Tuck into the food and drink of the Poitou-Charentes
The Poitou-Charentes is most famous for the strong but silky smooth spirit, Cognac, but there are plenty more local specialities to tuck into. If you love seafood, then you can feast to your hearts’s content. From the ultra-fresh oysters of Marannes-Oléron that are sought after all over France, langoustines, prawns, crab and mussels to fish caught in the sea and rivers and lakes, you’re spoilt for choice. But there’s also a lot more to discover including the black chicken of Barbezieux, delcious goats' cheeses and even cognac-imbibing snails!
Seafood
With its long coastline, it’s hardly surprising that seafood is popular in this region. The oysters of Marannes-Oléron, sought after all over France, come from an area around La Rochelle - so when you squeeze your lemon juice over one, you can be confident it’s fresh and very tasty.
Bowls piled with mussels can be found in many restaurants – these are very likely to be les moules de bouchot that are another regional speciality.
Also caught locally are prawns, langoustines, crayfish and crab plus a variety of fish including bar (sea bass), maigre (a sea fish with white flesh also known as shadefish or in the USA, drumfish), dorade (sea bream), raie (skate), gardon (roach), brème (bream), ablette (bleak, a small freshwater fish) and sardines as well as congres (eel).
Inland, you will find carpes (carp), pike, sander (perch) and barbeaux (barbel, a type of freshwater fish).
Meat
If you travel through the Charente-Limousine to the east of the department you will see fields of dark caramel coloured cattle grazing amongst buttercups. These are the Limousin of the region, and if you eat a steak in these parts you can bet your pepper sauce that it’s Limousin.
While the breed of cattle are known for being more than a little contrary and unpredictable, their meat is superb – low in fat but still tender and full of flavour. Parfait!
If you’re in the Barbezieux area of the Charente, then keep an eye out for la poule noire de Barbezieux (the black chicken of Barbezieux). Bred here since the Middle Ages and famous for its flavour, it has been recently revived, and is now a growing industry.
Everyone knows the French like to eat snails and in the Poitou-Charente it’s no different. Here we tuck into les petits gris, small snails with grey shells that are extremely tasty – this is said to be down to the Cognac imbued earth that they live on. Whatever! They’re delicious.
Cheese
In the Poitou-Charentes there are many small artisans and farmers making cheese and the area is particularly well known for its goats’ cheeses. In restaurants, markets and shops you will always find goats cheese moulded into the shape of a smallish log from which a portion is sliced.
But there are specialities too. The Chabichou du Poitou is shaped into a bonde – a small keg shaped cylinder; Mothais sur feuille is served on a chestnut or plane leaf, and then there’s ‘camembert’ which is not a real camembert but has a similar texture. Other cheeses to try are jonchee, a soft cheese made from cow’s milk and water flavoured with bay leaves and then rolled in dry marsh rushes.
The very popular Tricornes de Marans are triangular-shaped cheeses that come from the Marais Poitevin in the north of the region. They are traditionally eaten with a slice of fresh green garlic. Another regional cheese is le manslois, made from either cow or goat’s milk that’s strained through a gauze. It originates around the town of Mansle, hence the name.
And then there’s le tourteau fromagé, a cross between a cake and a cheesecake that’s made from cow’s milk and quite delicious. It's easy to spot - round in shape, it has a blackened top as if it's being burned.
Cognac
One of the most famous alcoholic drinks in the world, Cognac is made from grapes that are grown in the area fanning outwards from the Charente town of Cognac, which is one of only three official brandy regions in Europe (the other two are Armagnac in France and Jerez in Spain). It is made by doubly distilling white wines to make what is called eaux-de-vie which is then aged in oak barrels.
Cognac must be aged for at least two years although the older the cognac, the smoother the taste, and the most expensive cognacs will be up to 100 years old.
Cognac is the favourite after dinner drink of the Poitou-Charentes, the mellow taste and warming kick, making it the perfect end to a meal. But it’s also a delicious long drink – mixed with lemonade and lime juice plus plenty of ice it’s just the thing on a hot summer’s day. Cognac is also the basis of the cocktail sidecar, made with the addition of cointreau and lemon juice.
The most famous names include Courvoisier, Hardy, Hennessy, Martell, Pierre Ferrand and Remy Martin, and it is possible to take a tour of many of these cognac houses. When choosing a cognac to drink, you are most like to see one of three grades: VS (Very Special) or Troise Etoiles (three stars) is the youngest brandy, aged between two to four-and-a-half years. VO or VSOP (Very Old of Very Superior Old Pale): aged at least four-and-a-half years old XO (Extra Old): aged at least six years.
The taste of cognac also depends on where the grapes have been grown and as with wine and champagne, there are different cognac-growing areas or crus. Grande Champagne produces a fine, high-quality cognac known as the Premier Cru du Cognac. The others are called Petite Champagne, Borderies, Fins Bois, Bon Bois, Bois Ordinaries and Bois Communues.
Pineau
Overshadowed by cognac, pineau can be overlooked but it is a delicious drink and must be tried. A fortified wine, it is made from a blend of unfermented grapes and cognac. It tastes slightly sweet and is served as an aperitif.
While most is aged in oak barrels for between 14-18 months, it can be aged for as much as five years. There are two types – white made with white wine grapes and red, with red wine grapes.
Wine
Poitou-Charentes isn’t famous for its wine but spend some time here and you’ll discover that the region’s wines have a good reputation locally - and one that is starting to grow throughout France. The most prestigious wine-producing names to look for are Vins du Haut-Poitou, Vins de Thouarsais, Vins de Saumur, and Vins d’Anjou. However, the wines known as the Vins de Pays Charentais - meaning wine from the Charente and Charente-Maritime – are very popular with people who know their way around a vineyard and conceal some hidden treasures. See wine for more information.
Les cornuelles
These biscuits were first made in the village of Villebois-Lavalette, Charente, to celebrate Palm Sunday – the hole in the middle of the triangular shaped biscuits allows them to be threaded through the branches. Made from shortbread, they are sprinkled with aniseed. Another version has them in the shape of pine cones, and made of choux pastry flavoured with orange blossom.
Echiré butter
Echiré butter is considered some of the best in the world, renowned for its lovely light texture and subtle flavour, which is said to be the result of the grass that’s eaten by the cows, around the village of Echiré in the Deux-Sévres. Mostly hand-made, it has an AOC label, and often comes beautifully packaged.
Truffles
The Périgord may lay claim to the country’s best truffles but according to Bruyerin Champin, the doctor of King François 1st Truffles: ‘The best truffles come from the Angoumois’. The Charente was a known for its truffle production until the nineteenth century and although the industry has declined, delicious truffles can still be found in the many local markets.
Words: Rachel Loos
Photograph: © nata_rass - Fotolia.com