Eating and drinking in Brittany
Its gastronomy fraternities which are too
numerous to mention, its cultural events (the apple in Quévert,
traditional breadmaking throughout Brittany) and its festivals
(jams in La Chapelledes-Fougeretz, tuna in Etel, cattle in
Carnac)?
For a quarter of a century, this region has
witnessed a revival in tastes, flavours and culinary k n o w -
h o w . The site www. tastybrittany.com, which lists numerous
events, festivals and competitions devoted to the art of food
during Brittany’s year of food and drink, is a must-see.
Even better, take a look at the Tasty Brittany
Guide (available on request), where food enthusiasts will find
all there is to know about cooking and eating well, culinary
traditions and food as a way of life.
Recipes from past and present, whether
creations of master chefs or pure tradition, anecdotes,
background information on local products, pearls of wisdom
This guide contains all that lovers of good fare need to whet
their appetites and tantalise their tastebuds in this old land
where taste goes hand in hand with happiness and culinary
delights.
The Brittany of delectable tastes, good food,
quality restaurants and inimitable flavours, praised in
tourist and restaurant guides, was not created overnight, nor
by simply waving a magic wand (even if it has always been an
enchanting land).
Over the last 25 years the region has come
alive, hosting numerous diverse initiatives, wide-ranging
activities and audacious projects led by farmers, market
gardeners, breeders, fishermen, bakers, butchers, caterers and
restaurant owners who were convinced that this corner of the
world where land stops and ocean starts deserved much better
than to be labelled as a culinary region that was behind the
times.
They knew that nature was ready and waiting to
offer up its abundant bounty. This exceptional blessing was
ripe and ready for the taking but it needed people to get
stuck in to reap the culinary harvest on offer, in particular
the treasures of the sea with its wide variety of seafood, but
also the riches of the land with its vegetables, fruit, meat,
poultry and dairy products.
The organisation Tables et Saveurs de
Bretagne, created around 15 years ago, was a pioneer in
this field, bringing together the talents of highly-skilled,
starred, well-known chefs. Around 40 restaurants are listed
every year in this guide, a Bible for those who appreciate
Brittany’s fine contemporary cuisine.
The Talent and hard Work of Men and Women
The Restaurants de Terroir seal of
approval has been awarded to around 60 restaurants which,
since 1997, have been committed to quality methods and have
signed a quality charter. In so doing they guarantee their
clientèle a genuine traditional menu with starter, main course
and dessert made using products from Brittany’s market
gardeners, breeders, butchers and fishmongers.
The crêperie initiative launched by the
tourist organisation Pays d’Accueil Touristiques takes
a similar approach: the restaurant owners concerned enjoy
training days and commit to using local products, providing a
guarantee of freshness and product transparency.
Crêperies
Gourmandes, a list of which can be found on the site
www.brittanytourism.com, are devoted to the quality of their
menus and can be easily identified by a logo.
Café and bar managers in Brittany have
enthusiastically welcomed the Cafés de Pays scheme, in
which they make a concerted
effort
to offer their customers a range of regional drinks (beer from
microbreweries, cider, chouchen, local Breizh Cola, Breton
whiskies, etc.) and snacks based on locally-produced cold
meats, smoked fi sh, bread and cakes.
They are also committed to encouraging and
promoting cultural life in their establishments by creating
and putting on shows and entertainment.
If you love food good quality food, naturally
both eating it but also cooking, perfecting techniques,
picking up new skills, discovering recipes and learning tricks
of the trade, the Culinary Circle is well worth a visit (www.cercleculinaire.com).
Based in more than 50 French towns and in
particular in Vannes, Quimper, Ploufragan, Dinard and Rennes,
it holds various workshops where you can learn to enjoy
cooking with salted butter and also find out more about the
important cultural dimension of Breton gastronomy, to which
the Circle contributes with its commitment to traditional
cuisine using local products.
The recently established farmers’ markets,
held in the afternoon, attract all those who enjoy stocking up
on food at its source and taking an interest in the lives of
men and women who cultivate the land.
These markets have enjoyed great success. It
should be noted that, for several years, the French rural
networks Accueil Paysan and
Bienvenue à la Ferme, with several members in Brittany,
had prepared the ground for such initiatives, encouraging
people to seek traditional, quality products from integrated,
sustainable and often organic agriculture. well is all about
the talent and hard work of men and women.
