|
Brittany is not a region traditionally associated with fine food. Surprisingly for a people with such
individualistic tendencies, it doesn't even have its own distinctive style of cooking. The only true Breton
specialities are pancakes (crepes, which usually have a sweet filling, and galettes, which are thicker
and tend to have a savoury filling) and cotriade, a fish stew traditionally made from conger eel and the
remains of the catch.
Generally, Breton cuisine is simple, with little use of sauces, and features much
fish and seafood. Try palourdes farcies (baked clams stuffed with garlic, herbs and shallots) and pot au
feu d'homard (lobster stew with shrimps, scallops, mussels and oysters). Brittany's young lambs, raised
on the salt meadows, are also very good, and a wide variety of vegetables are produced locally.
The region's few cheeses are all made from cow's milk and tend to be relatively mild. Mingaux is a
soft cream cheese, often served with fruit or simply sprinkled with sugar. Strictly speaking, now
that the vineyards around Nantes fall under the administration of the Loire, Brittany does not produce
any wines, but Muscadet is still considered to be a Breton wine. Crisp and dry, it is excellent with seafood.
Cider is the main drink associated with Brittany.
Famous specialties of Brittany
In addition to its crepes, Brittany has these well known dishes:
Coquilles St. Jacques - Creamed scallops served in their shell.
Homard a l'Americaine - Lobster cooked in and served with a garlicky tomato sauce.
Gigot d'Agneu - Brittany's acclaimed leg of lamb is cooked with various recipes and cooking methods.
Cotriade Bretonne - A soup-stew made with a mix of fish.
Crepes - The oversized panfried pancakelike crepes can be made of wheat or buckwheat flour and filled with sweet or savory ingredients.
|
