The gastronomic treasures of the Dordogne
From rustic cuisine to gourmet meals, the Dordogne is renowned for its tasty traditional cuisine, typical of South-West France, widely appreciated for its simplicity and the great quality of local products. Fruity sweets, natural treasures and good agricultural production colour the weekly markets, delight gourmets and celebrate the richness of this exceptional terroir.
Here are some of the most delicious specialties of the Dordogne, that you should absolutely taste while visiting the region!
Foie gras
Absolute reference in the gastronomy of Périgord, foie gras, both from goose and duck, pan-fried or semi-cooked, is always a delicious temptation. An IGP (French acronym for PGI meaning Protected Geographical Indication) that guarantees and protect the local production, has been obtained in 1992.
The majority of the production is carried out from duck, the goose having unfortunately been a little neglected in the years 80's-90's, even if the demand for goose has been slowly making a comeback in recent years.
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| Foie gras |
Truffle (or black diamond)
No mushroom satisfies food lovers so much: with its powerful scent and subtle aroma, the truffle is the king of the markets in the Dordogne valley, between December and March.
Périgord, in fact, is one of the richest truffle centers in France with Comtat Venaissin, and Quercy, but truffles are rare and difficult to find. The truffle hunters of the Dordogne Valley are now satisfied with a few hundred kilos when truffles were collected there by the ton in the 19th century.
Hence, as you can imagine, happiness comes at a price, which scarcity justifies.
And don't expect to stumble upon this edible gem by chance. You have to have an exceptional nose or a good truffle dog or pig and a pretty trained eye to unearth the black Périgord truffle.
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| Perigord truffles |
Walnuts and Walnuts oil
Like Provence with olive trees, the Dordogne Valley can be recognized by its fields of walnut trees.
Planted since the 10th century on the banks of the Dordogne river and in the green rolling countryside, these plants produce the famous Perigord Walnut, soft and tasty, widely used for making oil, wine, liqueurs, flour and cakes. Walnuts can also be eaten in a salad or used in a pesto sauce, they can be caramelized or coated with chocolate: they are always delicious and have various health benefits!
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| Walnuts from our garden |
A true gift of nature that the entire Dordogne celebrates every winter, with the Walnut Festival in Sarlat.
Magret and Confit de Canard |
| Confit de canard |
The Magret, on the other hand, is the pectoral fillet of geese and ducks and it's most often grilled and cooked rare.
Both dishes are often served with porcini mushrooms and Sarladaise potatoes (a strictly local preparation that requires potatoes to be sliced and cooked in goose or duck fat).
Cabécou du Périgord
Cabécou du Périgord is a cheese generally made from whole and raw goat's milk, with a soft paste and bloomy rind, made with milk coming exclusively from Périgord. The term Cabécou means “little goat” in the Occitan language. It is a contraction of 'Cabre' which means goat, combined with the suffix 'Cou' meaning neck.
Less famous than foie gras or black truffle, this local cheese plays, nonetheless, an important role in the cuisine of Périgord. It has the shape of a disc, covered with a velvety crust. It can be enjoyed as an appetizer, in a salad or grilled with a drizzle of oil.
Ceps
Fresh from the beginning of September until All Saints' Day, canned or dried the rest of the year, cep mushrooms are a delight for lovers of good food and a great inspiration for the South-West cuisine with endless recipes.
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| Image by silviarita from Pixabay |
There are about fifteen ceps varieties in the region, but one is particularly sought after, the black head with a brown hat and white flesh. This mushroom, very appreciated with an omelet or simply as an accompaniment to white meat, has many properties, especially against cardiovascular diseases.
The Villefranche-du-Périgord market is one of the references for finding the best mushrooms in the area. But it is also worth mentioning the Cep and the Veal Festival, taking place every October, in the Périgord Vert, in Saint-Saud-Lacoussière.
Chestnuts
The chestnut forests, which are found especially in Périgord Vert and in the south of the Périgord Noir, yield tons of chestnuts every year. Just take a walk in the woods in October and you will go home with a full basket.
For those interested, the Maison de la Chataigne (The Chestnut House) in the center of the bastide town of Villefranche du Périgord, is a playful space whose modern scenographies reveal, in 3 themed rooms, the secrets of the chestnut and the ancestral traditions of the surrounding forests.
Strawberries
Périgord is known to be the land of strawberries. It is the second largest French department in terms of production, just behind the neighboring Lot-et-Garonne and supplies nearly a quarter of the annual French production.
Sweet, fresh and juicy they are one of the most important products of the region
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| Image by Pezibear from Pixabay |
The geographical production area covers 32 cantons of the Dordogne and 9 communes of the Lot. 7,500 tonnes of strawberries are produced each year in the area, including 1,500 tonnes under the IGP Fraises du Périgord label (created in 2004).
It is celebrated in Vergt, in the heart of the Périgord Blanc, on the third Sunday of May with the tasting of a giant strawberry tart.
Wines and liqueurs
The Dordogne department also produces excellent wines. Vineyards now cover more than 12,000 hectares under 9 appellations and produce 5 different types of wine: red, rosé, dry white, medium sweet white (moelleux) and dessert wine. The delicious variety of these lesser-known local wines and the strict bond with their terroir and the local gastronomy make them an absolute must-try, especially for those gourmet travelers that like to explore local cuisine or simply for those that appreciate excellent value for money!
But the area is also known for its distilleries where you can find some specialties such as walnut or chestnut wine, liqueurs, aperitifs and Eau de Vie. Some of the distilleries can also be visited like the La Salamandre in Sarlat.
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