Le Gastrozone
CONTENTS
French Food & Cuisine
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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 Gastronome
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Article Archive
A chance to re-visit previous Gastrozone articles. Free-Range Pork Farmer.jpg)
...We speak to a French free-range pork farmer...Independent Wine Producers
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...What the 'Vignéron Indépendent' label means...Fish n' Chips in France
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...Fish n' Chips hits the Dordogne! Brits take their chip van to various locations, including Périgueux pub, The Star Inn...Baby Feeding Controversy
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...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
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...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
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...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
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...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
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...Beligian beer in France; Ale brewed with truffles and chestnuts. We meet the brewer, who grows his own barley...Mirepoix
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- How to make it, and its uses; one of the staples of French cuisine...French Snail Farm
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...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
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...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
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...The well-known journalist loves the French approach to food and living... Fromage de la Trappe
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...Trappist cheese from Échourgnac. I speak to the nuns who make it.... Private Chefs Become Popular in France
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...I caught up with Emmanuel Sofonéa, a private chef from Antibes... A Traditional Bakery in France
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...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
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...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
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...The work of artisan goat cheese producers in France. An interview the Foucauts - a dying breed of cheese producers...A French Master
‘Chocolatier’
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...‘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
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...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..."
Your topic on food in France.
An introduction to Le Gastrozone
Welcome to Le Gastrozone! One of the major draws for francophiles is the image of all the wonderful food and wine of France, and the beautiful markets bursting with lush ingredients. But once the initial novelty of the pâté and cheese selections wear off, what holds people's interest? What exactly do you do with all those fantastic ingredients which are begging to be used?
more about your topic on food in France...
FREE Enjoying Life in France newsletter
Click here for Enjoying Life in France, a hand-picked monthly selection of French culture, language tips, recipes and more, delivered direct to your inbox free of charge. You might call it an indispensable guide to a new French life!Celebrate a French Christmas with roast goose
With an Aromatic Chestnut, Fruit & Spice Stuffing, and a Red Wine
What better alternative to turkey than a local French goose? It looks impressive, has loads of crispy skin, and the juicy meat is full of flavour. You will need to order your goose from the butcher or farm as far...
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Christmas cookery courses in France
Fed up with dry turkey, soggy sprouts and lumpy gravy every Christmas? Why not whizz across the Channel to learn how the French create culinary magic during the festive period. Our selection of cookery courses with a yuletide theme will have you rustling up magic in the kitchen in no time.
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Reign of terroir
With growing concern over how far our food travels and the damage this does to the environment, Dominic Bliss heads over to Picardy to see if the French, with their unrivalled love of fine food, are buying into a local, organic lifestyle.
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Something different in the Champagne-Ardenne
Expatriates Sandra and Grant Endersby offer luxury self-catering accommodation at le Manoir de Maffrécourt in the Champagne Ardenne. The Endersbys pride themselves on listening to and acting on the feedback offered by their visitors, as a result of which have come Champagne tasting evenings and some delicious home-cooked meals..more...
Dordogne wines - treasures to discover
A guide to the Bergerac appellations
"Shortly after we moved into our house in Ribérac we learnt that there was a link with Château Belingard, one of the Bergerac vineyards. The wines were delicious..." Antony Mair investigates Bergerac wines and their appellations...
Bergerac wines...
Provençal Cuisine
Help with menus
Provençal cooking is naturally packed with flavour, due to the sun-kissed produce that is so abundant in this region. Vegetables, seafood, meat casseroles, ratatouille... but it's not always obvious what dishes are from their names. Here is some terminology for those most commonly found on Provençal menus.Provençal dishes...
A French house party with a twist
French House Party's upscale "experience" residential holidays are all-inclusive. They are held at at a stylish 8-bedroom house with pool, tennis court and boules pitch 15 minutes from Carcassonne, SW France.
Find out more...
Starting a Wine Cellar
The 1st in our series on creating your own French wine cellar.
Do you love wine and dream of having a wine cellar of your own instead of just buying a bottle or bag-in-box when needed? Grahame Martin's guide to starting a wine cellar will show you how to go about it…
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Maison des Bulliats Real Life Wine Story
From complete novices to prize winning wine!
"Approaching retirement from our university teaching careers, we were ready for new challenges, making a product that we both enjoy - red wine! " - British couple describe their steep learning curve since buying a vineyard in 2005...
Beaujolais wine story...
Oyster Farmers in France.
A visit to local oyster parks.
A look at the life of an oyster and it's farmer. I visited an oyster farmer at Gujan-Mestras, on the Arcachon Basin, to find out, among other things, how the oyster parks prepared for the huge French Christmas rush...
French oyster farm...
French Walnut Oil
A chat with an oil producer, on his walnut plantation
One of the Périgord region’s finest gastronomic products is undoubtedly the glorious walnut oil. Its deep and divine scent and flavours do miraculous things to ripe tomatoes, salads, cold meats, charcuterie and vegetables. Having been tempted up a steep track by...
walnut oil...
British Sausage-Makers in France
'We knew the Brits would love our sausages but the French do!
After finishing university in the UK, Oliver Jenner and Amy Jones decided that the best place to start their sausage-making and pork business was France. It has become a huge success...more...
Perfect Winter Cheese
Vacherin Mont D'Or
...The ring of spruce wood, which keeps the cheese together, infuses a magical foresty wonderland of flavour into the salt-washed rind and the running, ivory goo of the interior...
more about vacherin...
Seasonal Charcuterie
Figs stuffed with foie gras
It's not strictly charcuterie (it isn't pork), but this delectable treat is ideal to go with aperitifs - they really get tastebuds going. Delicious with a floral, dry white wine, fizz, dessert wine or fortified wine...
foie gras figs...
Ethereal Eating
Current restaurant recommendation
Le Moulin du Roc, 4 star hotel and restaurant, Champagnac-de-Belair, Dordogne.This is the best haute cuisine restaurant that I have tried in France, and the best of all the restaurants I’ve eaten at for gastronomic value. It is like a fairy paradise for foodies...
News: Moulin du Roc is 40 years old! See their website for their anniversary special offers. more...
Tourain Blanchi à l'Ail
Traditional garlic soup
This delicate and velvety garlic soup from South-West France makes a heart-warming lunch a light starter for an evening meal. It will fill your kitchen with the wonderful smell of garlic frying in fat - a scent and flavour, which the soup manages to...
warming garlic soup recipe...
A Favorite Recipe for Mussles
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"When I head for Les Halles without a specific menu in mind, I often find I am influenced by the weather outside. This morning it was very overcast in Avignon, so when I went past my fishmonger, the tiny little moules looked just perfect. And at €4,80 akilo, the price was right..." An account by Kate Schertz. Provençal moules...
French Flavour of the Month
Seasonal French recipes for every month of the year
Check out our series of delicious recipes using a seasonal star ingredient, including recipes using pigeon, bass, lamb, cherries, cognac, quince and courgettes.
flavour of the month recipes...
Free Food Now!
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Find out what's free in the French countryside right now. Forage for fruit, berries, vegetables, mushrooms, leaves, herbs, flowers and even water creatures...
wild food...
Warning On Eating Wild French mushrooms.
'Mushroom Mayhem' is a true story about poisonous wild mushrooms in France. |
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"Ah, yes. I’m always thrilled if I mention The Mushroom Poisoning to a local, and they respond by..."
mushroom poisoning...
Help for Vegetarians
Being a vegetarian in France can be hard...
Vegetarianism is a relatively new concept for the French, and one which is frequently misunderstood, especially outside the big cities. French restaurant menus and eating at French friend's homes can become embarassing and a chore. For help, take a look at Vegetarian France.Gluten-Free in France
Advice on dealing with wheat & gluten allergies.
Because wheat and gluten allergies are a medical condition, you may have a more understanding response to your allergy than veggies or vegans will get from their life-choice. However, the land of patisseries...gluten free France...
French patissier brings gluten free cakes to UK
Christelle Coulin makes scrumptious gluten and wheat free cakes using only the finest ingredients. Ten years ago, she moved from Cannes to London, where she set up Gluten Free Delices. Here she gives us one of her favourite recipes...
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Tips For Vegans in France:
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"Don’t try to translate ‘vegan’; most people will look at you blankly. You can attempt to explain, but they may not be able to comprehend this concept, because it is so alien to most French people...advice for vegans...
British Corner Shop – British Food Online
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Win a fabulous break in Champagne
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Foodie Holidays in France
FrenchEntrée Holidays has a section full of reviews, articles and ideas for foodie breaks in France. Wine tasting, cooking holidays, travel offers and more. See Foodie Holidays...
French Cookware Explained
More copper cookware is sold in France than anywhere else in the world. Why? Because...
French cookware explained...
Smallholdings in France
Try our Smallholdings Topic! - Guidance on starting out with livestock, and other indispensible tips and advice for smallholders in France... Smallholdings in France Topic
Save a Fortune on Currency Exchange
Whether you need advice or an international money transfer quote, FrenchEntree's currency partner - Moneycorp - can help. Visit the France currency exchange zone.
Drinks Matcher
Latest Food and Drink Forum Postings
Information Store
Access 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
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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?Recommended Reading
Useful 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 Ideas
Questions and Feedback Do 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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