LOIRE VALLEY GASTRONOMY
The Loire Valley, France's Garden, is the region for the gastronomic
expert, wine connoisseur and simple food lover, all at once.
With over 22 locally produced foods, dishes and wines that
are home-grown, we can say that if your interest is food and
wine it is the place to be.
You can plan a "gastro-tour" on a map, since
each area of the region has its own unique dishes, wines
and food. Organically aware visitors can drop into
Berry and sample the region's
green lentils in many healthy dishes,
before taking away their own stock and recipe book for Loire
cooking at home. For simpler fare, Chartres
offers delicious paté on crunchy
baguettes for the perfect picnic during sightseeing.
Two French specialities, goats cheese and wine, are found in abundance in the
Loire Valley . Adjust your palette and tuck into a variety
of cheeses (five out of eight AOC cheeses in France are
found in the Loire): Pouligny Saint-Pierre,
Crottin de Chavignol,Selles-sur-Cher,
Valencay or Sainte Maure de Touraine and,
of course, wash them down with the Loire Valley's own private
wine cellar, including such regional favourites as Sancerre,
Chinon and Bourgeuil.
Those with a sweet tooth will not be disappointed; this
is the home of the famous Tarte Tatin
. This famous French tart was created in Lamotte-Beuvron
in the Loir et
Cher region and has since won
global acclaim as the ultimate French dessert. Other sugar-based
delights include Les Forestines , the
first oven-baked sweet in the world, made in Bourges
, Cotignac (quince preserve) from
Orléans and Pithiviers (almond
paste) named after the town in which it was created.
Visit the oldest confectioner's shop in Tours , La Livre
Tournois-Poirault, and watch a barley sugar making session.
The Italians first introduced the delicacy to the region
by way of Catherine de Medicis, and she is rumoured to have
served it at many banquets at her chateau during that period.
Those wishing to stock up on flavours for use at home can sample Orléans ’ famous vinegar, still made locally by the same family, and Saffron from Gatinais.
Whatever taste the visitor has, it will be catered for in the Loire Valley with its hundreds of restaurants throughout the region, and dishes can be recreated back home after a spot of local “gastro-shopping”!
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