Recipes of South west France

[dumpling]

Hi, I'm the eGulleteer who started the Gateau a la Broche thread if you recall. I read that you got it. Wasn't it wonderful? I have spent a lot of time around Lourdes and the surrounding environs such as Gavarnie.

I don't have your book, but I was wondering what you favorite food(s) of that region are. I also enjoy the country style there and the heartiness of the ingedients. The tarts of the area, the bread and the cheeses.

Thanks, Paula for answering our questions.

[Wolfert]

Hello:

I am really grateful for your help in tracking down gateau a la broche. I had been wanting to taste one for more than 25 years! It was terrific and I intend to order it again for Xmas presents!

I love the dark, earthy food of the French SouthWest -- country style daubes, soups, bean dishes and, of course, all the things they do with duck. I also take a lot of pleasure utilizing the SouthWest techniques of long, slow cooking and the consequent development of deep satisfying flavors through the interaction of ingredients and time. I'm appreciative of many of the more sophisticated dishes as well. I really like it the way the chefs in that region have stayed true to the ingredients while finding new ways of handling them. And of course I love foie gras. When I wrote my book you couldn't get foie gras in the US except in a can. What a wonderful change! To handle and work with a whole fresh foie gras for the first time is an extremely exciting and sensual experience. BTW, I'll do my best to deal even-handedly with the foie gras controversy when I revise "SouthWest France." There's a good deal of sense on both sides of the argument, but you can be sure the great foie gras recipes will still be there.