I’m continuing my series on specialities to try during your travels, and today we’re tackling a part of the world very dear to my heart: my native Ardèche! If you have the pleasure of visiting this beautiful region of France, be prepared to eat well. And who better to help you than a native of the Ardèche who’s been living abroad for years and loves eating the best dishes the region has to offer!
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If you’re planning a trip to Ardèche, read my article on the 15 must-do activities in Ardèche.
Sweet
Chestnut cream
When you think of the Ardèche, you think of two things: the Pont d’Arc and chestnut cream. And if you want to do me a favor, bring me back some chestnut cream in Toronto. But not just any chestnut cream. You’ll find Clément Faugier everywhere, even in Toronto. But if you ask the Ardéchois, it’s not the one they’ll recommend. It’s far too sweet for our taste.
I’ve got a few tips for you:
- at the market: you’ll be able to find homemade ones, which are often the best. I like it when they’re not completely smooth and have bits of chestnut in them.
- In the stores: often in the local produce section you’ll find brands that are well known and appreciated in Ardèche, but less well known outside our borders. I recommend Imbert and Sabaton.
I couldn’t begin this list of specialities to try in Ardèche with anything other than the chestnut cream that is so dear to the hearts of all Ardéchois!
Les bugnes ardéchoises
You may have already heard the word bugne, a specialty shared by several regions. Each with its own specificity. Bugne ardéchoise is a sweet that’s usually made around carnival time. It’s very simple: flour, eggs, sugar and butter. The dough is rolled out, cut into lozenges and dipped in hot oil. The dough puffs up into doughnuts. Sprinkle with powdered sugar after baking, and voilà! Ready to eat. My neighbor’s grandmother used to make them, and we used to keep her company, but we were mostly there to eat them.
Chestnuts
How can we talk about the Ardèche without mentioning its famous chestnuts? Chestnuts are one of the strongest symbols of the Ardèche. We eat them in all shapes and sizes. Chestnuts have been part of the Ardèche landscape for over 800 years, inspiring our culture and economy. They bring us together during castagnades, and never cease to amaze us with all the different ways they can be eaten. You can eat them toasted, add them to a soup for a little crunch, eat them as a dessert (if you stop by Aurélien Fournier’s patisserie in La Voulte sur Rhône, he has a delicious chestnut pastry). You can eat it as flour and much more besides. There’s never a dull moment with chestnuts!
Les macarons de Joyeuse
I must confess that I found this specialty while doing my research. And I immediately added it to my list for my next visit. Joyeuse macaroons are very different from the macaroons we’re used to seeing, they’re not soft inside. They taste of almond and hazelnut. The introduction of this macaroon dates back to 1581, so you can bet they’ve had plenty of time to make it, remake it and perfect it. You can go there with your eyes closed.
Le pantin d’Annonay
The pantin d’Annonay is a small cookie, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. They’re made from flour, eggs, butter and sugar, covered with pink icing and cut into different shapes. Bells, fish or even hot-air balloons, since they were invented in Annonay.
Savoury
Caillette ardéchoise
So caillette ardéchoise is a mixture of pork, chard, garlic, spices and herbs baked in the oven. It’s shaped like a ball, about the size of a fist. You can eat it cold or hot, and it’s often served as an aperitif, cut into pieces and eaten with bread. You’ll also find that there are many different ways of making them, each family having its own tradition and perhaps adding more of this or that. In any case, it’s one of the most authentic specialties to try in the Ardèche. I remember the weekends when my family would make it for the whole year. It was so convivial. I recommend that you buy them from the butcher if possible. And don’t forget that Ardèche caillettes are not the same as Drôme caillettes!
La crique ardéchoise
I love crique ardéchoise. It’s a dish that was often eaten at my house when I was growing up, and it’s really easy to make. It’s a potato and garlic based dish, the potatoes are grated and placed in a galette shape in a frying pan, it cooks on both sides and voilà. Simple but delicious!
Le saucisson d’Ardèche
I’m not sure it’s a specialty, as it’s found in many places in France. But believe me when I tell you that Ardéchois saucisson is the best. Just pick it up at a market, a butcher’s or a store’s artisanal section. And enjoy!
La bombine
Everything I’m talking about today reminds me of my family in the Ardèche, and in particular my grandparents. Bombine is also based on potatoes, like crique, but with carrots and meat. The dish cooks for over 3 hours, and the potatoes melt in the mouth, making it delicious and ideal for warming up on a cold winter’s day.
Le picodon de l’Ardèche
You’ll notice that we have a lot in common with the Drôme, and I often joke that we’re like brothers and sisters: between the Ardèche and the Drôme, we’re super-competitive, and we don’t hesitate to make fun of each other. On the other hand, if someone else takes it out on the other … we get our claws out! All this to say that you can’t talk about Ardèche without talking about cheeses, and that picodon exists in both Ardèche and Drôme. Picodon d’Ardèche is a cheese made from goat’s milk, shaped like a small puck, and its taste will evolve over time.
If you’re going to the Gerbier de Jonc and you’re around Arcens, stop off at Ferme de Rochebesse, and don’t hesitate to tell them that Astrid sent you. They’ve seen me grow up, and I was there just a few months ago.
Trout
If you’re lucky enough to go to the Ardèche, I hope you’ll have the opportunity to taste the trout. It’s mainly the Fario trout that can be found in the Ardèche, and it’s simply delicious. If you’re a fan of fishing, find out how to go fishing yourself in the small rivers of the Ardèche. Just thinking about it reminds me of going fishing as a child with my grandfather, who used to cook them for us afterwards. It was so good.
I hope I’ve inspired you to try the specialties of my beautiful Ardèche. And above all, that you’ll enjoy your stay. I recommend that you explore my articles on the Ardèche to help you!
Enjoy your stay, and eat some for me.
