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 4th July 2009
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French Food & Cuisine
Le Gastrozone is your one-stop stock of information on la vie gourmande in France Check out our latest reviews, recipes, and food and drink tips. We also aim to demystify French eating habits and traditions, to make life and cuisine easier in France. Gemma Driver FrenchEntrée’s Resident Gastronome Contact me at Le Gastrozone more about Gemma Driver... Article ArchiveA chance to re-visit previous Gastrozone articles.Free-Range Pork Farmer.jpg) ...We speak to a French free-range pork farmer...Independent Wine Producers .gif) ...What the 'Vignéron Indépendent' label means...Fish n' Chips in France .jpg){kind=small} ...Fish n' Chips hits the Dordogne! Brits take their chip van to various locations, including Périgueux pub, The Star Inn...Baby Feeding Controversy .jpg) ...American reader tells of conflict with French inlaws, due to her baby's diet...Deux Sèvres Menu  ...If you're stuck for ideas of what to cook, try this traditional menu of delicious dished from the Deux Sèvres region of France...Bloody Delicious .jpg) ...The differences between English and French black puddings, and the joys of boudin noir...Downshifter's Weekend Menu  ...A thrifty, delicious and waste-free set of dishes for a whole weekend's dining...Supermarket Waste .jpg) ...Ridiculous and pointless waste, and how it is the supplier who looses out, even though it is not their fault...Languedoc Olives  ...How French olives get from tree to table...Guide to Buying Bread .jpg){kind=small} ...What to look for when buying bread in France, to ensure you get the best from your baguette...Dream French Meal  ...An account of the kind of amazing French meal you see in films, but this one was for real...Reader's Viewpoint  ...French eating rituals as seen by American living in France...Truffle Beer .jpg) ...Beligian beer in France; Ale brewed with truffles and chestnuts. We meet the brewer, who grows his own barley...Mirepoix .jpg){kind=small} - How to make it, and its uses; one of the staples of French cuisine...French Snail Farm .jpg) ...Snails are so very French. I went to a local snail farm to learn about how they get from mud to your mouth.... Cookery Courses In France .jpg){kind=small} ...Masterchef finalist, Jim Fisher, took his enviable cheffing experience to the rural Dordogne. Now he's passing on his know-how... And here's a feature about Jim's life, Cook in France Lauren Booth Comes to Lunch .jpg){kind=small} ...The well-known journalist loves the French approach to food and living... Fromage de la Trappe .jpg) ...Trappist cheese from Échourgnac. I speak to the nuns who make it.... Private Chefs Become Popular in France .jpg) ...I caught up with Emmanuel Sofonéa, a private chef from Antibes... A Traditional Bakery in France .jpg) ...The successful wood-fired bakery opened a year ago. I went to find out how they manage to supply the huge demand for their extra special bread...La Poissonnerie Moderne  ...I speak to the owners of a traditional French poisonerie...The 'Vendange' Meals  ...Tale of the vendange (grape harvest) meals, including the immensely bolstering casse-croûte breakfast, served with raw garlic and wine...Oysters Farmed in France  ...A look at the life of an oyster and it's farmer, in the Arcachon Basin, including how they cope with the huge Christmas rush...Foie Gras Production  ...I spent several days with Isabelle Viresolvit, on her duck farm in rural Périgord - one of the regions, which claims to be THE foie gras-producing region of France. I watched Isabelle work and we discussed her methods for producing foie gras...French Food Festivals  ...Winter food festivals in south-west France, including the internationally renowned ‘Salon International du Livre Gourmand’...Mardi Gras .jpg){kind=small} ...or ‘Fat Tuesday’ is the French term for Shrove Tuesday. The French enjoy a day of feasting on cakes and sparkling wineFrench Goat's Cheese .jpg) ...The work of artisan goat cheese producers in France. An interview the Foucauts - a dying breed of cheese producers...A French Master ‘Chocolatier’ .jpg) ...‘La Chocolaterie’ is a sight to behold. Its incredible window displays draw the customer’s attention into the shop, where they can watch Eric at work...Snuffling for Truffles .jpg) ...We went on a local ‘randonnée de la truffe’, and found out about the business of growing 'des truffes'. "...We were surprised by the large turnout on that misty, frosty morning..." |
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Latest Food and Drink Forum PostingsInformation StoreAccess everyday information to help your French food-shopping experiences flow more smoothly.Seafood Vocabulary  If you are bewildered by the range of seafood, the names, and the questions you are asked at the seafood counter, this should help!French Meat Cuts  It is not just a case of simple translation when buying meat in France, because the French cuts differ from those in the UK. Here are some explanations and vocabulary...Mysterious Veg  How to use the mysterious vegetables that you see in French markets.Flour in France .jpg){kind=small} Which flour to use for what; about the grades.Foie Gras Explained  Being unused to this product in the UK, the various forms of foie gras can be confusing at first...Market Tasters in France  How to deal with traders offering tasters at the markets of France.Market Manners in France  "How to deal with market stall pressure.British Vs French Supermarket Stock  Differences between French and British supermarket stock; how it is treated differently, and where it comes from.Supermarket Vs Market  The differences between supermarket stock and that of the markets and individual shops. What do you get for your money?Ordering Steak  How to request the ‘doneness’ of a steak in French.Sauce Names  Ever wondered what the difference is between ‘Béarnaise’ and ‘Périgordine’ sauces?Question?If you have a question, Email me! "My question is, what exactly is a mabre? Some kind of terrine perhaps? Any info you may have would be greatfully appreciated, thanks!"Christina Bowen Hotelschool The Hague to the answer... The Wines of BergeracA truly excellent wine guide! Phil Hargreaves has collected comprehensive information on 92 of the best wine producers in the Bergerac area. Other invaluable information, including... more... Recommended ReadingUseful books reviewed.This section of Le Gastrozone is where you will find suggestions for helpful books on cooking and food in France.Current recommendation: 'The A - Z of French Food', Scribo Editions.  This unusual, almost quaint glossary is an indispensable handbook for anyone who is not totally fluent in French. There is always something on the menu which... The A - Z of French Food... Your IdeasQuestions and FeedbackDo you have any questions about food in France? Any food or drink gems that you have discovered? Would you like to recommend your favourite restaurant? Or maybe you have some feedback on Le Gastrozone?I am always happy to hear your real life stories, and I answer all queries. Email me. |
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