Bretagne (Brittany)

Salted butter caramel

Far Breton is a traditional cake or dessert from the Brittany region in France. Its base is similar in composition to a clafoutis batter: a flan-style eggs-and-milk custard with flour added. Prunes or raisins are common additions. Numerous recipes available at popular websites suggest soaking the dried fruits in alcohol; this is not traditional practice but makes an interesting variation. Far Breton as served in Brittany is often cooked to a much more "burned" appearance than online recipes indicate; the top of the custard appears nearly blackened rather than golden-brown.

Brittany buttery shortbread cake

Kouign-amann is a sweet, round Breton laminated dough pastry, originally made with bread dough (nowadays sometimes viennoiserie dough), containing layers of butter and incorporated sugar, similar in fashion to puff pastry albeit with fewer layers. It is slowly baked until the sugar caramelizes and the butter (in fact the steam from the water in the butter) expands the dough, resulting in its layered structure. A smaller version, kouignette, is similar to a muffin-shaped, caramelized croissant. A specialty of the town of Douarnenez in Finistère, Brittany where it originated around 1860, the pastry is attributed to Yves-René Scordia (1828–1878). The name comes from the Breton language words for 'bread' (kouign) and 'butter' (amann), and in 2011 the New York Times described it as "the fattiest pastry in all of Europe." The strict original Douarnenez recipe requires a ratio of 40 percent bread dough, 30 percent butter, and 30 percent sugar. Traditionally, kouign-amann is baked as a large cake and served in slices, although recently, especially in North America, individual cupcake-sized pastries (kouignettes) have become more popular.[citation needed]

A Paris–Brest is a French dessert made of choux pastry and a praline flavoured cream, covered with flaked almonds. The pastry, round, i.e. wheel-shaped, was created in 1910 by Louis Durand, pâtissier of Maisons-Laffitte, at the request of Pierre Giffard, to commemorate the 1,200 km Paris–Brest–Paris bicycle race he had initiated in 1891. The pastry, providing typically 640 kcal largely from fat and sugar, became popular with riders on the Paris–Brest–Paris cycle race, partly because it provided the calories required for intensive sports and its intriguing name, and is now found in pâtisseries all over France. Media related to Paris-Brest at Wikimedia Commons

The Auge Valley, located in Normandy, France, is renowned for its apple orchards and is a key region for producing high-quality cider and Calvados, an apple brandy. The area's unique climate and soil contribute to the exceptional flavor of its ciders, making it a popular destination for cider enthusiasts.

Bénédictine is a herbal liqueur produced in France. It was developed by wine merchant Alexandre Le Grand in the 19th century and is flavored with twenty-seven flowers, berries, herbs, roots, and spices. A drier version, B&B, blending Bénédictine with brandy, was developed in the 1930s.

Cider produced in Brittany, France

Apple cider produced in Brittany, France

Apple cider produced in Brittany, France

European flat oysters (huitres plates) are farmed in the Belon River, and are the same species (Ostrea edulis) as the Colchester Native oyster in Essex, England

The brill is a species of flatfish in the turbot family (Scophthalmidae) of the order Pleuronectiformes. Brill can be found in the northeast Atlantic, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and Mediterranean, primarily in deeper offshore waters. Brill have slender bodies, brown covered with lighter and darker coloured flecks, excluding the tailfin; the underside of the fish is usually cream coloured or pinkish white. Like other flatfish the brill has the ability to match its colour to the surroundings. Brill weigh up to 8 kg (18 lb) and can reach a length of 75 cm (2 ft 6 in), but are less than half that on average. Part of the dorsal fin of the fish is not connected to the fin membrane, giving the fish a frilly appearance. They are sometimes confused with the turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), which is more diamond-shaped. The two species are related and can produce hybrids. On the west coast of Canada (outside the range of Scophthalmus rhombus) local fisherman refer to the petrale sole, Eopsetta jordani, as brill. The flesh is lighter in texture, more friable - even "floury" - and considerably less rich in flavour than the turbot, which is preferred by chefs.[circular reference]

Chateaubriand is a dish that traditionally consists of a large front cut fillet of tenderloin grilled between two lesser pieces of meat that are discarded after cooking. While the term originally referred to the preparation of the dish, Auguste Escoffier named the specific front cut of the tenderloin the Chateaubriand. In gastronomy of the 19th century, the steak for Chateaubriand could be cut from the sirloin, and served with a reduced sauce named Chateaubriand sauce or a similar, that was prepared with white wine and shallots moistened with demi-glace, and mixed with butter, tarragon, and lemon juice. It was also traditionally served with mushrooms. Chateaubriand is named after the French author François-René de Chateaubriand.

A cockle is an edible marine bivalve mollusc. Although many small edible bivalves are loosely called cockles, true cockles are species in the family Cardiidae. True cockles live in sandy, sheltered beaches throughout the world. The distinctive rounded shells are bilaterally symmetrical, and are heart-shaped when viewed from the end. Numerous radial, evenly spaced ribs are a feature of the shell in most but not all genera .

Pecten maximus scallops from Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany, France

Gratinéed scallops in a creamy wine sauce, common during Christmas

Scallop [a] is a common name that encompasses various species of marine bivalve mollusks in the taxonomic family Pectinidae, the scallops. However, the common name "scallop" is also sometimes applied to species in other closely related families within the superfamily Pectinoidea, which also includes the thorny oysters. Scallops are a cosmopolitan family of bivalves found in all of the world's oceans, although never in fresh water. They are one of the very few groups of bivalves to be primarily "free-living", with many species capable of rapidly swimming short distances and even migrating some distance across the ocean floor. A small minority of scallop species live cemented to rocky substrates as adults, while others attach themselves to stationary or rooted objects such as seagrass at some point in their lives by means of a filament they secrete called a byssal thread. The majority of species, however, live recumbent on sandy substrates, and when they sense the presence of a predator such as a starfish, they may attempt to escape by swimming swiftly but erratically through the water using jet propulsion created by repeatedly clapping their shells together. Scallops have a well-developed nervous system, and unlike most other bivalves all scallops have a ring of numerous simple eyes situated around the edge of their mantles.

Cotriade is a fish stew specialty from the French region of Brittany that is made with different kinds of fish as well as potatoes, onions, and garlic. Oily fish are typically used, such as herring, sprats, and mackerel. Unlike Bouillabaisse, another French stew, it usually does not contain shellfish. It is traditionally served by pouring it over a toasted baguette. Other breads may also be used. It is also very prominent in other French regions surrounding Brittany due to its access to the sea.[citation needed] It is known in the UK as Brittany Fish Stew.

Crab meat mixture stuffed in a crab shell and topped with breadcrumbs

Stew with buckwheat dumplings

Lobsters are malacostracans of the family Nephropidae or its synonym Homaridae. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on the sea floor. Three of their five pairs of legs have claws, including the first pair, which are usually much larger than the others. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important and are often one of the most profitable commodities in the coastal areas they populate. Commercially important species include two species of Homarus from the northern Atlantic Ocean and scampi —the Northern Hemisphere genus Nephrops and the Southern Hemisphere genus Metanephrops.[citation needed]

Mackerel is an important food fish that is consumed worldwide. As an oily fish, it is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. The flesh of mackerel spoils quickly, especially in the tropics, and can cause scombroid food poisoning. Accordingly, it should be eaten on the day of capture, unless properly refrigerated or cured. Mackerel preservation is not simple. Before the 19th-century development of canning and the widespread availability of refrigeration, salting and smoking were the principal preservation methods available. Historically in England, this fish was not preserved, but was consumed only in its fresh form. However, spoilage was common, leading the authors of The Cambridge Economic History of Europe to remark: "There are more references to stinking mackerel in English literature than to any other fish!" In France, mackerel was traditionally pickled with large amounts of salt, which allowed it to be sold widely across the country.

Mont Saint Michel Bay mussel

Mytilus edulis mussels farmed in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel between Brittany and Normandy, France

Esox is a genus of freshwater fish commonly known as pike or pickerel. It is the type genus of the family Esocidae. The type species of the genus is Esox lucius, the northern pike. Esox have a fossil record extending back to the Paleocene. Modern large pike species are native to the Palearctic and Nearctic realms, ranging across Northern America and from Western Europe to Siberia in North Asia.

Prawn is a common name for small aquatic crustaceans with an exoskeleton and ten legs , some of which are edible. The term prawn is used particularly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Commonwealth nations, for large swimming crustaceans or shrimp, especially those with commercial significance in the fishing industry. Shrimp in this category often belong to the suborder Dendrobranchiata. In North America, the term is used less frequently, typically for freshwater shrimp. The terms shrimp and prawn themselves lack scientific standing. Over the years, the way they are used has changed, and in contemporary usage, the terms are almost interchangeable. The terms shrimp and prawn are common names, not scientific names. They are vernacular or colloquial terms, which lack the formal definition of scientific terms. They are not taxa, but are terms of convenience with little circumscriptional significance. There is no reason to avoid using the terms shrimp or prawn when convenient, but it is important not to confuse them with the names or relationships of actual taxa.

Sausage in a tomato-based stew

Salmon is the common name for several commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the genera Salmo and Oncorhynchus of the family Salmonidae, native to tributaries of the North Atlantic (Salmo) and North Pacific (Oncorhynchus) basins. Other closely related fish in the same family include trout, char, grayling, whitefish, lenok and taimen, all coldwater fish of the subarctic and cooler temperate regions with some sporadic endorheic populations in Central Asia.

Sardine and pilchard are common names for various species of small, oily forage fish in the herring suborder Clupeoidei. The term 'sardine' was first used in English during the early 15th century; a somewhat dubious etymology says it comes from the Italian island of Sardinia, around which sardines were once supposedly abundant. The terms 'sardine' and 'pilchard' are not precise, and what is meant depends on the region. The United Kingdom's Sea Fish Industry Authority, for example, classifies sardines as young pilchards. One criterion suggests fish shorter in length than 15 cm are sardines, and larger fish are pilchards.

Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs , crustaceans (e.g. shrimp, crabs, and lobster), and echinoderms (e.g. sea cucumbers and sea urchins). Historically, marine mammals such as cetaceans (whales and dolphins) as well as seals have been eaten as food, though that happens to a lesser extent in modern times. Edible sea plants such as some seaweeds and microalgae are widely eaten as sea vegetables around the world, especially in Asia. Seafood is an important source of (animal) protein in many diets around the world, especially in coastal areas. Semi-vegetarians who consume seafood as the only source of meat are said to adhere to pescetarianism.

Sole is a fish belonging to several families. Generally speaking, they are members of the family Soleidae, but, outside Europe, the name sole is also applied to various other similar flatfish, especially other members of the sole suborder Soleoidei as well as members of the flounder family. In European cookery, there are several species which may be considered true soles, but the common or Dover sole Solea solea, often simply called the sole, is the most esteemed and most widely available. The word sole in English, French, and Italian comes from its resemblance to a sandal, Latin solea. In other languages, it is named for the tongue, e.g. Greek glóssa , German Seezunge, Dutch zeetong or tong or the smaller and popular sliptong (young sole), Hungarian nyelvhal, Spanish lenguado, Cantonese lung lei (龍脷, 'dragon tongue'), Arabic lisan Ath-thawr (‏لسان الثور‎) (for the common sole) meaning 'the tongue of ox' in Qosbawi accent, Turkish dil. A partial list of common names for species referred to as sole include:

Trout is a generic common name for numerous species of carnivorous freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the genera Oncorhynchus, Salmo and Salvelinus, all of which are members of the subfamily Salmoninae in the family Salmonidae. The word trout is also used for some similar-shaped but non-salmonid fish, such as the spotted seatrout/speckled trout (Cynoscion nebulosus, which is actually a croaker).

The turbot is a relatively large species of flatfish in the family Scophthalmidae. It is a demersal fish native to marine or brackish waters of the Northeast Atlantic, Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. It is an important food fish. Turbot in the Black Sea were often included in this species, but are now generally regarded as separate - the Black Sea turbot or kalkan (S. maeoticus). True turbot are not found in the Northwest Atlantic; the "turbot" of that region, which was involved in the so-called "Turbot War" between Canada and Spain, is the Greenland halibut or Greenland turbot (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides). The word comes from the Old French tourbout, which may be a derivative of the Latin turbo ('spinning top'), a possible reference to its shape. Another possible origin of the Old French word is from Old Swedish törnbut, from törn 'thorn' + -but 'stump, butt, flatfish', which may also be a reference to its shape (compare native English halibut). Early reference to the turbot can be found in a satirical poem ("The Emperor's Fish") by Juvenal, a Roman poet of the late 1st and early 2nd centuries AD, suggesting this fish was a delicacy in the Roman empire.

Poultry reared in Brittany, France

Poultry reared in Janzé, Brittany, France

The common periwinkle or winkle is a species of small edible whelk or sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc that has gills and an operculum, and is classified within the family Littorinidae, the periwinkles. This is a robust intertidal species with a dark and sometimes banded shell. It is native to the rocky shores of the northeastern, and introduced to the northwestern, Atlantic Ocean.

Andouille is a smoked sausage made using pork, originating in France but also known as an element in Cajun cuisine. In France, particularly Brittany and Normandy, the traditional ingredients of andouille are primarily pig chitterlings, tripe, onions, wine, and seasoning. It is generally grey and has a distinctive odor. A similar, but unsmoked and smaller, sausage is called andouillette, literally "little andouille". Some andouille varieties use the pig's entire gastrointestinal system. Various French regions have their own recipes such as: "l’andouille de Guémené", "de Vire", "de Cambrai", "d’Aire-sur-la-Lys", "de Revin", "de Jargeau", "de Bretagne", or "du Val d'Ajol". 'Nduja, a spreadable pork salami from Calabria, probably originates as a variation of andouille, originally introduced to Italy in the 13th century by the Angevins.

White haricot beans from Paimpol, Brittany, France

Buckwheat flour from Brittany, France

The garden strawberry is a widely grown hybrid cultivated worldwide for its fruit. The genus Fragaria, the strawberries, is in the rose family, Rosaceae. The fruit is appreciated for its aroma, bright red colour, juicy texture, and sweetness. It is eaten either fresh or in prepared foods such as jam, ice cream, and chocolates. Artificial strawberry flavourings and aromas are widely used in commercial products. Botanically, the strawberry is not a berry, but an aggregate accessory fruit. Each apparent 'seed' on the outside of the strawberry is actually an achene, a botanical fruit with a seed inside it.

A galette-saucisse is a type of French street food item consisting of a hot sausage, traditionally grilled, wrapped in a buckwheat crepe called galette de sarrasin or Breton galette. The French region known as Upper Brittany is the traditional homeland of galette-saucisse, especially the department of Ille-et-Vilaine and some parts of its bordering departments like Côtes-d'Armor, Morbihan, Loire-Atlantique, Mayenne and Manche. First created during the 19th century, the dish consists of two landmark food items of the cuisine of Brittany. Buckwheat, introduced in Brittany during the 15th century and largely cultivated in the region, is the main ingredient of Breton galette and was a common substitute of bread in poor families. Pork sausage is one of the food specialties of the Rennes area. Galette-saucisse is very popular in Upper Brittany, especially at outdoor public events, outdoor markets and sports games. It is strongly associated with the Stade Rennais F.C. football team, the dish being often eaten at the Route de Lorient Stadium during football games.

Galette is a term used in French cuisine to designate various types of flat round or freeform crusty cakes, or, in the case of a Breton galette (French: Galette bretonne [galɛt bʁətɔn]; Breton: Krampouezhenn gwinizh du), a pancake made with buckwheat flour usually with a savoury filling. Of the cake type of galette, one notable variety is the galette des Rois (King cake) eaten on the day of Epiphany. In French Canada the term galette is usually applied to pastries best described as large cookies. A common form of galette resembles a type of single crust, free-form pie with a fruit filling and the crust folded partway over the top of the filling. The website joyofbaking.com defines the term galette as "a French term signifying a flat round cake that can be either sweet or savory and while [recipes can use] puff pastry as a base, they can also be made from risen doughs like brioche, or with a sweet pastry crust." The fruits used in these types of galettes are typically seasonal and can include one or more of apples; berries such as strawberries or blueberries; or stone fruits such as peaches, plums, nectarines, or cherries. Various spices, zests, or peppers can be added in the preparation process if desired. The pastry base is often homemade but can also be commercially purchased; leftover supplies such as graham crackers can be employed as well. Fruit galettes can be served warm and/or with ice cream.

Gros Pain is a type of French bread, often referred to as "big bread," characterized by its long shape and crusty exterior. It is similar to a baguette but can be larger and is known for its soft texture and rich flavor.

Caramelized onions in butter

Allium cepa onions grown in Roscoff, Brittany, France

Minced pork pâté from Brittany, France

Fried potato cake made with julienned potato straws

Smoked sausage