understand why 20% of all French strawberries come from Périgord.
A
Strawberry Charlotte turned into a birthday cake.
Photograph
courtesy Kim Hyeyoung
www.flickr.com/photos/cakegirl/2442542988/
The original Charlotte was created by Antonin Carême, France's famous 18th-century chef, and the undisputed master of French patisserie. In 1815, after the fall of Napoleon I, Antonin left France and became the Chef de Cuisine to the Prince Regent of England (the son of the Mad King George). Antonin often named new dishes after his employer's family, and when he created this dish it was to honor the Prince Regent's mother, Sophia Charlotte. Later, in 1819, Antonin became the chef of Czar Alexander II, and there he created another Charlotte, the Charlotte Russe. The Charlotte Russe was created to honor the Czar's sister-in-law Charlotte. Charlotte Russe (Russian Charlotte), is similar to the original Charlotte but filled with Bavarian cream and decorated with whipped cream rosettes.
There is a possibility
that I am wrong in assigning the name Charlotte to two Princesses. My great-great-grandmother
was also called Charlotte; however, I admit that I have no proof that she ever
met Antonin.
The village of La Roque Gageac
It is nestled against one of the limestone cliffs of
Périgord Blanc.
Photograph
courtesy of Perigord Decouverte.
Périgord
Vert - Green Périgord
Périgord Vert
is the department’s north and covered with chestnut forests and
green valleys; it is named for its verdant hills and valleys in an area
crisscrossed by many streams and rivers. If you’re travelling in the area then
the Dronne Valley, with the River Dronne, should not be missed.
Châtaignes - Chestnuts.
Photograph
courtesy of Otto
Phokus
www.flickr.com/photos/jbmac/3978185109/
On
the menu in Périgord Vert:
Tourain Blanchi or Tourain Perigourdin – The garlic soup of Perigord. A
velvety, mild, garlic soup flavored with goose or duck fat, thyme, sage, and a hint
of wine vinegar. This soup is usually
served over a slice or two of French bread. With slight variations in the recipe, this soup will
be on menus all over the South-West of France.
Do not confuse the area of Touraine in the department of Indre-et-Loire
(where it was a historic province), with the word Tourain used here. The
word Tourain is said to be a local corruption of the word tureen,
a bowl.
Cou d'Oie Farci – A goose's neck
stuffed with goose meat, and depending on the chef, the season, and, of course,
the price, it may be made with added foie gras
(fattened goose liver), and
truffles or just chestnuts.
Blanc de Turbot Roti Gnocchi a la
Farine de Châtaigne - A filet of
roasted turbot, served with gnocchi
made with chestnut flour.
With so many chestnuts
in
Green Périgord,
you will not be surprised at the number of dishes where they star.
Roasted
turbot.
Photograph
courtesy of Mike_fleming
www.flickr.com/photos/flem007_uk/8196084527/
Cuisse de Canard Confite dans sa
Graisse aux Cèpes – Duck’s legs confit cooked with porcini (penny bun) mushrooms.
The Cèpe (Cepe) or Porcini is one of the tastiest wild mushrooms. France
is blessed with many pine, chestnut, and oak forests, and
those are the trees that nearly all wild mushrooms like. In season fresh
French Cèpes, will be on many menus.
Duck legs confit with mushrooms.
www.flickr.com/photos/avlxyz/2460429343/
Périgord
Noir - Black Périgord.
Black
Périgord is in the southeast of the Dordogne and is famous for its dense
forests, including chestnut forests. The Dordogne and Vézère Rivers run through
this region.
The
village of Beynon and the forests of Périgord Noir
Photograph
courtesy of Andrew Lawson
www.flickr.com/photos/andylawson/6204029928/
The town of Sarlat.
Sarlat-la-Canéda
(called Sarlat by everyone) is the capital of the Périgord Noir (Black
Périgord) region in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. This town is an open-air museum,
boasting one of the highest concentrations of medieval and Renaissance
architecture in France. Despite its population being under 12,000, Sarlat's
historic core features over 250 listed buildings and 60 registered monuments,
and you’ll find as many lovers of Medieval history who are also gourmets roaming
around the town. Sarlat has made many contributions to Cuisine Périgourdine.
Many of the region's most celebrated dishes proudly bear the town's name,
incorporating the terms Sarlat or Sarladaise to signify their
culinary heritage.
Sarlat.
Photograph
courtesy of Andrew Lawson
www.flickr.com/photos/andylawson/6203486601/
On
the menu in Périgord Noir:
Velouté aux Châtaignes de
Perigord – A velouté,
a velvety soup, made with the Label Rouge, red label, chestnuts of Perigord. No
other French chestnuts have been
awarded the Label Rouge for consistent quality, and their only competitors are the
Châtaignse d'Ardèche AOP and the Châtaignes
de Cévennes AOP.
Joel Robuchon’s
chestnut veloute
Photograph courtesy of Krista
www.flickr.com/photos/scaredykat/328174695/
Brouillade
de Cèpes et Copeaux de Parmesan –
Brouillade, a light version of scrambled eggs, here it is prepared with cèpes (porcini or penny bun mushrooms) and
shavings of Parmesan cheese.
The original brouillade recipe is claimed by
Provence, where it is called brouiado. However, other regions of France
have a
strong
claim on their versions. To make a brouillade, egg whites are beaten
separately,
and only mixed with the yolks while cooking; it creates a very light and airy
version of scrambled eggs.
Cèpes, French porcini mushrooms
are found in all Périgord’s many forests, Nearly every restaurant will have an
agreement with its own ramasseurs, gatherers of wild mushrooms and
herbs, who, in season, will bring fresh wild mushrooms daily.
Filet de Bœuf à la Sarladaise -
This is a classic beef dish from Black Périgord. Here, a filet of beef is
piqued with small pieces of the area’s famous black Perigord truffles.
The beef fillet is barded, and roasted, and cooked with red or white wine and
then served with Sauce Périgueux. Barding requires wrapping the meat with fat
before cooking. Barding is essential for cuts like this that are roasted as a
beef fillet has little external fat. Unless the beef is barded before being
roasted, it will dry out.
Sauce Périgueux is made with the black Perigord truffle and Madeira wine. The herbs used may vary with the chef, but it is usually prepared with veal or beef stock and will be served with meat, duck, or goose dishes.
Magret de Canard aux Pommes
Sarladaises - Duck breast fried
or grilled, served with Pommes Salardaises.
Pommes Salardaises
are potatoes fried in duck fat and flavored with garlic and parsley.
Magret
de Canard aux Pommes Sarladaise
Photograph courtesy of Thomas Claveirole
https://www.flickr.com/photos/thomasclaveirole/269579647/
Dos de Cabillaud en
Croûte de Noix du Périgord –
A thick cut of cod, the
fish, cooked en croûte, inside a covering of Périgord walnuts.
The walnut is France’s favorite nut,
and when the word noix alone is on the menu, it is a walnut. Only two
walnuts are considered the very, very best: the Noix de Périgord AOP, the walnut from
Périgord, and the Noix de Grenoble AOP, the walnut from Grenoble. Apart
from the fresh nuts, you will find walnut liquors and walnut oils. Perigord has
routes de noix, walnut roads (like the wine roads in the wine country).
Their routes de noix run through the region and are a wonderful way to
see the country and stop off in country restaurants to taste dishes made with
walnuts. The tourist information offices in each area will provide the map or
email you a copy before you leave home.
A
walnut.
Photograph courtesy of Erich
Ferdinand
www.flickr.com/photos/erix/6783284175/
Black
Périgord is also internationally famous for its prehistoric sites, especially
those with wall paintings, including the Lascaux cave, which is a UNESCO World
Heritage site.
However,
not all the caves may be visited, and others are restricted. For example, the Font-de-Gaume
Paleolithic cave paintings in Périgord Noir are carefully preserved, and
entrance is limited to fewer than 200 visitors per day. Book ahead and read up
on the finds and paintings as most of their guided tours are in French only.
Périgord Pourpre - Purple Périgord
Purple
Périgord is the wine-growing center of Périgord, hence the name. The most
important town is Bergerac, and around the town are the Bergerac vineyards, while
just over the Dordogne river are the Monbazillac vineyards.
Bergerac
is a beautiful town, with the town itself and the surrounding area called
the Pays de Bergerac. Apart from being home
to the Bergerac wines, it is another center of Cuisine Périgourdine.
Statue
of Cyrano de Bergerac
The
famous character from Edmond Rostand's acclaimed 1897 play of the same name.
Photograph
courtesy of Mike Fleming
https://www.flickr.com/photos/flem007_uk/9093909449/
Bergerac
wines have at least ten appellations, wine-growing areas. The Bergerac wines
include dry reds, rosés, dry white wines, as well as semi-dry and very sweet
white wines. Just across the River Dordogne are the vineyards for the famous Monbazillac
sweet white wines that are one of the 13 appellations. To taste and learn about
the different Bergerac wines, take the wine road, their Route des Vins de
Bergerac and a designated driver!
Among
the appellations are: Bergerac AOP, Côtes de Bergerac AOP, Montravel AOP,
Haut-Montravel AOP, Côtes de Montravel AOP, Monbazillac AOP, Pécharmant AOP,
Rosette AOP, and Saussignac AOP.
The
English language website for the Pays de Bergerac is:
https://www.pays-bergerac-tourisme.com/en/home
On
the menu in Périgord Poupre (Purple Périgord).
Coq au Vin de Bergerac et Croutons
Aillés – Coq au Vin made with one of the
red wines of Bergerac and served with garlic-flavored croutons.
Coq au
Vin began as a large meal prepared on
holidays or for family celebrations, and it would have been enough for ten or
more diners. About one hundred years ago, the dish was made with a big, old
cockerel, that's a rooster in North America, which had ceased to make the
ladies happy; they weighed at least five kilos (11 lbs). Today, a French
restaurant serving Coq au Vin Traditionnel may have to settle for a
somewhat smaller bird. Even today, most mature French cockerels weigh
over two and a half kilos, over five pounds, with some up to 50% more.
When cockerels are not available, large hens that have ceased to lay eggs
will be the replacements; all will be free-range birds, so they will be tasty,
but need a lot of cooking, or they would be stringy. Preparing a cockerel or
large hen for the pot requires marinating the bird in red wine, often with an
added Eau-de-vie, for a particular flavor for at least 24 hours. When the
marinade has done its work, the dish will be allowed to cook very slowly, along
with more red wine, herbs, and extra chicken broth. When the meat is nearly
hanging off the bones, vegetables, mushrooms, and bacon for flavor will be
added, and twenty minutes later, the dish may be served.
Coq
au Vin
Photograph
by courtesy of jeffreyw
www.flickr.com/photos/jeffreyww/7847026330/
Rosace d'Onglet de Bœuf aux Lardons - A decoratively sliced hanger steak prepared with lardons, bacon pieces, and served with a sauce made from the natural cooking juices, shallots, thyme, and a Bergerac red wine. A hanger steak may, mistakenly, sometimes be called a London broil in the USA.
The term rosace
describes how the steak will be served; it indicates the steak will be sliced
and presented with a fan or flower shape.
Escalope de Foie Gras Sauce
Monbazillac - A slice of foie gras, fattened duck's liver very,
very lightly fried, and served with a sauce made with the sweet Monbazillac
wine. (Fattened duck liver cannot be well-cooked; it would dissolve!)
The white, sweet Monbazillac wines
are often compared with the Sauternes produced just 130 km (82 miles) away in
Bordeaux. While the manner of production is similar, the percentage of the
different grapes used does differ, and that clearly affects the taste.
Warm
escalopes of foie
gras with cardamom,
glazed
root vegetables, verjuice, and a sultana sauce
Photograph
courtesy of HannahWebb
www.flickr.com/photos/hannahtucker/6905335221/
Magret de Canard Sauce
Monbazillac –Duck breast fried and served with
a sauce made from the dish’s natural cooking juices and the sweet Monbazillac
white wine.
Bottles of Monbazillac wine aging.
In the cellars of the Château de Monbazillac
Photograph courtesy of Laurent Espitallier
www.flickr.com/photos/frenchhope/4895566966/
Bergerac and Panache
From Bergerac, the
word panache began its modern usage in the English language. Then, at the end
of the 19th century, the French playwright Edmund Rostand wrote the play Cyrano
de Bergerac. The play was based on a real 17th-century Cyrano de
Bergerac and has remained popular in French and English translations for over
100 years. When the play was translated into English, the translators could not
find a suitable English word for panache, which describes Cyrano's flair,
style, and exaggerated grace. So, panache entered into its modern form in the
English language. Two French-language movies have been made about Cyrano de
Bergerac, the last in the 1990s.
Statue
of Cyrano de Bergerac.
There
are several Cyrano statues in the town of Bergerac.
This one is in La Place Pélissière.
Photograph
courtesy of Trip Advisor
Fetes, Festivals, and Fairs in the
Dordogne-Périgord.
Throughout
the year, there are hundreds of fetes and festivals in the Dordogne-Périgord.
Probably half of these celebrations are connected to food and wine. Apart from
the beautiful towns and villages, there are hundreds of castles and chateaus.
Every
one of the four colors of Périgord has its own Tourist Information Office:
The Tourist Information Office of Périgueux
https://www.france-voyage.com/cities-towns/perigueux-6198/tourist-office-perigueux-7776.htm
The Tourist Information Office for Périgord Blanc
https://www.guide-du-perigord.com/en/tourism/discover/visiting-perigord/the-tourist-sites-in-the-white-perigord.html
The Tourist Information Office for Sarlat Périgord Black
https://www.sarlat-tourisme.com/
The Tourist Information Office for the Périgord Vert Nontronnais
https://tourisme-perigord-nontronnais.fr/
The Tourist Information Office for Bergerac & Perigord Poupre:
https://www.pays-bergerac-tourisme.com/fr
The main English language website for
all of Dordogne-Perigord:
https://www.france.fr/en/campaign/perigord-dordogne/
--------------------------------
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------------------
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------------------------------
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com
------------------------------
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