Coming from a little village in Staffordshire, we are famed for our oatcakes that are totally unique to us. They are similar to a savoury pancake but made with oats and are filled with things such as melted cheese, bacon, tomatoes, etc. I have heard of people making them sweet though, with chocolate spread! But I didn’t realise that such quirky and unusual treats can be found in different areas in France. I don’t mean food like oatcakes but I mean specific dishes or foods that are unique to different areas.
I naively thought French food was just French food, but before starting my assistantship in Fréjus I spent three months studying in Lyon. I did some research beforehand and found out that it is famed as the gastronomy capital of France; and boy did it not disappoint! I experimented with Lyonnaise delicacies such as ‘quenelles’ of snails, liver gateau, their infamous salads with poached eggs and lardons, and many more, all of which can be found in their ‘bouchons’ which specialise in traditional Lyonnaise food. I now find myself with a hunger to travel around more and more of France and digging out these special delicacies.
I have previously visited Normandy and I know they are famous for their apple dishes and an apple brandy called calvados but these are still dishes that are regularly available around the rest of France. But I believe some of the Lyonnaise dishes are completely unique to Lyon. I now find myself embarking on a new adventure to the Fréjus and St. Raphaël and I am so excited to explore every aspects of these gorgeous regions, especially the gastronomy! Having done a little bit of research beforehand I am anticipating Provençale gastronomy and have seen that they too have ‘Bouchons Provençales’. I have no experience of this gastronomy beforehand so here’s to trying lots of new cuisine!
Note from Editor: the photo shows Staffordshire oatcakes.
Tell us about a dish from the region where you live.
