Fruits and vegetables
They are everywhere: red, green, yellow, sweet, in the ground, in the trees, in the shell, organic, summer, winter... fruits and vegetables characterize the Lot-et-Garonne! The department is the orchard of France but vegetables are not to be outdone with the cultivation of cabbages, asparagus, cucumbers and many others that grow on the fertile land. Not satisfied with being the champion of crops in Europe, the department distinguishes itself with the care brought by its people to the organoleptic qualities of its vegetable wealth such as the different varieties of strawberries or tomatoes of which Marmande has become the specialist. In season, you might ask? With the kiwi, the Lot-et-Garonne is still number 1 in France for these fruits that are harvested during the rough months. So there is a good chance that there will be a taste of the 47 in the fruit baskets or the vegetable baskets consumed in France.
The prune, a speciality of local know-how
Let's be clear: prunes don't grow on trees; it's the plum that grows on the plum tree and turns into a prune through desiccation. The plum tree was probably brought back from Syria by the Crusaders in the 12th century. It was grafted ("enté") by the Benedictine monks of Clairac Abbey, on local varieties. This explains why the plum tree is known as prunier d'Ente. Until the 16th century, plums dried in the sun. It was discovered that drying plums in a bread oven was feasible. Farmers set up plum ovens. It was necessary to cook 3 kg of plums to obtain 1 kg of prunes. In addition, three firings had to be carried out, each separated by around 48 hours of cooling. Not so long ago, in the '80s, there were two shifts: the day shift and the night shift, as the cooking had to be regularly monitored and the prunes taken out when they were just right. If you're visiting in spring, and for only a few days, a sea of fragrant white descends on all the orchards: it's flowering time. Agen-based philosopher Michel Serres says it's as beautiful as cherry blossoms in Japan. Is it because the capital of Lot-et-Garonne is called Agen that the prune was given its name? In the 19th century, prunes were known as "Bordeaux plums" because they were transported by boat. They traveled in white cotton canvas bags stamped with the name of the port of departure. When, thanks to the Garonne canal, the plums left Agen, the bags were stamped Agen, even though the plum orchards are mainly located in the Lot valley and in the Val de Garonne Guyenne Gascogne region. The Lot-et-Garonne department is logically France's leading producer
Strawberry, tomato, walnut and hazelnut, one domain and several queens
Both reign supreme in summer, with tomatoes in salads and strawberries at the end of meals. These two star products are largely produced here.
Marmande is the undisputed champion of the tomato, with 700 hectares under cultivation, and the varieties range from the cornue to the impressive cœur de bœuf. Each has its own particularity: while the green zebra colors the plate, the cœur de bœuf stands out for its taste. The industry also uses them in sauces and jams for top-quality condiments.
As for strawberries, they are called gariguette, mara des bois, ciraphine, charlotte or cléry, each distinguished by its shape and taste. While the gariguette is sweet and tart, the mara des bois has the regressive taste of a wild strawberry. The Lot-et-Garonne region boasts 530 hectares, where 15,000 tonnes of fruit are harvested every year to delight connoisseurs from near and far.
The other star pair comes from the nut family, with walnuts and hazelnuts. These two specialities, usually eaten as an aperitif or between meals, find their home in Cancon, which produces no less than 98% of French production with its 250 growers. Available in oil or even as a spread for hazelnuts, these healthy foods have a bright future ahead of them.
A restoration of conviction
The Lot-et-Garonne does not have a megalopolis with avenues where starred restaurants follow one another, but it does have small jewels of gastronomy scattered over the territory that carry the colors of a gastronomy of good and reason. Whether you are in the small village of Moirax or in Agen or even in Marmande or Cancon, there will always be a nugget near you. Restaurant owners are at the helm of the restaurant business and fervently defend the identity of the department in the dishes they present. The products are highlighted in the gastronomic restaurants as well as in the small addresses well known by the regulars. From the field to the plate, the people of Lot-et-Garonne have always been able to combine local products with quality catering.
Classified wines
Faced with the neighboring Gironde and Bordeaux, the land of wine par excellence, Lot-et-Garonne holds its own. The department is divided between several AOCs (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) and AOPs (Appellation d'Origine Protégée): AOC Côtes du Marmandais in the Garonne valley, featuring emblematic grape varieties such as Abouriou and Malbec, AOP Côtes de Duras further north, AOC Buzet and AOC Brulhois in the south-east. The Albret region is not to be outdone, with 2 specialties: AOC Floc de Gascogne and AOC Armagnac Ténarèze. And let's not forget the IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) Thézac-Perricard dating from 2011. Covering the Quercy region, it corresponds to wine production in the communes of Montayral, Bourlens, Tournon-d'Agenais and Courbiac around Thézac. Bottled gold for Lot-et-Garonne.
