Sea side
With its 600 km of coastline, the region offers many specialties with marine and iodine flavors. Nearly 80 species are fished in the waters of the Channel. Seafood in the lead!
The scallop is one of the local emblems. Simply eaten after being cooked in butter or in fresh cream, its taste and delicate texture make it a very popular starter or dish. The scallop is often put at the top of the bill in restaurants.
The first Norman who has never tasted mayonnaise whelks under a beautiful sun and facing the sea should get up now! This dish, of a disarming simplicity, is certainly a must for those who stay in the region and want to discover all its culinary attractions. Simplicity is also good when it comes to oysters. This mollusk with its iodized flavor, whose appearance does not seduce everyone, is a fact, and is very popular on the Cotentin coast. Accompanied by a lemon drizzle, or plain for the purists, it is a must. Mussels are also the privilege of the area. Produced in the Cotentin region, those of bouchots and Barfleur can be tasted with its famous fries! In another category, you should try the Cotentin lobster: it is a fine dish that you don't have the opportunity to taste every day. A stay in Normandy would be the occasion to let you try it..
Would you rather have a good fish ? The region is not left out. Mackerel, sea bream, haddock or sea bass will whet the taste buds of gourmets. Especially since several versions of the Norman sauce, based of course on fresh cream and sometimes cider, perfectly accompany their delicate flesh.
Land side
In this land of livestock farming, meat comes in all shapes and sizes. Normandy-bred beef delights red meat lovers. From chicken to turkey to guinea fowl, the five-department region offers a wide choice of poultry, and gourmets won't complain. Often cooked with cider, these farmhouse birds reveal all their flavors. The same goes for salt-meadow sheep and lamb: raised in Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, the sea spray that sweeps across their meadows gives their meat an inimitable taste.
Charcuterie lovers will also find plenty to eat in Normandy. Here, several specialties are very popular, starting with boudin noir. This Orne speciality, made from pig's blood, is one of the oldest charcuterie specialities. It has nothing in common with white pudding, except for the pork casing in which the stuffing is enclosed. Another delicatessen speciality with a very pronounced odour, andouillette nonetheless seduces the palate. The local specialty, rouennaise andouillette, is made from pork casing and veal strawberries.
The culinary tour of Normandy continues and ends with an unmissable dish that is unique in France: tripe à la mode de Caen. The base of this dish, with its distinctive smell, is... a cow's stomach. Lovers beware. You won't find this emblematic regional dish anywhere else, that's for sure!
Dairy products
Normandy cows graze in the region's green meadows, producing good milk that's perfect for making delicious specialties. This beverage forms the basis of the delicious crème fraîche that adds a Norman touch to many sweet and savoury dishes. It can also be used to make delicious yoghurts, petits suisses and faisselles, all of which can be purchased from local farmers. Or, on another note, a delicious teurgoule. Butter is also an integral part of local cuisine. Whether sweet or savoury, depending on your palate's preferences, this milk-based product is indispensable when it comes to preparing tasty dishes.
It's impossible to talk about good Norman milk without mentioning... cheese, of course! In the land of the famous Camembert, a soft cheese from a small village nestled in the Auge region of Normandy, it would be an affront not to eat a piece or two at the end of a meal. In the region, 4 cheeses hold the AOP (Protected Designation of Origin) label: Camembert de Normandie, Pont-l'Evêque, Livarot and Neufchâtel. But there are many more on the shelves and cheeseboards of restaurants: crémeux du Mont-Saint-Michel, gruyère de Carrouges, tomme de Villedieu-Roufigny, Breslois, Oreiller de Noix... And the list goes on. And goat's milk cheeses such as Trèfle du Perche, Crottin des Alpines and Galet d'Albâtre are also well represented in the region. A single stay in Normandy won't be enough: you'll have to come back to discover them all!
Fancy a sweet treat?
The star of the region, the forbidden fruit is also the star of Norman desserts! Here, the famous apple tart is a must-have to finish off a good meal, or to accompany a hot drink at snack time. Made with shortcrust pastry, the tart features the fruit to the fore... adding a touch of crème fraîche and sometimes a drop of calvados (two other local specialties) for those cooks most faithful to tradition. Let's correct a common misconception among apple pie fans: the famous tarte tatin has nothing to do with Normandy. It's a specialty of the Sologne region.
Reinettes, Bailleul and Boskoop are also featured in another of the region's sweet delicacies: Bourdelot. The apple is hollowed out, then placed in the center of a shortcrust pastry and baked. Accompanied by a bowl of cider (in moderation, of course) or apple juice, it's a delight! Finally, if you're in the mood for a more airy dessert, try the Normandy soufflé. Halfway between a charlotte and a soufflé, this pastry involves spooning calvados over cookies, whipping up egg whites and covering with apple pieces. Like all good soufflés, it's best eaten straight from the oven.
Tired of apples? Normandy has more than one trick up its sleeve! If you're already a fan of rice pudding, you won't be disappointed by Teurgoule. This specialty is said to have originated in Honfleur in the 18thcentury . This dessert owes its special quality to its long baking time, which lasts several hours, but above all to the spice that gives it its full flavor: cinnamon. The name comes from the Norman word for "to twist one's head", which may be linked to the fact that gourmands would have burnt their palates while trying to enjoy this dish cooked in a terrine while still hot. For the record, rice and cinnamon arrived in France thanks to Norman privateers. Having plundered Spanish galleons, they brought back these two essential ingredients for making teurgoule. All they had to do was add some good Norman milk to make it a specialty!
Crème fraîche is an indispensable ingredient in the Normandy culinary tradition. But it's not the only one: butter also has its place in the region. It's particularly indispensable in the making of another specialty that goes wonderfully well with tea, coffee or any other beverage: sablé! As with all good treats, there's no need to skimp on butter or sugar. Just add flour and eggs, and after a thorough baking in the oven, you'll be able to enjoy this round, blond cookie.
A little thirsty?
The apple, the jewel of the region, is not only enjoyed in desserts. They also add their touch to the region's beverages. While apple juice takes pride of place, it's the alcoholic versions of these beverages that are most renowned. Raw, sweet or semi-dry, cider takes pride of place on local tables. This sparkling beverage, made from crushed and pressed apples before their juice is fermented, can be enjoyed as an aperitif or with food. Its alcohol content is moderate. Cider has AOC certification in the Pays d'Auge and Perche regions. Its alter ego, made from pears this time, is simply and soberly called poiré. Mainly produced in the Domfront region, its aroma is more delicate and its bubbles finer. If you're in the mood for a more intense spirit - to be consumed in moderation, of course - let yourself be tempted by THE flagship product of the region. So much so, in fact, that it has even taken the name of a Normandy department... Calvados, of course! Aged in oak barrels, this round-mouthed beverage is made from cider, which is then distilled in a still. Several decades are needed to obtain a Calvados with a unique taste.
Protected know-how
To avoid seeing its good and tasty specialties transformed into poor quality products made in undetermined places, the region makes a point of protecting them. Thanks to numerous labels, consumers can be sure of the origin and know-how used to make many products. Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) for Isigny-sur-Mer fresh cream, Controlled Designation of Origin for Camembert de Normandie, Calvados du Pays d'Auge, or Calvados du Domfrontais... and even IGP Normandie Label rouge for farm poultry. Do not hesitate to go to the numerous markets of the region to do your shopping: there is no better place to exchange directly with the local producers. They are the true ambassadors of their region and they are the guarantee of a good traceability of your products. The departments make it a point of honor to promote them, as with the Orne Terroir or Manche Terroir networks. Just like the region with the Saveurs de Normandie brand. So many references to help the consumer make the right choice!
