Francoise Annick Caro Reflects on Popular Breton Foods That Remind Her of Home
Francoise Annick Caro currently lives and Texas, but is from Brittany, France. While Texas has its own set of endearing qualities, occasionally Caro finds herself thinking of France and many of the things that come together to make it special. This includes the scenery, the people, and, of course, the food. Brittany has a wide variety of unique food items that emphasize the rich history of the region. Here, Francoise lists some of her favorite food items from Brittany that she often thinks about while homesick.
Breton Galletes
Crepes, the thin and delicate pancakes that originated in Brittany, have experienced a recent boom in popularity and can be found in many places across the world. Francoise Caro notes that the same cannot be said for galettes, a buckwheat crepe commonly served savory. There are several different ways that Breton galletes can be prepared, leaving room for several different interpretations throughout the regions of Brittany. For example, galletes can be thiner and crisp or thick and spongy depending upon where they are found. They can also be garnished with a variety of different fillings such as egg, fish, meat, cheese, vegetables, and fruits. Two popular variations include the galette complete, served with grated Emmental cheese, ham, and an egg, and the galette saucisse, a hot sausage wrapped in a galette.
Kig Ha Farz
Francoise Annick Caro recognizes that many of the foods she misses most from Brittany represent the rich history of the region. Kig ha farz, a dish that is comprised of simmered meats and a buckwheat flour pudding, is one such meal. Kig ha farz is traditionally a peasant dish that is associated with the ancient French region of Léon. Unlike some other common foods in Brittany, the specialty is not well-known by everyone in France, and it is unlikely that you will find it served in a restaurant highlighting some of the more elevated foods that France has to offer. Still, Francoise Caro notes that the dish makes up for its looks and humble origins with its delicious flavor. The dish includes food items that can be found outside of France, which is great for those that are homesick for Brittany. Francoise recognizes that it may be difficult to find the specialty sack (farz) needed to successfully create the dumplings, however.
Breton Langoustine- Francoise Annick Caro’s Favorite French Seafood
Brittany’s location makes it a prime area to catch (or eat) some of the best seafood in the world. Francoise Caro acknowledges that several ports in Brittany are well-known for langoustine catches including Lorient, Le Guilvinec, Lesconil and Loctudy. There are several ways to prepare langoustine, but Francoise Annick Caro believes that the simplest methods are often the best for fresh ingredients. Langoustine can be cooked in a large pan with boiling salted water, whereupon they can be removed as soon as they rise to the surface. Breton langoustine is commonly eaten with home-made mayonnaise made with whipped egg yolks.
Salted Butter
When Francoise Caro mentions salted butter from Brittany, France, she is not speaking of the butter that you can find in just about every grocery store in the US. Instead, she is referring to the traditional version that has large salt crystals within it originating from the region. Francoise Annick Caro reflects on the fact that salted butter is another item that is representative of Brittany’s rich history when it comes to food. In the middle ages, salt was expensive to the average citizen because it was heavily taxed across France. Brittany was where the salt came from, however, and this meant that citizens had access to plenty with no taxes on the product.
