When you like something, you feel drawn to all aspects of that subject. I read foodie articles in magazines, subscribe to various recipe blogs, watch cooking shows, and enjoy learning about foods with which I'm not too familiar. While here, I've watched Rick Stein's India and followed the Hairy Bikers Bakeation on TV. I just generally navigate towards food topics. Karl enjoys eating. He is quite adventuresome in trying new flavours and also appreciates pairing the food with wines and spirits. I wonder why we never get tired of the food experience, and I suppose it's because we get hungry and eat three times a day, then start all over again the next day! It's a never-ending need and one we thoroughly enjoy satisfying.
France offers great food, from its fresh produce in local markets to the great dinners we've found in restaurants. As we've travelled through all regions of France, we've realized how dishes reflect the produce of the "terroir", and the history that has brought flavours from other lands. We love eating and trying new restaurants so much that we thought we'd start a new trend of "eating vacations" only to discover that it's already well established; we needn't reinvent the wheel.
Culinary tourism or food tourism is experiencing the food of the country, region or area, and is now considered a vital component of the tourism experience. Dining out is common among tourists and "food is believed to rank alongside climate, accommodation, and scenery" in importance to tourists.
Culinary or food tourism is defined by the World Food Travel Association (WFTA) as the pursuit of unique and memorable eating and drinking experiences. Culinary or food tourism is not limited to gourmet food; the WFTA reports that "gourmet" comprises only 8.1% of culinary travelers.
France is a country that has been strongly associated with culinary tourism with both international visitors as well as French citizens travelling to different parts of the country to sample local foods and wine.
I think it's great fun hearing from my blog readers, some saying there's too much reference to food while others say that's what they enjoy the most. I guess I'll just continue reporting on the various restaurants we come across and what we think of the food and setting.
We ate at Le Tournedos a couple of times in Lézignan-Corbières and it was wonderful! Meats cooked on an open wood fire, the aroma permeating the dining area, and everything very fresh. The prices were very reasonable, for both lunch and dinner.
This was the absolute BEST tarte à l'oignon I have ever eaten! Was it because it was actually a tarte aux poireaux, a "quiche" made with leeks instead of onions?
The chef is cooking the meat on an open fire.
We had pork chops with green beans and fries. The plate was sprinkled with paprika which gave the meat a nice bite.
For dessert, a lemon tart with a pleasant "tart"ness. This was our 3-course luncheon menu.
We also made it to Le Tournedos for dinner one night and had chèvre mille-feuilles as an entrée which was a layer of aubergine, a layer of goat cheese, a slice of tomato, repeated twice. Karl had the cod brandade stuffed in red peppers which he just loved. [Brandade has a Canadian connection since the recipe was originally created for and made with dry, salted cod that came from La Nouvelle France.]
The place was packed at dinner time, in mid-week.
The canard confit tasted very different with its crispy skin and smoky notes from the open fire. The ratatouille was excellent!
We finished with chocolate mousse and delicious flan, and sipped the last of our rosé which was included in the meal, before shuffling out of the restaurant like penguins with very full stomachs. The lunch menu was 29 euros for two, and the dinner menu came to just 46 euros, tipping included. Considering the portions, the taste, the setting and service, this was excellent value and we'll hopefully be back once again before our "eating vacation" is over!
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