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Local Cuisine - Pyrenees-Orientales (66)

Most of the traditional foods in PO come from Catalan recipes and are largely dictated by the local produce. The Catalans are great meat eaters: wild boar, duck, steak and even snails cooked on an open fire over vines are a staple in many of the traditional restaurants. Many types of charcuterie (dried sausage and cured meats) are produced in the area; Serrano ham is very like Parma ham, although often served in thicker slices, and is delicious eaten with melon or figs.

The PO is a massive producer of fruits and vegetables, particularly cherries and peaches, whose pink blossom in full glory in March and April features on many postcards of the area.

Olives are also a regional speciality with more and more Vignerons deciding to convert small areas, traditionally used for vines, into olive groves. From the olives come a variety of olive oils as well as tapenade, a delicious olive paste. The regions olive oils are varied and interesting with special varieties such as Lucques (exclusive to the region) as well as Bouteillan, Aglandeau and Picholine.

Fish and seafood are popular, particularly red snapper and sea bass, which are caught in the Mediterranean, oysters and mussels which are farmed in the marine lakes and Collioure has become famous for it's anchovies.

There are many small-scale producers of fresh farm cheeses, particularly those made from goats' and sheep's milk (chèvre and brebis).

Close to the border you can see the Spanish Catalan influence with Paella and a wide range of tapas on offer in many restaurants.

Favourite local desserts include Crème Catalane (similar to Crème Brûlée) and Mel i Mato which is soft fresh goat's cheese eaten with honey.

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Local Cuisine - Aude (11)

Like the PO, many of the traditional foods in Aude are influenced by the local environment. Traditionally there is a lot of meat: wild boar, duck, steak and even snails cooked on an open fire over vines are a staple in many of the traditional restaurants.

Perhaps the most famous Aude dish is Cassoulet, which comes from Castelnaudary. This is a hearty dish made with white beans and a variety of meat depending on who you believe for the recipe, but it generally includes sausage, pork and duck. It is really delicious washed down with red wine! Another local speciality is confit de canard, succulent pieces of duck tinned or bottled and preserved in goose or duck fat.

Traditionally the Aude was a sheep farming area but this died out in the early 20th century as it became more profitable to grow vines and produce wine. There are still, nevertheless, many producers of goat's and ewe's milk cheeses. Pélardon is still produced using traditional cheese making methods. After each milking the milk is left to curdle. The fresh curds are moulded by hand in to the characteristic Pélardon shape. To develop the flavour, the cheese is matured for at least 11 days. At that stage the young Pélardon has a creamy crust, sometimes marked with blue or white mould on the outside. To ensure that every AOC Pélardon cheese has the same, typical qualities, it must be produced according to strict regulations and specifications, including natural food for the goats, based on pasture and moulding the curds by hand. In addition the AOC Pélardon cheeses which display the AOC Pélardon name must be passed by a tasting panel.

Inland the area is also known for it's truffles with the expensive black truffle on sale at local truffle markets during the winter months. Truffles are a form of fungus that are sniffed out by well-trained dogs from the roots of trees. They are traditionally used to flavour foods such as omelette, roast chicken and olive oil.

The Corbières are home to many bees, and honey made from the pollen of the different plants of the 'garrigue' (heath) such as lavender, rosemary and thyme are something of a speciality of the Aude.

Fish and seafood are popular, particularly red snapper and sea bass, which are caught in the Mediterranean, and oysters and mussels which are farmed in the marine lakes at Leucate. Eels from the lakes used to be a staple of local agriculture but they and the fishermen who catch them are becoming increasingly rare. In the shallow salt-water lagoons you'll also find salt producers such as the one at Gruissan.

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Organic Food and Wine

Organic (BIO - Biologique) produce is steadily growing in popularity in France. You can buy organic products direct from the producers at their farms, caves or in the local markets or from organic supermarkets.

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Organic Suppliers - Aude (11)

Supermarkets and Specialist Shops:

Tourne-Sol
Allée Gutenberg
ZI La Bouriette
11000 Carcassonne
Tel 047262

Biocoop Terrabio 36A, bd Marcel-Sembat
11100 Narbonne
Tel 04 68 32 00 77

Floréal
41, av Fabre-d'Eglantine
11300 Limoux
Tel 04 68 31 33 40

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Organic Suppliers - Pyrenees-Orientales (66)

Supermarkets and Specialist Shops:

Bioasis - supermarket
Zone commerciale
RN 9 66160 Le Boulou
Tel 04 68 83 21 39

Cosmos - supermarket
12, av. de Prades
66000 Perpignan
Tel 04 68 56 62 97

Cosmos Carré - supermarket
22, rue Michel-Carré
66330 Cabestany
Tel 04 68 62 19 59

La Plantula - supermarket
7, rue de la Basse
66500 Prades
Tel 04 68 96 08 58

L'Epi Bio - supermarket
29 rue Saint Ferreol
66400 Ceret
Tel 04 68 87 18 72

Reso Bio - supermarket
Avenue d'Espagne
66100 Perpignan
Tel 04 68 55 35 31

Gérard et Jean MOLAS - Boucherie
3 av du Vallespir
66110 Amelie-Les-Bains
Tel 04 68 39 04 50

Le Pain D'Eric - Boulangerie
Camelas Plaine
66300 Camelas
Tel 04 68 53 21 07

La Fee Des Lilas - Patisserie
3 impasse des Lilas
66720 Montner
Tel 04 68 29 11 51

Producers:

MORER Eric - Fruit and olive oil
15 av Joffre
66130 Boulternere
Tel 06 78 42 45 58

QUIGNON Philippe- Seasonal vegetables and fruit
6 carrer del Mig
66300 Castelnou
Tel 04 68 53 66 96

BONNEFOY Pierre - Fruit, vegetables, jams and chutney
Carrer du Commandment Constantin
66820 Fillols
Tel 04 68 05 78 80

CAZENOVE Richard - Meat
Le Village
66360 Mantet
Tel 04 68 05 60 99

DAJON Adama - Fruit, vegetables and fruit juice
Lloncet
66500 Los Masos
Tel 04 68 05 25 85

LA FERME MUSICALE - Fruit, vegetables, fruit juice and jams
CHOBLET Ursula
Chemin du Mas Bedia
66690 Palau-del-Vidre
Tel 04 68 37 98 64
Website

ARNAUD Gisele and REGNE Bob - Meat
Fontcouverte
66730 Rabouillet
Tel 04 68 97 76 59

COSTA Patrick - Fruit, vegetables and jams
6 rue du Ruisseau
66730 Le Vivier
Tel 04 68 59 18 63

COSERMA - Fruit, vegetables and jams
COTXET Serge
Chemin de la Mer
66510 Saint Hippolyte
Tel 04 68 61 16 69

LE CHANT DE LA TERRE EARL - Fruit, vegetable and eggs
PAYRE Nicolas - Mas Ripouilles
66570 St-Nazaire
Tel 04 68 22 27 38

DOMIAINE SINGLA - Wine, apricots and kiwis
DE BESOMBES-SINGLA Laurent
4 rue de Rivoli
66250 St-Laurent-De-La-Salanque
Tel 04 68 28 30 68
Website

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Organic Markets

Place République - Perpignan
Every Wednesday and Saturday morning

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Organic Restaurants

Il Bambino
Italian restaurant with organic dishes available
25 rue Grande la Réal
66000 Perpignan
Tel 04 68 34 41 30

For more information on organic produce in Languedoc Roussillon you can contact Fédération Régionale de l'Agriculture Biologique on 04 67 06 23 48

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Wine

Languedoc-Roussillon wines are some of the oldest in the world and Vignerons here produce some of the most renowned French wines. It was the Greeks who began wine-growing in Languedoc-Roussillon cultivating their vines around trading settlements from the 8th century.

The wine making area extends from the banks of the Rhône as far as the foothills of the Pyrenees, stretching out over the plains and scrubland into the hills. The wines of Languedoc-Roussillon generally have a rich aftertaste and complement the local food perfectly.

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AOC Languedoc wines

There are 15 AOC Languedoc wines:

Map showing regional location

- Corbieres
- Coteaux de Languedoc
- Minervois
- Saint Chinian
- Faugeres
- Minervois La Liviniere
- Fitou
- Limoux
- Cabardes
- Malepere
- Clairette du Languedoc
- Muscat Seant Jean de Minervois
- Muscat de Frontignan
- Muscat de Mireval
- Muscat de lunel

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Grape Varieties

Red Grapes:

Syrah
The Syrah grape (called Shiraz in Australia) has always been grown in the Languedoc but is currently experiencing a renaissance. Its complex tannins give concentration and structure, a deep colour, finesse, and, on occasion, a roasted, smoky character. When mature it can suggest game and mushrooms, even burnt rubber or tar.

Grenache
Grenache is the main red grape of the south although a relative newcomer, planted after the phylloxera plague. It gives good fruit and alcohol but is low in acidity and oxidizes fast. It lacks colour and tannin, but is invaluable for blending. It is the backbone of red vins doux naturels in particular.

Mourvdre
Catalan by birth, this is the mainstay of the wines of Bandol and contributes pepper and spice flavours. It makes structured, deeply coloured, robust wine, with good acidity. Most often found as a supporting grape, it's not easy to grow and takes time to come to maturity, just as its wine needs ageing.

Carignan
This is another post-phylloxera Spanish import, suited to poor soils such as schist, and resistant to the strong winds of the South. Dark and generously alcoholic, it is generally vinified by maceration carbonique, a technique which maximises fruit flavours. It's usually blended, although some growers make a varietal wine from it. Carignan is making a comeback.

Cinsault
This is another frowned-upon grape, although with the longest history of all in the Languedoc. It will give fruity, pleasant, soft wines if yields are kept low and the soil is poor enough. Lighter in colours than any of the foregoing, it is much valued for making rose wines, and for moderating the power of Grenache.

White grapes:

Muscat
Petits Grains is one of two kinds of Muscat in the South. Found in the vins doux naturales of the Languedoc Roussillon, Muscat grows well on chalky soil, producing one of the few wines to taste of grapes.

Mauzac
The mainstay of many of the sparkling wines of Limoux, Mauzac is recognisable by its aroma of apples and pears. With an acidity that weakens as the grape matures, it's sometimes blended with Chenin and Chardonnay fruit.

Marsanne
Marsanne is often blended with Roussanne but doesn't have quite the same status. Its wines, though, can be good with some acidity and an attractive bouquet. The plant is vigorous, fertile and needs sharp pruning to limit its yields.

Grenache Blanc
The white cousin of Grenache Noir, this is very similar apart from colour and earlier cycles. The grapes can give sweet or dry wine, the latter soft and full but sometimes high in acidity and alcohol. It's the backbone of many Southern wines.

Terret
Terret is grown mainly in mid-Languedoc and makes crisp, dry wine which can transcend the ordinary in the hands of good growers. Quite fashionable.

Clairette
Formerly the chief white grape of the Midi, Clairette has been cut by 80% during the last fifty years. It produces alcoholic and sweet or dry wines, often with apple aromas. Its lack of acidity necessitates early drinking.

Viognier
Currently very fashionable in the Languedoc, this variety is not yet permitted in the AOC area, but soon will be. Requiring careful vinification, its wines are aromatic and complex, with notes of peach, apricot and tropical fruits.

Roussanne
Native to the Rhune valley, this newcomer to the Langudeoc has settled well, producing fine, complex wines with flavours of honey, flowers and apricot. It has good acidity and strength which ensures they keep well.

Grape variety information from www.terroirlanguedoc.co.uk

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Recommended Languedoc Wines:

See a list of Kim Marcus' recommended Languedoc wines at www.winespectator.com

For more detailed information on Languedoc wines go to www.languedoc-wines.com