Occitanie (Languedoc-Roussillon, Midi-Pyrénées)

Apple tart with Calvados, Armagnac, phyllo dough

Cake cooked on a spit that looks like a tree

Pastry with vanilla or almond cream

Cake of kings (king cake) with glazed fruit

Corn flour egg custard (flan)

A Jésuite is a triangular, flaky pastry filled with frangipane cream and topped with sliced almonds and powdered sugar. The pastry originated in France and the name refers to the triangular shape of a Jesuit's hat. A similarly-named sweet pastry known in Portugal and Spain, the jesuíta, consists of puff pastry filled with custard. In Germany, Jesuitermützen are a custard-filled pastry traditionally cut into triangles. A similarly-named Uruguayan dish is the jesuita, a baked ham and cheese sandwich with a puff pastry crust commonly eaten in parts of South America and considered a classic of Argentinian cuisine, where it is known as a fosforito. In Argentina, jesuita is a very popular dish in many provinces. Rectangular in shape, it is made from puff pastry stuffed with ham and cheese, and is covered with a sweet crust.

Sweet omelette, can be filled with a variety of fruits

A sweet brioche

Armagnac is a distinctive kind of brandy produced in the Armagnac region in Gascony, southwest France. It is distilled from wine usually made from a blend of grapes including Baco 22A, Colombard, Folle blanche and Ugni blanc, traditionally using column stills. This is in contrast to the pot stills used in the production of cognac, which is made predominantly from ugni blanc grapes. The resulting spirit is aged in oak barrels before release. Production is overseen by the Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO) and the Bureau National Interprofessionel de l'Armagnac (BNIA). Armagnac was one of the first areas in France to begin distilling spirits. Because the overall volume of production is far smaller than cognac production, the brandy is less known outside Europe. In addition, for the most part it is made and sold by small producers, whereas cognac production is dominated by big-name brands, especially Courvoisier (owned by Campari Group), Hennessy (LVMH), Martell (Pernod Ricard), and Rémy Martin (Rémy Cointreau). Armagnac is the oldest brandy (and liquor) recorded to be still distilled in the world. In 1310, Prior Vital du Four, a cardinal, wrote of its 40 virtues. Vital du Four was born in Bazas, in the centre of Armagnac. He was known as the prior of Eauze, today the location of the Bureau National Interprofessionnel de l'Armagnac (BNIA). But historians have not found evidence that he ever visited Eauze, much less that he was writing specifically about distilled eau de vie from Armagnac. In the past it was consumed for its therapeutic benefits, as were other liquors.

Cahors is a red wine made from grapes grown in or around the town of Cahors in the Lot department of southern France. Cahors is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) (Controlled designation of origin) associated with part of the South West France wine-region. The dominant grape variety in AOC Cahors wines, Malbec (known locally as "Auxerrois” or "Côt") must make up a minimum of 70% of the wine. Winemakers may supplement the Malbec with up to 30% Merlot and/or Tannat. Marketers may use the designation AOC Cahors only for red wines - they distribute the white and rosé wine produced in the same area under the designation Vin de Pays du Lot instead. Cahors vineyards comprise 4,200 hectares (10,000 acres) , with a planting density of at least 4000 vines per hectare. Today's wine-growing area lies mainly west of the town of Cahors. The most important places are Mercuès, Parnac, Luzech, Prayssac, Grézels, Puy-l'Éveque and Vire sur Lot - all located in the valley of the Lot river. The history of Cahors winemaking goes back to the era of Ancient Rome, with vines being planted in the area around 50 BC. Since that time, the vines have remained in the land of Quercy and their history has been combined with that of the region.

Cinsaut or Cinsault is a red wine grape whose heat tolerance and productivity make it important in Languedoc-Roussillon and the former French colonies of Algeria, Lebanon, and Morocco. It is often blended with grapes such as Grenache and Carignan to add softness and bouquet. It has many synonyms, of which perhaps the most confusing is its sale as a table grape called 'Oeillade', although it is different from the "true" Oeillade which is no longer cultivated. In South Africa, it was known as "Hermitage", hence the name of its most famous cross Pinotage. Cinsaut appears to be an ancient variety that may have originated in the Hérault, but could equally have been brought by traders from the eastern Mediterranean.

Languedoc-Roussillon wine dɔk ʁusijɔ̃] ⓘ), including the vin de pays labeled Vin de Pays d'Oc, is produced in southern France. While "Languedoc" can refer to a specific historic region of France and Northern Catalonia, usage since the 20th century (especially in the context of wine) has primarily referred to the northern part of the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France, an area which spans the Mediterranean coastline from the French border with Spain to the region of Provence. The area has around 700,000 acres (2,800 km2) under vines and is the single biggest wine-producing region in the world, being responsible for more than a third of France's total wine production. In 2001, the region produced more wine than the United States. The history of Languedoc wines can be traced to the first vineyards planted along the coast near Narbonne by the early Greeks in the fifth century BC. Along with parts of Provence, these are the oldest planted vineyards in France. The region of Languedoc has belonged to France since the thirteenth century and the Roussillon was acquired from Spain in the mid-seventeenth century. The two regions were joined as one administrative region in the late 1980s. From the 4th century through the 18th and early 19th centuries, the Languedoc had a reputation for producing high quality wine. In Paris during the 14th century, wines from the St. Chinian area were prescribed in hospitals for their "healing powers". During the advent of the Industrial Age in the late 19th century, production shifted towards mass-produced le gros rouge—cheap red wine that could satisfy the growing work force. The use of highly prolific grape varieties produced high yields and thin wines, which were normally blended with red wine from Algeria to give them more body.

Madiran wine is produced around the village of Madiran in Gascony under three Appellations d'Origine Contrôlées (AOCs): Madiran for red wines and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Sec for white wines. The production area for Madiran wine is spread over three départments – Gers, Hautes-Pyrénées and Pyrénées-Atlantiques – and is a part of the South West France wine region. There are 1,300 hectares (3,200 acres) of Madiran vineyards. Madiran was created as an AOC in 1948, and only red wine can be produced under this appellation. The main grape variety in Madiran AOC is Tannat, which must make up at least 60% of the vineyard (Vineyards with less than 60% Tannat are still entitled to the appellation through 2022). Permitted as supplemental to Tannat are Cabernet Franc (locally also called Bouchy), Cabernet Sauvignon and Fer (locally also called Pinenc). Some of the appellation's top wines are in fact made from 100% Tannat; this is within AOC regulations. The wine is typically very concentrated, high in tannin and traditionally requires several years ageing to be at its best. The style of really good Madiran is not unlike that of high-end Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated Bordeaux wines. However, recently some of the younger generations of winemakers have been experimenting with and producing wines which are softer and more approachable in their youth, mirroring a similar tendency in Bordeaux and elsewhere. The modern technique of introducing minute amounts of oxygen into the wine, micro-oxygenation or micro-bullage, was developed here by Patrick Ducournau at Château Aydie and is a significant development in modern French winemaking.

Lacaune lambs reared in Aveyron, Occitanie, France

Blanche du Massif lambs reared in Lozère, Occitanie, France

Lambs reared in Quercy, Occitanie, France

Aligot is a dish made from cheese blended into mashed potatoes (often with some garlic) that is made in L'Aubrac (Aveyron, Cantal, Lozère) region in the southern Massif Central of France. This fondue-like dish from the Aveyron department is a common sight in Auvergne restaurants. Traditionally made with the Tomme de Laguiole (Tomme fraîche), or Tomme d'Auvergne cheese, aligot is an Occitan speciality highly appreciated in the local gastronomy with Toulouse sausages or roast pork. Other cheeses are also used in place of Tomme, including Cantal, mozzarella and Laguiole. The choice of cheese is important, and strongly affects the result. Tomme is not easily available outside France; many other cheeses are reported to be too strong. The cheese must be mild, with a lactic tang, but not too much salt, and melt easily. A comparison of the cheeses available in the UK found creamy (rather than the crumbly variety) Lancashire to be best, rejecting most other suggestions; other cheeses will be needed where neither Tomme nor Lancashire are available. Floury, rather than waxy, potatoes are preferable. Aligot is made from mashed potatoes blended with butter, cream, crushed garlic, and melted cheese. The dish is ready when it develops a smooth, elastic texture. While recipes vary, the Larousse Gastronomique gives the ingredients as 1 kg potatoes; 500 g tomme fraîche, Laguiole, or Cantal cheese; 2 garlic cloves; 30 g butter; salt and pepper.

Engraulis encrassicholus anchovies from Collioure, Occitanie, France

Sheep reared in Hautes-Pyrénées, France

Bourride is a culinary specialty traditional to cuisine of Provence and Languedoc, based on fish, seafood, and vegetables, served with aïoli and olive oil. A variant of bouillabaisse or fish soup à la Sétoise, this fish soup, originally from Provence and Languedoc, is particularly popular in Toulon (Var) and Agde (Hérault). The word bourride comes from provençal bourrido (borrida in classical norm of occitan language), which was derived from bouri/bouli (borit/bolit), boiled, in english. This recipe is prepared with white fish or Mediterranean seafood, such as mullet, mackerel, sea bass, whiting, conger eel, sea robin, sea bream, cod, turbot, le poisson de St Pierre, or monkfish (for bourride à la Sétoise), a brunoise of vegetables (celery, fennel, leeks, carrots, onions, bouquet garni, possibly with white wine), and aïoli.

Escargot (snails), seasoned, grilled and drizzled with flaming lard

Cassoulet is a rich, slow-cooked stew originating in southern France. The food writer Elizabeth David described it as "that sumptuous amalgamation of haricot beans, sausage, pork, mutton and preserved goose, aromatically spiced with garlic and herbs". It originated in the town of Castelnaudary in the Aude department in the Occitanie region. Variants of the dish are local to other towns and cities in the Aude. According to tradition, cassoulet was invented in 1355 in the town of Castelnaudary, under siege by the English during the Hundred Years' War.[n 1] In medieval times the dish was referred to as an estouffet. The Dictionnaire de l'Académie française dates the term cassoulet to no earlier than the 19th century. The current name is a diminutive of the Languedoc cassolo – a cooking pot – according to the Dictionnaire de l'Académie française; Elizabeth David states that it comes from "Cassol d'Issel", the original clay baking pot made in the small town of Issel, near Castelnaudary. In cassoulets, the haricot bean is now always the principal ingredient. In the medieval period, broad beans (favolles), fresh or dried, were used in stews of the cassoulet type. Sources differ on when haricots were first used instead of favolles: the Oxford Companion to Food states that haricots arrived in France via Spain from the New World in the 16th century; according to Larousse Gastronomique they were not used in France until the 19th century.

Duck confit ka.naʁ]) is a French dish made with whole duck. In Gascony, according to the families perpetuating the tradition of duck confit, all the pieces of duck are used to produce the dish. Each part can have a specific destination in traditional cooking, the neck being used for example in an invigorating soup, the garbure. Duck confit is also a traditional ingredient in many versions of cassoulet. While it is made across France, it is seen as a specialty of Gascony. The confit is prepared in a centuries-old process of preservation that consists of salt curing a piece of meat (generally goose, duck, or pork) and then cooking it in its own fat. The meat is rubbed with salt (which acts as a preservative), garlic, and sometimes herbs such as thyme, covered, and refrigerated for up to 36 hours, then cooked in an oven at a low temperature. The meat is slowly poached at least until cooked, or until meltingly tender, generally four to ten hours.

Daube is a French slow-cooked stew, usually of beef, but other meat is sometimes used. The best-known is the bœuf en daube à la provençale, a Provençal stew made with cheaper cuts of beef braised in wine, with vegetables, garlic and herbs, and traditionally cooked in a daubière–a braising pot. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a daube as "A braised meat (usually beef) stew with wine, spices, etc". In The Oxford Companion to Food, Philip and Mary Hyman note that the word is a French culinary term indicating both a method of cooking and a type of dish. The Dictionnaire de l'Académie française dates the word to the 16th century, and says that it derives from the Occitan dobba, a marinade. In the 18th century, daubes were a specialty of the French town of Saint-Malo. The Hymans comment that there were many different types: "artichokes en daube, celery, pork cutlets, goose— all these and many other foodstuffs besides were prepared en daube". Most were made to be eaten cold. Daubes remained popular in 19th-century France, but by then, they were nearly always meat dishes, usually beef, eaten hot. By the end of the 20th century, the term was largely confined to bœuf en daube. The dish came to be seen as rustic and old-fashioned, and the copper pots—daubières—in which it was traditionally cooked became "a curiosity in antique markets".

Cuttlefish stuffed with sausage and herbs

Escabeche is the name for several dishes in Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, Filipino and Latin American cuisines, consisting of marinated fish, meat or vegetables, cooked or pickled in an acidic sauce , and flavored with paprika, citrus, and other spices. In Spain and throughout the Americas, many variations exist, including frying the main ingredient before marinating it. Escabeche of seafood, fish, chicken, rabbit, pork, and vegetables are common in Spain, the Caribbean and Portugal. Eggplant escabeche is common in Argentina. The Spanish and Portuguese word escabeche originates from Andalusi Arabic (spoken in Muslim Iberia) and ultimately Persian. It is derived from al-skepaj (السكباج), the name of a popular meat dish cooked in a sweet-and-sour sauce, usually containing vinegar and honey or date molasses. This technique spread throughout the former Portuguese and Spanish Empires and is particularly common in Latin America and the Philippines.

Thick stockfish stew made with tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, white wine

Étang de Thau oysters, also known as Bouzigues oysters, are a prized delicacy cultivated in the Thau Lagoon in southern France. They are known for their deep-cupped shells and a unique flavor influenced by the lagoon's nutrient-rich waters, making them a favorite among seafood lovers.

Garbure is a thick French stew traditionally based on cabbage and confit d'oie, though the modern version is usually made with ham, cheese and stale bread. The name derives from the use of the term garb to describe sheaves of grain depicted on a heraldic shield or coat of arms. Thus the name of garbure, which is eaten with a fork, is a reference to the use of pitchforks to pick up sheaves of grain. It originated in Gascony in the historical cultural region of Occitania. It is similar to potée. Among the Gascons it may have some connection to the time under the Angevin Empire, with influence from English potage stew. Garbure was the daily sustenance of Gascon peasantry. It varied from home to home, resources of the cook, household income, and rhythms of the seasons. The dish is based on lengthy simmering of an assortment of vegetables and meats, generally meats preserved en confit. The essential cabbage may be accompanied by broad beans, fresh or dried, mangetout peas, potatoes, turnips, peas, onions, carrots, celeriac, kohlrabi, beets, lettuce, nettles, borage, or even chestnuts. A large tureen of garbure is often presented to the table in Bearnais restaurants at the start of the meal, and guests can help themselves to as much as they wish.

Beef stewed with red wine, serve with rice

Charolais x Aubrac crossbred cattle reared in the Aubrac region in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Occitanie, France

Huîtres de Bouzigues are a type of oyster renowned for their cultivation in the Thau Lagoon near the village of Bouzigues in Southern France. They are celebrated for their unique briny flavor, influenced by the Mediterranean's mineral-rich waters, and are often enjoyed fresh, straight from the sea.

Bayonne ham or jambon de Bayonne is a cured ham that takes its name from the ancient port city of Bayonne in the far southwest of France, a city located in both the cultural regions of Basque Country and Gascony. It has PGI status. The area concerned is the basin of the river Adour and this geographical limitation is now enshrined in the regulations for the production of Bayonne ham. The meat itself does not have to come from the Adour basin but has to be produced from one of eight clearly defined breeds of pig reared in an area from Deux-Sèvres in the north to Aveyron and the Aude. The regulations are very strict and cover the zone of origin of the pork, the regime for feeding the animals , and each animal must be clearly and uniquely identifiable with a tattoo. Transport, slaughter, size and weight of the original meat cut, minimum fat cover, linoleic acid content, and the post slaughter storage temperature for the meat are all specified. The ham produced within these criteria is given the European Union PGI status Protected Designation of Origin and as such is called Bayonne ham. Enforcement of these regulations and the granting of the right to use the name Bayonne ham is the responsibility of Le Consortium de Jambon du Bayonne based in Pau, the capital of Department 64 in southwest France. The drying method used in modern times mimics that used in the past. Each drying storage chamber has temperature and humidity controls set to match seasonal variations. Originally the pigs were slaughtered in late October and early November. The hams were then rubbed in salt produced in the salt pans of the Adour estuary or from those near Béarn. The temperature conditions at this time of year, 6 to 8 °C (43 to 46 °F), are ideal for the initial preserving process and the hams were left hanging in the drying room until the end of January or early February. In the next part of the process, a mixture of pork fat and flour called pannage is used to seal the cut end of the joint. This reduces the speed in which the meat dries out during the warmer months of March, April, and May. At some point during this time many of the producers will also rub a paste of piment d'Espelette (Basque chile pepper) into the skin, giving a unique tang to the end product. The final drying stage is completed by the end of July and the ham is ready. Modern techniques using individual drying chambers with temperature and humidity controls simply reproduce the seasonal temperatures and the changing humidity conditions produced each year by the foehn (southerly wind) and the Atlantic Ocean. The size of ham used is normally within the range of 8 to 9 kg (18 to 20 lb) including bone.

Ollada in Roussillon is a stew of potatoes, beans and cabbage or turnips, considered the most typical and traditional dish . The often-repeated saying "l'ollada, ben porquejada" ("the pot and well pork") indicates what the fundamental ingredient is, the pork, with the vegetables of the season. In Vallespir they used to add barley. Like the Aranese pot, it is eaten all mixed, without discerning the broth to make soup, as is usually done with the bowl, and it is usually much thicker.

Gascon Noir de Bigorre pigs, raised in Hautes-Pyrénées, Occitanie, France

Chickens and capons reared in Occitanie, France

Veal from Aubrac, Gascon or Pyrenean Brown cattle, from Pyrénées-Orientales, Occitanie, France

Squid stewed with vegetables, wine, topped with aioli

Pigeon stew

The wild boar , also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is now one of the widest-ranging mammals in the world, as well as the most widespread suiform. It has been assessed as least concern on the IUCN Red List due to its wide range, high numbers, and adaptability to a diversity of habitats. It has become an invasive species in part of its introduced range. Wild boars probably originated in Southeast Asia during the Early Pleistocene and outcompeted other suid species as they spread throughout the Old World. As of 2005[update], up to 16 subspecies are recognized, which are divided into four regional groupings based on skull height and lacrimal bone length. The species lives in matriarchal societies consisting of interrelated females and their young (both male and female). Fully grown males are usually solitary outside the breeding season. The wolf is the wild boar's main predator in most of its natural range except in the Far East and the Lesser Sunda Islands, where it is replaced by the tiger and Komodo dragon respectively. The wild boar has a long history of association with humans, having been the ancestor of most domestic pig breeds and a big-game animal for millennia. Boars have also re-hybridized in recent decades with feral pigs; these boar–pig hybrids have become a serious pest wild animal in the Americas and Australia.

Sauce américaine is a recipe from classic French cookery containing chopped onions, tomatoes, white wine, brandy, salt, cayenne pepper, butter and fish stock. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as sauce armoricaine ( pronounced [sos aʁmɔʁikɛn]), but in fact the sauce was invented by a cook from Sète, Hérault, who had worked in the United States. Louis Saulnier gives the following recipe: Américaine - Treat as for Lobster Américaine. Pound shells and meat in the mortar and incorporate equal quantity of fish velouté, add butter.[citation needed]

Octopus pie

Trinxat is a food from the Pyrenees, principally Andorra and the Catalan comarques of Cerdanya and Alt Urgell. It is made with potatoes, cabbage and pork meat, and resembles bubble and squeak. The name, meaning “mashed” or “chopped”, is the past participle of the Catalan word trinxar, which means "to slice". It is sometimes served with salt herring or eaten on its own with bread.

Veal from calves reared in Aveyron, Occitaine, France

Poultry reared in Midi-Pyrenees, Occitanie, France

Poultry reared in Gers, Occitanie, France

Poultry reared in Languedoc-Roussillon, Occitanie, France

Poultry reared in Aude, Occitanie, France

Orange-red apricots grown in Pyrénées-Orientales, Occitanie, France

Allium sativum 'Blanc De Lomagne' garlic grown in Gers Lomagne and Tarn-et-Garonne, Occitanie, France

Lautrec Pink Garlic is a protected geographical indication indicating a specific production of garlic from the Lautrec commune in the Tarn department in southern France. This crop has been, since 1966, listed under the French Label Rouge "ail rose" and under the protected geographical indication ail rose de Lautrec (Lautrec Pink Garlic) since June 12, 1996. Lautrec pink garlic is characterized by its pink tunicas, its extended dormancy (allowing its delayed marketing until spring) and by its rigid floral stem, which prevents the braiding for distribution of traditional garlic; instead, the garlic is bound into clusters called "manouilles". This rigid floral stem is pruned early in the growing season in a process known as despoulinage, a local word meaning castration, the better to concentrate growth and flavour in the underground bulbs.

Aioli, allioli, or aïoli is a cold sauce consisting of an emulsion of garlic and olive oil; it is found in the cuisines of the northwest Mediterranean. The names mean "garlic and oil" in Catalan and Provençal. It is found in the cuisines of the Mediterranean coasts of Spain (Catalonia, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands, Murcia, and eastern Andalusia) and France (Provence, Languedoc, Roussilon). Some versions of the sauce are closer to a garlic mayonnaise, incorporating egg yolks and lemon juice, whereas other versions lack egg yolk and contain more garlic. The latter gives the sauce a pastier texture, making it more laborious to produce as the emulsion is harder to stabilise. There are many variations, such as adding lemon juice or other seasonings. In France, it may include mustard.

Artichokes grown in Pyrénées-Orientales, Occitanie, France

Spring potato grown in Pyrénées-Orientales, Occitanie, France

Bleu des Causses is a French blue cheese made from whole cow's milk. Some consider it as a mild variant of Roquefort. The cheese has a fat content of 45% and is aged for 3–6 months in Gorges du Tarn's natural limestone caves. The ripening process involving naturally temperature-controlled cellars is the major element that gives it its special aroma. Today, it is a relatively rare cheese that is only made by a handful of small producers. The Bleu des Causses shares an ancient history with the Roquefort, in a time where the cheese was made from mixed milk from a cow and a sheep, or pure milk from one or the other, based on the season and the cheesemaker.

Brandade is an emulsion crafted from salt cod, olive oil, and usually potatoes. It is eaten in the winter with bread or potatoes. In French culinary terminology, it is occasionally referred to as brandade de morue and while in Spanish cuisine, it sometimes known as brandada de bacalao . Brandade is a specialty of the Roussillon, Languedoc and Provence regions of Occitanie (in present-day France); and Catalonia, Balearic Islands and Valencia in Eastern Spain. Similar preparations are found in other Mediterranean countries such as Italy (baccalà mantecato), Portugal, the Greek Cyclades (brantada) and other regions of Spain (for example, atascaburras, which is done with salt cod, olive oil, potato and chestnut) where dried salt cod is also enjoyed. The word "brandada", like paella, matelote and others, has no translation into any language. In French, cod is referred to as morue, while in Occitan, it takes on the name merluça. Baron de Brisse published a daily recipe for the entire world in the journal La Liberté in nineteenth-century France, and these recipes were compiled in 1868. One of them explained how to season what he called cod brandade, but in modern French it is called cod brandade.

Cabécou is a soft goat cheese that comes from the Midi-Pyrénées region of southern France. It has a thin striped rind and after two weeks its crust grows blue mold changing its taste. It is one of Aquitaine's most famous foods. Aquitaine is a region in the lower bottom of France. The coloration of this creation is a calm cream color. Cabécou is a cheese generally made from raw goat's milk originating from the regions of the Massif Central such as Quercy, Rouergue, Haute-Auvergne, Limousin and Périgord. Its best consumption period extends from April to August. The name comes from the Occitan word cabra/craba which means goat.

Luxury food products made with the liver from Moulard or Muscovy ducks, from Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

Cazelle de Saint Affrique is a soft-ripened, pungent cheese, made from pasteurized sheep's milk in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France. It is an artisan cheese, hand-fashioned in small rounds. The cheese derives its name from the cazelle, a stone building common in Aveyron, the area where the cheese originates. Cazelles are used to house hay, and to shelter the local shepherds and their sheep. The Saint Affrique portion of the name references the commune of Saint Affrique, where the cheese is processed. The cheese is made in a manner similar to Crottin de Chavignol. At six weeks old it has a smooth, dense and slightly gummy texture. The flavor is mildly nutty, with a very clean finish. The edible rind is supple, with a slightly bitter flavor.

White table grapes grown in Tarn-et-Garonne, Occitanie, France

Minced pork patties or fritters made with Swiss chard, parsley, mushrooms, chestnuts, etc.

In French cuisine, fougasse is a type of bread typically associated with Provence but found (with variations) in other regions. Some versions are sculpted or slashed into a pattern resembling a head of wheat. In ancient Rome, panis focacius was a flatbread baked in the ashes of the hearth (focus in Latin). This eventually became a diverse variety of breads that include focaccia in Italian cuisine, hogaza in Spain, fogassa in Catalonia, fugàssa in Ligurian, pogača in the Balkans, pogácsa in Hungary, fougasse in Provence (originally spelled fogatza), and fouace or fouée in other regions of France and on the Channel Islands. The Provence version is more likely to have additions like olives, cheese, garlic or anchovies. Portugal is also home to fogaça, a sweet bread. In Brazil, pão sovado is a typical big fougasse, while a recipe called pão suíço is common to the states of Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo and surrounding regions. Pão suíço can be thought of as a halfway point between fougasse and bolillo, somewhat resembling a savory small brioche. They are perhaps the sweetest of savory artisanal bread recipes commonly made in Brazil.

Ciflorette and Gariguette strawberries grown in Gard, Occitanie, France

White beans grown in Tarbes, Occitanie, France

Olive oil made from Picholine olives, from Gard, Occitanie, France

Dry-cured ham from Tarn, Occitanie, France

Curd ham from Gascon Noir de Bigorre pigs, from Hautes-Pyrénées, Occitanie, France

Laguiole , sometimes called Tome de Laguiole, is a pressed uncooked French cheese from the plateau of Aubrac, situated at between 800 - 1400m, in the region of Aveyron in the southern part of France. It takes its name from the small town of Laguiole and has been protected under the French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) since 1961 and a Appellation d'origine protégée since 1996. Laguiole is said to have been invented at a monastery in the mountains of Aubrac in the 19th century. According to historical accounts, the monks passed down the recipe for making this cheese from cattle during the alpages to the local buronniers, the owners of burons, or mountain huts. french-cheese.com describes the flavor as: Today, Laguiole is made in three different départements: Aveyron, Cantal and Lozère by the coopérative Jeune Montagne. It is the only producer currently licensed to produce this cheese. With a 45% fat content, Laguiole has a pressed, uncooked paste made exclusively from raw, unpasteurized French Simmental or Aubrac cow's milk collected between May and October above 800m altitude. 666 tonnes were produced in 1998 (-9.14% since 1996) from 20,000 - 30,000 litres of milk collected from 79 different farms.

Green olives grown in Languedoc-Roussillon, Occitanie, France

Melon grown in Tarn-et-Garonne and Lot, Occitanie, France

Honey produced in Lozére and Gard, Occitanie, France

Sweet onion grown in Gard, Occitanie, France

Green Picholine olives grown in Gard, Occitanie, France

Beignet, common during Christmas and carnival

Country pâté, serve with bread and wine

Quince cheese is a sweet and tart, thick jelly made of the pulp of the quince fruit. It is a common confection in several countries. In the Iberian Peninsula, this traditionally Mediterranean food is called ate or dulce de membrillo in Spanish, marmelada or doce de marmelo in Portuguese, marmelo in Galician, marmiellu in Asturian and codonyat in Catalan. It is a firm, sticky, sweet reddish hard paste made of the quince (Cydonia oblonga) fruit. It is also very popular in Hungary (as birsalmasajt), Portugal and Brazil (as marmelada), France (as pâte de coing in French and codonhat in Occitan, or cotignac in Orléans), Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile (as dulce de membrillo), Uruguay, (as Martín Fierro), Italy (as cotognata), Croatia (as kotonjata or kitnikez), Serbia (as kitnikez), Peru (as machacado de membrillo), Israel (as ממבריו membrio), Turkey (as ayva peltesi) and Romania (as marmeladă de gutui). The recipe is probably of ancient origin; the Roman cookbook of Apicius, a collection of Roman cookery recipes compiled in the late 4th or early 5th century AD, gives recipes for stewing quince with honey.[citation needed]

Pélardon, formerly called paraldon, pélardou and also péraudou, is a French cheese from the Cévennes range of the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It is a traditional cheese made from goat's milk. It is round soft-ripened cheese covered in a white mold weighing approximately 60 grams, with a diameter of 60–70 mm and a height of 22–27 mm. Pélardon has benefited from Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) status since August 2000.

Persillade is a sauce or seasoning mixture of parsley (French: persil) chopped together with seasonings including garlic, herbs, oil, and vinegar. In its simplest form, just parsley and garlic, it is a common ingredient in many dishes, part of a sauté cook's mise en place. If added early in cooking, it becomes mellow, but when it is added at the end of cooking or as a garnish, it provides a garlicky jolt. It is extensively used in French and French-influenced cuisines, as well as in Cajun, Louisiana Creole, and Québécois cuisines. A classic French and Quebec bistro dish is pommes persillade, cubed potatoes fried in a small amount of oil, with persillade added at the end of the cooking, and can sometimes be combined with Quebec poutine to produce a hybrid dish called poutine persillade. Persillade is also popular in Louisiana; New Orleans chef Austin Leslie's signature dish was fried chicken with persillade.

Semi-soft cheese made from unpasteurized goat's milk, from Rocamadour, Occitanie, France

Roquefort is a sheep milk blue cheese from southern France. Though similar cheeses are produced elsewhere, EU law dictates that only those cheeses aged in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon may bear the name Roquefort, as it is a recognised geographical indication, and has a protected designation of origin. Roquefort is white, tangy, creamy and slightly moist, with veins of blue mold. It has a characteristic fragrance and flavor with a taste of butyric acid; the blue veins provide a sharp tang. It has no rind; the exterior is edible and slightly salty. A typical wheel weighs between 2.5 and 3kg (5.5 to 6.6lbs), and is about 10 cm (4 in) thick. Each kilogram of finished cheese requires about 4.5 liters of milk to produce. In France, Roquefort is often called the "king of cheeses" or the "cheese of kings", although those names are also used for other cheeses.

Rouille is a sauce that consists of egg yolk and olive oil with breadcrumbs, garlic, saffron and cayenne pepper. It is served as a garnish with fish and fish soup, notably bouillabaisse. Rouille is most often used in the cuisine of Provence.

Sauce américaine is a recipe from classic French cookery containing chopped onions, tomatoes, white wine, brandy, salt, cayenne pepper, butter and fish stock. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as sauce armoricaine ( pronounced [sos aʁmɔʁikɛn]), but in fact the sauce was invented by a cook from Sète, Hérault, who had worked in the United States. Louis Saulnier gives the following recipe: Américaine - Treat as for Lobster Américaine. Pound shells and meat in the mortar and incorporate equal quantity of fish velouté, add butter.[citation needed]

Saucisse de Toulouse is a fresh sausage originating from Toulouse in the southwest of France. It is made from pork (75% lean, 25% belly), salt and pepper, has a natural casing of about 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter and is usually sold in a coil (like Cumberland sausage). It is an ingredient of most Cassoulet recipes and is also served grilled or confit. Saucisse de Toulouse does not have a protected status so variations on the original recipe can be sold under the same name. Producers' organisations have proposed a Label Rouge designation for the product the recipe for which would adhere to the criteria: raw pork meat and fat (no more than 80% lean), ham without shank, shoulder without shank, loin, brisket, and back fat; a natural casing of pork or mutton; salt at an amount between 1.5% and 1.8% of the total ingredients; water, ice; sugars at a maximum of 1% of the total ingredients (only sucrose, dextrose, glucose, or lactose); aromatics, spices and wines at a maximum of 0.7% in total, and trace amounts of one of: ascorbic acid (E300), sodium ascorbate (E301), erythorbic acid (E315), or sodium erythorbate (E316) as a preservative.

Sausage and salami made from pork and boar meat, from Tarn, Occitanie, France

Tapenade is a Provençal name for a spread, condiment and culinary ingredient consisting of puréed or finely chopped olives, capers, and sometimes anchovies. The name comes from the Provençal word for capers, tapenas ( pronounced [taˈpenɔs]). It is a popular food in the south of France, where it is generally eaten as an hors d'œuvre spread on bread, with fish, in salads, and sometimes used to stuff poultry for the main course. Olive-based dishes can be found in ancient times. For example, Olivarum conditurae in Columella's De re Rustica and epityrum from Cato the Elder were Greek dips adopted by the Romans that included olives but also many ingredients like celery, leeks, rue, mint, wine and vinegar. Tapenade is based mainly on capers and olives.