FOOD IN THE DORDOGNE

In my original post about travelling to the Dordogne, I mentioned the vast array of amazing food there was to be sampled there; however, I'm sure I can expand on this further with the addition of a few suggestions on where to eat and what to expect if you visit. As I have mentioned before, the Dordogne is known for a handful of very rich foods; primarily walnut oil, foie gras and goose/duck fat. Most dishes here came with foie gras, rich creamy sauces and every menu offered duck, usually confit style. Despite travelling in summer, the rich, dark flavours I would associate more with an autumnal menu and I often found that having lunch out during the day meant a light snack or sandwich for dinner. I stayed in the sleepy village of Coux et Bigaroque, which had very few places to eat and was more of well placed in-between village to stay in for trips to busier places during the day. The best find in our village was the hotel/restaurant Le Chambellan, which sold cheap wine by the litre and like most French restaurants offered a sample of (reasonably pricey) set menu's to choose from. One thing to bear in mind is the cost of these places; dining out in this region is not a cheap affair- backpackers and students should just buy goats cheese and baguettes from the supermarket. The restaurant in Le Chambellan was exactly what you'd expect in this part of France; country cooking at it's best. I had the decadent confit duck with pomme sardalais and cepes, pushing the foie gras to the side of course and finished the meal with a creme brulee trio (chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flavours if I remember correctly?) I can't rave about the pomme sardalais enough; fried potatoes with parsley and garlic; a regional speciality that's not to miss. Other meals included the strongest garlic soup known to man and a 'medium rare' steaked cooked the French way (it was pretty much blue). My favourite restaurant of the whole trip was located in La-Roque Gageac. We dined at La Belle Etoile, which overlooked the river from a grapevine decorated balcony. The atmosphere and food here was some of the best I'd ever experienced despite not opting for regional classics. The starter was a delicate lemon flavoured monkfish carpaccio and the dessert was an iced soufflé, something I'd love to recreate if I ever had the right recipe! For a lighter meal, visit the stunning Le Jardins de Marqueyssac, which offers regional salads of mostly cheese and walnut bases. Overall the Dordogne epitomises everything you'd expect from the region; sweet Monbazillac wine, game meats and soft delicate cheeses. We ate in pretty much most of the main villages and tourist sites so if you're interested in more foodie adventures please let me know!