What do you bring home from France?

[Dave Hatfield]

We'll be in Dordogne in May and I'm wondering about bringing back truffle products. I know it's not truffle season, but is it worthwhile to buy and bring back canned truffle, truffle butter, etc? Is there anything to watch out for (for example, I know with foie I need to beware that I'm not buying the cheap eastern European stuff)? Or, will I only find the same products that I could get in the US, and so with the low dollar, is it not really worth it to buy?

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Abra & Julot are right that truffle season is now, but since you're going to be there in May the season will definitely be over. Personally not a big fan of preserved truffles or the by products.

There are so many wonderful things you COULD buy that its hard to make a recommendation; especially without knowing your tastes. I will, however, make a recommendation as to a place to go to find just about everything wonderful in the food line that the Dordogne has to offer.

Take a day trip to: St. Yrieix de Perche. This is in the heart of the Dordogne South of Limoges by an hour or so. There you will find a food shop that is simply marvelous. You can get an idea of just some of what they sell at their website: www.epicurieux.com. But to get the real flavor you have to go. Believe me, you can easily fill a suitcase full of goodies from this shop. (for a fuller write up go to my blog, address below, and look at July 20,2006.)

In addition to the shop there is a good restaurant (Le Cheval Blanc) and two terrific Limoges china outlet shops. St Yrieix is definitely worth a visit and far less touristy than places like Sarlat.

[Dave Hatfield]

Totally second that. The season was slow to start but it suddently turned quite good.

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Julot. Its turned good because we've finally had enough rain to get the little devils going. That at least is what's happened around here. The Lalbenque market has been very good the last couple of weeks.

Edited January 18, 2008 by Dave Hatfield (log)

[kiliki]

Take a day trip to: St. Yrieix de Perche. This is in the heart of the Dordogne South of Limoges by an hour or so. There you will find a food shop that is simply marvelous.

Thank you!! That definitely sounds like a worthwhile stop. So even for a truffle deprived American, you think that canned or other truffle products are not worth buying? I'm not sure I've ever had canned truffles.

Edited January 18, 2008 by kiliki (log)

[Dave Hatfield]

Take a day trip to: St. Yrieix de Perche. This is in the heart of the Dordogne South of Limoges by an hour or so. There you will find a food shop that is simply marvelous.

Thank you!! That definitely sounds like a worthwhile stop. So even for a truffle deprived American, you think that canned or other truffle products are not worth buying? I'm not sure I've ever had canned truffles.

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Purely a matter of personal taste. And, perhaps, if you can't get fresh then canned are better than no truffles at all.

My prejudice is possibly because living where I do I can easily get fresh truffles in season. We have three truffle markets within half an hour's drive. The best for the individual buyer is at Limogne. Both Caussade & Lalbenque are dominated by the wholesalers & the restaurant buyers. Its so quick that the individual doesn't stand much chance to buy direct from the 'hunter'.

At Limogne, however, there is normally only one wholesale merchant who buys and the big restaurants don't show up. The wholesaler weighs each hunter's truffles & gives them a slip with the weight on it. Then when all the truffles on offer that morning have been weighed the wholesaler announces a price. At this point if you've been watching carefully you can approach a hunter who only has one truffle or has only a few small ones and offer to buy all that they have at the wholesaler's price. Normally they'll say yes. Occasionally you may have to offer a small premium. Brings your cost down, but they're still expensive.

[naguere]

Returning from France end of August, I buy a good few Haricots Demi-Sec, shell them , on arriving home blanch and freeze them

Lovely for soups and bean dishes.

As I am on a bike, it is only two or three pounds.

Edited January 19, 2008 by naguere (log)

[rubyred]

I'm getting ready to leave for Paris on the 30th. Thanks to everyone for helping me make a list of all the stuff I want to to bring back - I know I'll be kicking myself extra hard if I forget anything! If anybody can think of things not already mentioned here, please let us know; I bruise easily!

I'm definitely planning to bring some butters (yes, plural!) home with me. Does anyone know if butter on the list of legal foods to bring into Canada? Or the US? (I'd guess the regulations are similar). I'm curious if I can declare it, otherwise I have no qualms about poker-facing the customs officers!

When I get back I'll report back on any new finds. I'm taking a class at the Atelier Pierre Herme - I'm hoping to learn some amazing secrets!

Cheers!

[John Talbott]

There is a topic up running but I'd check the website of the Canadian authorities.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Something grim to think about: it was only on our last visit in March that the $/€ fiasco finally hit home. This was the first time that I really stopped to compute the exchange at the point of sale and realized that I could buy the same thing (yes, imported and same label) at home either more inexpensively or at the same price. Many import prices are set at the time of contract rather than time of landing, plus many companies, both foreign and American, are absorbing exchange differences to some extent.

This is not to say that I let price dictate what I bought. If it was something that was not available here, I bought it regardless. But if it was something that I could readily find at home, I left it on the shelf.

It also is worthwhile to shop import stuff at home before you go so that you have a sense of value once you get there.