Puy-de-Dôme gastronomy
Discover ‘De nos fermes 63’ products
If you don’t want to pass for an ignorant tourist, don’t ask a local restaurateur whether he forgot to put the truffles in his ‘truffade’, because you couldn’t taste them ! This faux pas is quite understandable as Puy-de-Dôme gastronomy is rich but often little-known, so here’s a rapid overview to tickle your tastebuds !
‘De nos fermes 63’ is a network of farmers from Puy-de-Dôme who produce fruit, vegetables, meat, charcuterie, wine, cheese and other dairy produce, honey and other delicious products on their farms and sell directly to the public. Far from the world of globalisation, these producers favour local distribution and contact with the people who consume the fruit of their labours. It’s good for the planet and good food too ! To enjoy these delicious specialities for as long as possible, have a weekend break or a longer countryside holiday in a holiday property or chalet with Gîtes de France du Puy-de-Dôme.
Taste Côtes-d’Auvergne wine, with moderation but with pleasure
The Massif Central region is famous for its springs and lakes, but wine connoisseurs will be happy here too ! In fact, Auvergne wine has made a comeback after many years of being given the cold shoulder and has won many prizes and awards at national wine fairs. There are several wines in Puy-de-Dôme : Côtes-d’Auvergne which regroups Boudes, Chanturgue, Châteaugay, Corent and Madargues, and the PGI Puy-de-Dôme. The wine-growing area extends from Riom to Issoire and many wine-growers open their vineyards and cellars to visitors. For more information, simply contact the Fédération Viticole du Puy-de-Dôme.
Follow the Auvergne Cheese Trail
Puy-de-Dôme can take pride in the fact that it has several AOP (PDO) cheeses : Saint-Nectaire, Louis XIV’s favourite cheese; Cantal, which is produced in the département of Cantal but also in 20 villages of Puy-de-Dôme; Fourme d’Ambert, made in and around the town of Ambert; Bleu d’Auvergne, not to be confused with Fourme d’Ambert… Enough to satisfy the most demanding gourmets ! To know more, visit the Maison des Fromages d’Auvergne at Égliseneuve-d’Entraigues, south of Clermont-Ferrand.
Delicious specialities from Puy-de-Dôme
So, there are no truffles in truffade, but there are ‘trufas’ the old name for potato. To be honest, this dish comes from the Monts de Cantal in Upper Auvergne, but it’s so good that the whole of Auvergne has adopted it ! It’s exactly what you need to recharge you batteries after a day walking in the volcanoes or skiing at Mont-Dore, Super-Besse or La Bourboule. As for typical gourmet dishes of Puy-de-Dôme, it is impossible not to mention ‘saucisse aux choux’ (sausage with cabbage) from Arconsat, and ‘pansette’, a dish which has its own annual festival at Gerzat, in the north of Clermont-Ferrand. Sweet-wise, ’confiture sèche’ (literally ‘dry jam’) is in fact the ancestor of fruit jellies and was invented in the 10th century between Clermont-Ferrand and Riom. It is often found on the breakfast table of local B&Bs and chalets of the region.
