The 5 gastronomic delights of Périgord, to discover in autumn ...

Castelnaud la Chapelle
Food Lover

Here it is, autumn in Périgord , with its beautiful colors , its gastronomy , its sweet nostalgia and… its rain! No problem, Périgord is still very pleasant to visit , even in autumn. Know that the late season is generally wonderful and that the sun is never far away. What pleases us most in Périgord with the arrival of autumn is the gastronomy ! In the spotlight, a whole range of delicious products including these 5 unmissable!

Sit down to the table with Périgord products

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Nuts from Périgord, tasty and nourishing

The autumn season is pleasant in Périgord, it is the ideal time to go to the restaurant . Indeed, in October, restaurateurs will adapt their menu to seasonal products, to work with fresh and local products . Click to see our selection of gourmet restaurants, throughout the Périgord!

In autumn in Périgord , it is the season of the walnut harvest . This oilseed has found in the Dordogne, a fertile ground for its expansion. Walnuts and Périgord are a love story that goes back over 17,000 years (we have found traces of them in deposits). In the Middle Ages it was even a currency of exchange in the same way as salt in other territories. Walnut oil from Périgord was famous and was exported to Bordeaux and northern Europe. We cooked with it, both at the table of the nobles and that of the peasants for whom it was a quality nutritional contribution. From the 19th century, production began to take shape, and in 1950 the Perigord Walnut sector was born, which is today an AOP. Come and taste this sacred little fruit from the Dordogne, aiming at walnut oil mills, such as the Ecomusée de la Noix du Périgord . You will also find it at restaurant tables, and among pastry chefs and bakers who bake breads, cookies and delicious walnut cakes.

Watch our report on the Route de la Noix in Périgord Noir.

Click to find places to buy walnuts in Périgord!

The products of the vineyard in Périgord, wines and others!

From September and until October or November, it is the harvest season in Périgord . The winegrowers work hard all year round so that the product of their vines, which ripens in autumn, can be of the best quality! The wines of Bergerac Duras are to be discovered. They are of high quality thanks to the silt from our rivers, which enriches the soils and thanks to the Périgord climate, favorable to the vine. You can take advantage of the autumn to explore the wine châteaux . Come and make original visits to the vineyards, visit the cellars and have tastings.

Do you know gruff wine ? Popular in Beaujolais and Bordeaux, vin bourru is a seasonal , partially fermented wine that can be found in grocery stores, supermarkets, and producers during the harvest season. It is a beverage in full fermentation , it sparkles ! It is often found in white, and sometimes in red. It is to be consumed very quickly after pressing the grapes and it is sold in bottles with a pierced stopper (so keep it straight…). Traditionally, it was consumed in the cellar, with a cone of hazelnuts or grilled chestnuts… A real autumn product to discover with friends, in the conviviality!

Some interesting links:

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Mushrooms in Périgord

Who thinks of the return of the rain, also thinks of mushrooms ! They are back in the undergrowth, but beware… In Périgord, we don't mess with mushrooms. If you are fond of picking , make sure you do not go on private land. The places where hunting and gathering are prohibited are generally well marked! To eat delicious mushrooms, the king of all the Cep, without the risk of poisoning due to an error in judgment ... Visit the Périgord markets . There are professionals and market gardeners who will offer you magnificent and tasty mushrooms. If you are also thinking of truffles , know that you will have to wait a little longer, until the end of autumn / beginning of winter because the Périgord black truffle does not sell before these dates. Well, you still have the right to watch my report at a truffle farmer, for a demonstration of digging!

Saffron from Périgord

You may not know it, saffron is a product with an exotic allure, but which nevertheless grows in Périgord . October is the harvest season for red pistils . It is said that saffron is the most expensive product in the world , as the price per kilo exceeds that of gold. Count 30 euros for 1 gram (or 30,000 euros per kilo!), Although only 0.2grams of good quality saffron is sufficient for culinary use! If Périgord is a good host land for saffron, it is because this bulb appreciates well-drained and rich soils which are also characteristic of viticulture. The Périgord was in the past, a land covered with vineyards, decimated by phylloxera. Many saffron fields have emerged on old vines! Growing saffron is a long and complex activity, because it is a delicate flower that offers in a very episodic and ephemeral way, its 3 precious long and red pistils. Those who do the picking must act quickly and delicately, to separate the petals one by one and carefully harvest the 3 ends. We harvest about 10 grams per day! We will then dry the pistils very gently. Saffron requires some knowledge to be used correctly, so as not to spoil it and to enjoy its intoxicating and powerful flavor without false notes.

Discover Saffron les Pieds sur Terre, organically grown in Campagnac les Quercy, near Domme.

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Chestnuts and chestnuts from Périgord

The most spicy for the end! The chestnuts of Périgord , which are round, tasty , nourishing and whose use is not confined to pans with holes to put on a campfire. Chestnuts have always been popular in France, especially in the Middle Ages when chestnut flour advantageously replaces that of wheat. It is a truly emblematic tree of Périgord . Chestnut wood because of its rot-proof qualities has always been used for construction, it is also said to repel spiders! The ancients immersed chestnut trunks in our limestone rivers, they covered themselves with a white film, which you can still see today in the communal halls and in the frameworks of the small vernacular heritage .

The chestnut is delicious and is used in a multitude of preparations. It can be used baked or in water. Being difficult to peel , I can only recommend you to buy it already pruned or to make a harvest (of wild chestnuts for example) and to bring it to a professional who can do it for you. You know chestnut cream , which is made from mashed chestnuts mixed with sugar syrup and vanilla seeds. In Périgord, we are fond of chestnut liqueur , which is made by soaking whole chestnuts for several months in alcohol (hooch!). With chestnut flour, you can make very good cakes, you have to cut it with wheat flour, because chestnut flour is not bread-making (it does not rise). Chestnuts are used in restaurants for making stuffings, or as an accompaniment to potatoes.

Wondering what is the difference between brown and chestnut? Click to read our report and answer this crucial question!

The delicacies of Périgord cuisine are on your plate all year round. Don't forget to bring a basket of these marvels home with you, to extend the holidays a bit… Click to find out more about Périgord cuisine!

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