Arcachon Bay oysters are best enjoyed raw and "as is", to appreciate their freshness and quality. In the Bordeaux region, they are often accompanied by a small sausage, a slice of buttered rye bread and... White wine. The warm sausage contrasts pleasantly with the strong, salty taste of the oysters. The ritual is simple and extremely enjoyable: swallow an oyster, take a bite of hot sausage, then one of bread, and wash it down with three sips of Entre-Deux-Mers! A pure delight! Did you know that Casanova ate at least a dozen oysters a day in order to stay in shape? So, there's no reason to skimp!
A feature of fine French cuisine since the 14th century, foie gras is enjoyed in small quantities at important celebrations. As a starter, foie gras should be served chilled, but not cold. It helps to bring it up to cool room temperature, just like a good wine! The best way to serve foie gras is to cut it at the last moment with a knife that has been warmed under hot running water, and to wipe the blade after each slice.
It is best to avoid spreading the foie gras like butter! Such a delicacy is best enjoyed simply, on a slice of good, lightly toasted bread, perhaps with Espelette pepper and dried fruit jelly.
Foie gras with a glass of great Sauternes, such as Château Latour-Peyraguey, is absolute heaven!
Caught in and around Libourne, lamprey is considered a great delicacy. It is generally prepared with a red-wine sauce thickened with chocolate and leeks. This is one of the signature dishes of fine cuisine in the Bordeaux area. You are sure to appreciate this dish that exemplifies a long culinary tradition making use of the best of the river and the countryside - a true gourmet delight.
This milk-fed lamb, fit for a king, has a delicate taste of hazelnut and melts in the mouth. A rack of Pauillac lamb in a parsley crust with Provençal tomatoes and grilled vegetables is gourmet delight.
These delicious, small, soft macaroons are crusty on the outside and can be dipped in red wine or sauternes while enjoying an aperitif, or served with coffee. They were first made in 1620 by nuns in Saint-Emilion. The recipe survived the French Revolution and was passed on to a widow named Madame Goudichaud before falling into oblivion. In 1930, the Blanchez family, in searching through their attic, came across the recipe which they guarded preciously and put to good use. Today, the macaroons are entirely handmade with fresh almonds, and have become something of an institution.
This cake was invented in the 19th century by the nuns at Saint-Eulalie convent in Bordeaux.
Eating a canelé at an outdoor café or as part of any number of desserts is an enormous pleasure. Just what is a canelé? In fact, it is a slightly caramelised fluted cake that is soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and flavoured with old rum and real vanilla... It is one of the Bordeaux region's many specialities.
Emblematic of the city of Bordeaux, a port open to the whole world, the canelé, with its spice and rum, reminds us of the flourishing trade in centuries past with the French West Indies.
You can choose how you prefer your canelé (with either a soft or a crispy outside), but it is in all instances deliciously soft on the inside.
Aquitaine Croisieres - Lieu-dit la Pacheyre
33190 BASSANNE (Bordeaux - Sud-Ouest - France)