Food of Gascony
Each region of France is renowned for it’s food traditions and Gascony is no exception. It is easy to understand why even the poorest peasants ate like kings and this is just a quick overview of what you would expect to find.
In the 13th century the Benedictine monks developed the famous Prune d’Ente plum tree in the city of Agen producing the juiciest prunes in the region. There are many ways they can be incorporated into the Gascony menu such as coated in chocolate, in ice cream, pastries or roasted with meats like pork, rabbit or lamb, stuffed with foie gras or Roquefort.
In the land of the Musketeers, foie gras is a local delicacy. This is the fatty liver of duck that has been specially fed for the last few weeks of it’s life. The Southwest is the largest producer of foie gras in the world and is used in terrines, mousses, soups, stuffed into poultry to name a few.
Porcini mushrooms or Le Cepe are gathered in the wild of Gascony and are thought to be the tastiest of all mushrooms. They have a brown rounded cap and can be cooked fresh or dried and preserved in oil.
Gascon specialities tend to be earthy and filling and includes dishes such as cassoulet and duck leg confit (duck preserved in salt and fat). Duck and goose fats are used in cooking and this gives the food a rich flavour. Quail and other game birds are an essential part of the Gascon menu and at the Gascony Cookery School one of our favourite recipes is Quail with a Calvados sauce which we have shared with you below Just click the link to open..
If this has whetted your appetite for more, then have a look at our courses we are running this summer at the Gascony Cookery School. From the beginner to more advanced, from four days to six days, maybe you want to specialise in Charcuterie for example, or even if you don’t want to cook (just eat and drink!) there’s something for everyone.
We look forward to seeing you,

David, Vikki & Bernard