Archive for 'Products & Specialities in France'

  

Salade Niçoise
A trip to Nice may be a bit away yet but if you have been browsing our incredible vacation rentals in Nice and are looking ahead to your next holiday in this stunning city on the French Riviera, then why not bring a little bit of it into your kitchen to help tide you over? The easiest way to recreate memories of a place, or to get a literal taste of what a visit may be like, is to make a typical dish of the region to enjoy at home in the comfort and safety of your kitchen. If you're talking about Nice, then one of the most obvious dishes of the city that first comes to mind is the somewhat controversial salade niçoise. A traditional French favourite that is now served all over the world, it is a dish that people have incredibly strong opinions on and are very passionate about, with traditionalists and innovators alike arguing about the exact ingredients that should be used and how exactly it should be prepared.

Salade niçoise, known as niçoise salad in English or la salada nissarda in the Niçard dialect of the Occitan language, is traditionally made of tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, Niçoise olives, and anchovies or tuna and is then dressed with olive oil. Described as, "one of the best combinations of salad ingredients ever invented," by Delia Smith and, "the finest summer salad of all," by Gordon Ramsay, it dates back to at least the 19th century. The version known in Nice at this time was made up of just tomatoes, anchovies, and olive oil and, like so many of both France and Italy's most beloved dishes, comes from peasant food traditions, being described in the late 19th century as, "simple food for poor people".     Read More

  

If you've ever stopped for a snack while exploring Paris, you have probably seen Croque Monsieur written on the menu. This tried and true sandwich is one of France's most famous and representative dishes and is just the thing to pick you up as you explore the City of Lights. However, as travel to Paris and France is not quite yet possible for most of us at the moment, it might be a while until you can bite into one between greeting the Mona Lisa and climbing the Eiffel Tower. Fear not, though, we've got a handy recipe for the beloved French favourite so that you can make it at home and bring a little bit of Paris into the safety of your own kitchen!

The Croque Monsieur is a hot cheese and ham sandwich that originated in French cafés and bars as a quick snack. Named for the verb “croquer”, which means, “to bite,” or , “to crunch”, and the word “monsieur,” meaning, “mister,” its first recorded mention is on a Paris café menu from 1910.     Read More

  

Biscuits Roses de Reims
If you have found a vacation rental in France and were thinking of heading to the world-renowned wine-making region of Champagne (made up of five wine producing districts located within the historical province of Champagne, including Aube, Côte des Blancs, Côte de Sézanne, Montagne de Reims, and Vallée de la Marne) in order to sample some delicious sparkling wines, then you might be looking for a snack to enjoy along with your drink. If so, we have the perfect accompaniment, which also makes for a great souvenir and gift to bring back to your loved ones: Biscuits Roses de Reims.     Read More

  

Back in 1866, a family business was established in Cavaillon, France, selling Cavaillon melons at the entrance to the city. These melons are spherical and slightly smaller than the standard cantaloupe. The exterior has a pale gold skin with bluish-green vertical striping running from end to end and orange inner flesh with an intense floral yet tropical aroma and a very high sugar content. Available from mid-summer to fall, the fruit comes from Cavaillon and is a much-celebrated local product with special designation status. It can only be called a Cavaillon Melon if it is grown in Provence or in a part of the Durance valley and must be grown by farmers that belong to the product’s official association. Beloved of its hometown, statues, paintings, annual festivals, and a 9-ton melon sculpture at the entryway to the town all mark what it means to locals.

This beloved local melon can also be thanked for birthing the town’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, Maison Prévôt. This restaurant, which goes completely melon-themed for five months of the year, owes its origins to a trip to Paris in 1977, when Jean-Jacques Prévôt, chef and founder of Maison Prévôt broke down in the south of France, just outside Cavaillon.     Read More

  

Canelé
The very first thing that I do when planning any trip, is to figure out local foods and eateries that I need to try and then I slot in my activities around eating. It's the most important part of travelling, right? Of course, when visiting France, in particular, this is an even more pressing concern. If you're planning a trip to a wonderful vacation rental anywhere in Aquitaine then you'll need to head to Bordeaux for a day trip to get your hands on a canelé at some point during the visit. Just find a nice café and order a coffee and one of these delicious cakes and enjoy a moment of peace in beautiful Bordeaux.     Read More