Discover some of France’s traditional food products, one month at a time!
Béarn wine is a type of wine produced in the southwestern region of France, near the town of Bayonne. Its area of production is relatively small, making up approximately 670 acres. It is produced in a humid oceanic climate which is moderated by the effect of the Pyrénées mountain range that can be found nearby […]
Bouzeron wine is a white wine with protected designation of origin status produced by a small number of wine makers in an area around the village of the same name. The very small production area and number of producers makes it one of the “secrets” of Burgundy wines. Perched atop a hill, Bouzeron benefits from […]
Limoux wines are a family of red, white and sparkling wines that have been produced and perfected around the small village of Limoux in southern France for centuries. The tastes and flavors vary depending on the type of Limoux wine made. The chardonnay Limoux variety develops aromas of citrus, vanilla and hazelnut. For the chenin […]
The Espelette pepper is a bright red pepper grown in French Basque country, located in the southwestern Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, on the border of Spain. Chili peppers, like all peppers, originated in the Americas and were brought to France for the first time in the 16th century. By 1650, the chili peppers had made their way […]
Laguiole cheese (pronounced “layole”) is a semi-hard French cow’s milk cheese produced in south-central France. The only breeds of cows that can be used in producing Laguiole cheese are Aubrac and French Simmental, raised in the Aubrac area of France’s Massif Central, a high plateau located between 2,600 and 4,500 feet of altitude. The cheese […]
Banon cheese is a small (2 to 3 inches in diameter) French goat cheese that comes from an ancient cheese-making tradition of the farms of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department of southeastern France and is also produced in parts of a few neighboring départements. It has benefited from protected designation of origin status since 2003. Always presented […]
Normandy Pommeau (Pommeau de Normandie) is an aperitif with a delicious taste that comes from the marriage of non-fermented apple juice and Calvados, which is a very warm eau-de-vie (spirit) made from apples that can be easily mixed with other beverages in multiple combinations. Normandy Pommeau is perhaps the most well-known and traditional of these. […]
Considered the gastronomic olive par excellence, the Lucques du Languedoc olive is one of the best olives available. Easily recognized by its crescent moon shape and its bright green skin, it is a large, meaty, mellow olive. One of the highest quality and most sought-after of all olives, it is also called “the green diamond,” […]
Savoie Raclette, which just obtained protected designation of origin status last month, is a tender cheese with a marked and balanced taste, and an aromatic richness. This cheese is primarily made in the regions of the French Alpes ( Savoie, Haute Savoie and small parts of the Ain and Isère departments of east-central France). To […]
Near the small town of Beaune, in the rolling countryside of the Burgundy wine-producing region of east-central France, wine-makers produce wines that are known around the world. The winemaking region of the Côte de Beaune appellations is about 12 miles long, from north to south. Facing the sun in the morning, the wine lands do […]