Foodie France
Calling
all food-lovers. You simply can’t beat a trip to France to take
in all those luscious local markets and great restaurants.
Pop over to France on a Friday evening sailing and treat yourself to a gourmet meal en route in the acclaimed SeaFrance waiter service restaurant, La Brasserie. With dishes such as locally sourced smoked salmon with blinis, rosemary roasted lamb shank and the ever popular tarte tatin, you can let your taste buds get to work while you relax and enjoy the stunning sea views.
Member restaurants of the 'Toque d'Opale' pride
themselves on using local produce and all dishes are cooked on the premises.
All restaurants are either in Calais or easily reached from the
town.
www.toquesdopale.com
Head for the markets...
It’s
worth getting up early to head for a local market, or if you’re
choosing to stay in a coastal town, pop down to the docks and watch the
fishermen bring in their catch. Markets are held on Saturday mornings
in most French towns, and they’re well worth getting up for! Northern
France is famed for its endive, shallots, fresh and smoked garlic, strawberries,
apples, pears dandelion liqueur, elderberry jelly and other lip-smacking
products. Stalls offering freshly baked bread and patisseries, local
charcuterie, fresh shellfish and fish, plus locally grown herbs all make
for a heady atmosphere.
...or eat locally
Enjoy
a casse-croute (snack) in a local café, then go on your own speciality
tour of the region. Visit local micro breweries and cheese producers.
Some of the local specialist restaurants are also worth a visit, such
as the Waffle
Museum near Lille, la Brasserie au Baron, a restaurant and brewery in
Gussignies and the Ferme de Cerfmont in Maroilles which makes local farmhouse
cheese. Do note, many of them may need you to contact them and let them
know you’re passing by!
www.realfrancerealclose.fr
