Montmorillon is a town that we found when searching for a home in the French countryside and we did find one here in the center ville. This town has many fabulous things, the Wednesday markets, Summertime guigenettes along the river gartempe and wonderful people inhabiting it.

But it also has the Montmorillon macaron. This macaron is made with almonds and instead of looking like the macarons found in Paris patisseries. But the Montmorillon macaron looks more like a macaroon that’s usually made with coconut.

Coming from Italy to France by Catherine de Medici in the 16th century the macaron recipe has changed and evolved since then with around France different versions of the macaron.

A specialty of Montmorillon since the 17th century. The recipe for the original Montmorillon macaron has been passed down from generation to gratin from the Chartier sisters its founders to the now the Maison Rannou-Metivier. Maison Rannou-Métivier has been awarded the "Living Heritage Company" label, which is a recognition of centuries-old talent and an intact passion for a particular product or ingredient.

Word of mouth says that Brother Roger Girard who was the confessor of Marie de Medici bought the recipe for the macaron to the city but there is no real evidence of this. The Chartier sisters are the oldest recorded history of the macaron we know today.

They are presented as a dozen on a baking sheet and come in a variety of flavors from the traditional to lime, pistachio, Earl grey, and coffee flavors, new flavors are often added according to the seasons.

Almond powder that was freshly grated from the almond trees in the area was incorporated with sugar, and egg whites that had been whipped, and then this dough would be placed in a pipping bag and piped through a syringe to form the swirling shape then baked. It’s a simple recipe and best of all gluten-free.

Tasting a Montmorillon macaron is a taste sensation with its golden crust and tender almond inside that is slightly crunchy but then melts in the mouth when eaten.

In Montmorillon the macaron has become so well known and in such esteem by the locals that on Sunday mornings you can often see a line for the store to open. There is even a museum in town dedicated to the macaron.

The French will tell you that the best way to enjoy a Montmorillon macaron is with some champagne and they can be kept in the fridge for a week and taken out just 20 minutes before you try them.

Another wonderful delicacy that can be found in Montmorillon, especially at the weekly Wednesday markets as well as sometimes the local butcherie, grocery stores, and supermarkets is La Farci Poitevin.

Farci goes back a long way in the history of Poitevin gastronomy. And recipes vary by family and region. It was once a dish of the poor but contradictory it was also seen as a dish for special occasions to all families in the region. They would make it at harvest time, weddings, and communions.

Often when cooked at home it would be cooked in a tea tea towel and boiled at the same time as a stew or chicken was being cooked in a pot.

The Farci Poitevin is a specialty from the poitou-charente regions where the city of Montmorillon is located. A generous amount of vegetables are stuffed and cooked in cabbage leaves. Le farci poitevin, ou farci charentais as it is known depending on where you are buying it is a delicious dish for any occasion.

In the Loire, Gironde, Vendee, Deux-Sevres, Vienne, Charente, and Charente-maritime it’s known as the Farci Poitevin. But in the southeast areas of the Deux-Serves, they call it Vert Poulet or Green Chicken then in the northeast areas of the Charente Maritime they call it the Pate D’herbes.

Farci Poitevin consists of Sorrel, Chard, Cabbage, Parsley, Onion, Garlic, Leek, Bacon, Eggs, Flour, Fresh Cream, and salt and pepper.

It can be served cold as a starter accompanied with some bread or you can pan-fry it in butter and serve as a side dish to cooked meats.

If you are able to get some farci poitevin then it’s best drunk with a dry white wine, preferably from Burgundy.

The Chabichou du Poitou is a white, soft goat’s milk cheese with a natural crust from the Poitou region of France.

Since 1990 it has gained an AOC A controlled designation of origin. The production area of the AOC is quite limited. It extends over the Haut-Poitou in the South of the Vienne to the Deux-Sevres and the North of the Charente.

For this AOC the breed of goat is not affected but the cheese must be made from whole milk and can be raw or pasteurized milk. Around 20% of the yearly production is made from raw milk from just 4 producers that produce raw milk chabichou. Milks though can be used from different farms and mixed to meet the AOC requirements as well.

In 1996 the cheese also obtained a Protected Designation of Origin PDO as well.

The name chabichou comes from the Occitan language and the word cabecou. This is the word for coat in the Occitan language.

This small cone-shaped cheese usually weighs around 150 grams which is best eaten from June to November and can be found in many markets and stores in the Vienne, Poitou-Charente region. It takes around 1.3 liters of milk to make one chabichou.

The earliest record of the Chabichou is from historian Charles De Cherge who mentioned it in his Guide du Voyager en Poitiers

Goats cheese production in the Poitier area began to increase in 1906 when cooperatives were formed to combat the phylloxera crisis that was affecting the dairy industry.

The French love their goat’s cheese and in particular, the locals love to eat their Chabichou with a white Sauvignon wine or with an aperitif like the Pineau des Charentes.

Keeping the cheese theme. The Potiou Charente area also lays claim to its very own cheesecake. People might know around the world the Basque Cheesecake but they are certainly missing out on the Tourteau Fromage.

Le Tourteau Fromage is a cake that is a specialty in the Poitevin area that’s made with fresh goat’s cheese.

It gets its name from the word tourterie which means cake in Poitevin language. Yes, that’s right the Poitou region even has or had its own language, the Poitevin language, something else for me to learn.

The origins of the cake came from the Melle or Deux-Sevres area. But many areas throughout the Poitou claim it to be their own.

In the past, this cake was prepared in an earthen dish with a rounded bottom, coarsely in a half-sphere, that each family owned. Since these containers cannot be found outside their region of origin, a tourtière or salad bowl is sometimes used today.

It was usually consumed for celebrations such as weddings but now can be found all year round at local markets, fromageries, and specialty stores throughout the Poitou and Charentes region.

**Piece taken out of a tourteau fromage, I wonder who ate that**

The tourteau fromage can be consumed at any time of the day with more cheese or as a dessert by itself. People from the area though also love it for breakfast or a snack.

Some eat the cake with a scoop of ice cream or salted caramel, a drizzle of honey, with some fresh fruit or some fruit coulis. But others just love it by itself.

Looks wise it’s not the prettiest cake, the top crust forms a black dome so it looks burnt. But this is deliberate and contrasts with the lovely creamy-white inside soft texture of the cake and its fresh cheese flavor. I was really interested to learn that it’s made from goat cheese. I shouldn’t be surprised but from its taste, you’d never know.

Some are wary of eating it because of the black crust as they believe it’s burnt and carcinogenic. But it couldn’t be further from the truth and as such the Pole Aliments et Sante in La Rochelle studied the molecules etc in the cake and have given it a big tick of approval some would say.

So if I haven’t tickled your taste buds to come visit me in Montmorillon then I don’t know what I’ll have to do. You can come to Montmorillon now and participate in a cooking class with me. But in the not too distant future I hope, I have some projects going on and planned so that not only will you be able to come cook with me but instead of staying with some of the fabulous Bnb’s or hotel in town you’ll be able to stay in a package of cooking classes, accommodations and meals just for you in our new bnb coming soon. Contact me for more details.

100th Episode - Celebrating The Food Of Montmorillon

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