🍽️ Flavours of Charente: Gourmet Suggestions
In a Charente home, the table is the heart of the experience. Here is a selection of local specialities that are perfect for your various events, from the most rustic to the most refined.
For an aperitif
Pineau des Charentes: An essential! Serve it chilled, either white (with notes of honey and dried fruit) or red (with notes of red fruit).
Grillon Charentais: A pork speciality similar to rillette, but with more texture and flavoured with garlic and pepper. Enjoy it on a slice of toasted country bread.
Cognac ‘Summit’: For a modern touch at a wedding, serve Cognac in a cocktail with ginger, cucumber and lemonade.
For large gatherings (family reunions and Easter)
Mussel Éclade: Typical of the coast but very popular inland. The mussels are arranged in a spiral on a wooden board and cooked under a bed of burning pine needles. A visual and olfactory spectacle!
Poitou-Charentes Leg of Lamb: The ideal meat for Easter lunch, slowly roasted with herbs from the garden.
Les Mojettes: These small, tender white beans, cooked with pork rind, are a wonderful accompaniment to Charente ham.
For the end-of-year celebrations (Christmas)
Marennes-Oléron oysters: An essential part of any Charente New Year's Eve celebration. They are traditionally served with hot crépinettes (small flat sausages).
Free-range capon with chestnuts: Raised outdoors in our countryside.
For the Sweet Touch
Le Galette Charentaise : Un gâteau pur beurre au sel de mer, parfumé à l'angélique ou à la fleur d'oranger.
Le Tourteau Fromagé : Ce gâteau à la croûte noire brûlée et au cœur de fromage de chèvre frais, aérien et surprenant.
Les Chocolats au Cognac : Parfaits pour accompagner le café près de la cheminée à Noël.