Discover some of France’s traditional food products, one month at a time!
Cantal cheese is one of France’s oldest continually produced cheeses, with its origins in the area around the Cantal département of France (both cheese and département names are derived from the Cantal mountain range), dating back a stunning 2,000 years. In the first century, the ancient Roman historian and naturalist Pliny the Elder even references […]
Kintoa ham is an exceptional ham, in the same way that a Grand Cru is for wines. The rearing and processing of this breed of pig is based on an ancestral and natural savoir-faire that allows for a tender and succulent meat that delivers exceptional aromas, based on nuts and grilled spices. This breed takes […]
In a region referred to as “cherry country” centered around the small town of Fougerolles in east-central France, a special type of French eau de vie has been made for hundreds of years. Kirsch de Fougerolles is a type of distilled spirit made by fermenting dark, unpitted cherries, producing a crystal-clear alcohol that is frequently […]
A certain special selection of high-quality apples and pears of the Savoie region of southeastern France benefit from a protected geographical indication status. Sixteen different types of apples and six varieties of pears are produced under this label in orchards located in the valleys of this mountainous area of France. The orchards are all located […]
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 […]