Calling all Francophile gourmands er... gourmets

[MrGongGong]

aha they have our favourite camping breakfast

Harrys Brioche (to toast on a hot dry pan)
always to be spoken of in a Ray Winstone accent

"arrys Brioche.... pour tooot le familie innit"

[amateur51]

aha they have our favourite camping breakfast

Harrys Brioche (to toast on a hot dry pan)
always to be spoken of in a Ray Winstone accent

"arrys Brioche.... pour tooot le familie innit"

[Don Petter]

... well, if you ca'n't get to la Fromagerie - Waitrose does a quite respectable morbier...

Our local branches are very hit and miss as to whether it's in stock (or perhaps it's always snapped up before we get there).

[amateur51]

Goose rillettes for those pre-cholesterol test snacks

[vinteuil]

aha they have our favourite camping breakfast


"arrys Brioche.... pour tooot le familie innit"

.... que voici :

http://www.harrys.fr/products/viennoiseries/brioches-tranchees

[Alain Maréchal]

... well, they do have chateldon

Hmm... I wonder if could start a profitable delivery service myself, considering how overpriced Chateldon is. I live 20km from Chateldon, a rather dull village with a chateau of whose recent history the inhabitants prefer not to talk. I find the water unremarkable, although it is sold at great cost in my favourite local brasserie, which is doubly odd considering both myself and the brasserie are situated about 500 metres from a rather more famous source which comes gushing out free of charge, and tastes better. I think it's a triumph of marketing; both sources are exploited by the same company, and Chateldon cashes in on its rarity value (the production is extremely small).

[Nick Armstrong]

I live 20km from Chateldon, a rather dull village with a chateau of whose recent history the inhabitants prefer not to talk.

But not being an inhabitant, could you perhaps say a word or three? I'm all agog.

...

I find the water unremarkable.... Chateldon cashes in on its rarity value (the production is extremely small).

Our dear vindepays got in his defence of Chateldon water first, on another thread:

But by far my favourite, which we use when having a more expansive than usual meal - is chateldon :

http://www.chateldon.tm.fr/une-eau-d-exception/la-reine-des-eaux.html

« Il est dit que les eaux de Chateldon guériraient quelquefois sa Majesté, la soulageraient souvent et la consoleraient toujours ».

worth seeking out

Is it perhaps its rarity that has added to its taste?

Probably going to stick with me Badoit, moi

[Alain Maréchal]

But not being an inhabitant, could you perhaps say a word or three? I'm all agog.

.

Chateldon was the home village of Pierre Laval, Prime Minister of L'Etat Francais, under Petain, tried and executed for treason after the war. (my accents seem to have disappeared again, sorry; I'm on a qwerty keyboard today). Of peasant stock his family rose to be wealthy, and he purchased the chateau. I'm not sure who owns it now, but they seem to keep themselves to themselves. Debate about Laval's (and Petain's) motives and policies (not to mention the fairness of the trial) continue to rage and I'm not going to take sides, since I'm still ploughing through the histories. (I will take sides about one thing though: they were both the worst of anti-semites.)

I'll leave vinteuil to his preference, but nothing beats a daily saunter down to the Source des Celestins for a glassful straight from the spring. The trace of magnesium is the reason for its supposed digestive properties. In general though I agree with W.C.Fields: "bring me a gin and water, and make sure there's enough gin in it to take away that awful taste of water!"

A warning about Badoit: it's high in sodium, so beware if you have hypertension.

[Nick Armstrong]

Thank you Alain. Fascinating. I thought there must be a whiff of Vichy in the saga....

À votre santé

[Alain Maréchal]

Some misty mornings the whiff of the hot sulphur springs wanders around the town! Its no surprise that only Celestins and Saint-Yorre are bottled for export.

a la votre!

[vinteuil]

... I can much recommend, for an evocation of the place, Maigret à Vichy

[Don Petter]

... I can much recommend, for an evocation of the place, Maigret à Vichy

... and for further flavour, Maigret de Canard.

[vinteuil]

... and for further flavour, Maigret de Canard.

... a côte for M Petter, svp.

[Alain Maréchal]

... I can much recommend, for an evocation of the place, Maigret à Vichy

Seconded, heartily. Simenon captures the suffocating atmosphere (I refer to the weather) of a hot and humid summer evening in Vichy. Also it's one of the best in terms of the plot: although not in charge of the case, M. systematically unmasks the criminal.