A Var off Cuisine!
By Anne Ager
From Toulon along the coast to Hyères, not forgetting, of course, the cluster of islands known as Les îles d’Hyères, there is a galaxy of edible delights to be enjoyed, many of which have a distinctly ‘fishy’ flavour! This stretch of the Mediterranean is renowned for its bounty of glistening fresh fish, and the sardine has almost become its unofficial symbol. You will also find wonderful red mullet (if you don’t mind dodging the bones), les moules de Tamaris (fat, juicy mussels), plump and succulent octopus, castagnole (a local sea bream) and probably one of the ugliest, but nonetheless tasty fish, the goby.
Just inland from the coast, the Var forests of the Massif des Maures yield two of the regions wild treasures: the many varieties of champignons sauvages , and the highly- prized diamant noir – the black truffle. In November and December each year, there are the Marchés aux truffes at Aups, which are well worth the diversion inland, and, if you have a real penchant for garlic, La Crau is the place to be in August, halfway between Hyères and Toulon. The annual Foire à l’Ail doesn’t need any advertising … you can almost smell it from St-Tropez!
Of all the recipes that best epitomises this region, it has to be the delicious Soupe
au Pistou: the Provençal version of minestrone.
And this analogy is not by chance. When Henri 11 married Catherine de
Médicis in 1533, she didn’t just bring her heart to France
with her, she also brought many of the flavours of Italian cuisine, including
the renowned pesto sauce, which is so similar to pistou. The
base of the soup is a delightful mélange of vegetables,
simmered slowly in a well-flavoured stock - dried beans (haricot and
red kidney beans), potatoes, haricots verts (French green beans)
and tomatoes. Baby cooked pasta shells are added right at the end of
the cooking, with the crowning glory of the luminous green pistou:
a heady blend of basil, garlic, Parmesan, pine kernels and olive oil.
Another specialityis La Cade Toulonnaise,
which is rather like the socca from Nice: a thin golden, oven-baked
pancake, made from chick pea flour.
You will find some of the very finest tastes of the region on Porquerolles, the most picturesque of the îles d’Hyères, such as flavoured honeys (lavender is one of the most popular), preserves (like confiture de figue), aromatic green olive oils and the local liqueur de mandarine. At the western end of the island, you will find a sanctuary of gastronomy, hidden between pine and eucalyptus trees: le Mas du Langoustier. Here the most exquisite dishes are served (ask for the “Under the Shades of an Olive Tree” menu), often accompanied by Domaine de l’île Rosé wine from the island.
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ANNE AGER
Having qualified as a chef in London & Paris, and worked for numerous food/hospitality companies, on both sides of the Channel, Anne Ager now heads up her own organisation, Côte Cuisine, on the French Riviera. Anne specialises in presenting regular Cookery Courses on Mediterranean cuisine, as well as arranging Boutique Weddings in the region, and catering for special corporate events, such as the Monaco Grand Prix, the Cannes Film Festival and MIPIM.
Email: anne.ager@tiscali.fr
www.anne-ager.com
Mailing address: 14 Avenues Thiers, 06600 Antibes
Phone: 00 33 (0)4.93.34.41.02
Mobile: 00 33 (0)6.61.24.99.16
Credits:
Image Copyright 2006 Adamo
Destination Weddings: www.adamsbrides.com
Food/Advertising: www.morgeseadamo.supereva.it
