Blois, sweet or savoury? A culinary specialty for Blois

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Poularde 1550 with saffron and Verger blésois are now the dishes that officially represent Blois in culinary terms.

We’re all familiar with the galette bretonne and the salade niçoise, but which dish should Blois be associated with? The “Which dish for Blois?” competition selected two symbolic recipes, one savoury and one sweet, from among professionals and amateurs.

Every year, 120,000 people pass through the doors of the Blois-Chambord Tourist Office. They often start by asking about the town’s restaurants, before asking about its culinary specialties. While the team at the office has no problem answering the first question, given Blois’ many fine establishments, it has until now been at a loss when it comes to the second.

Aside from confectioneries such as Malices du Loup and Pavés de Blois, which were set up a few years ago by professionals, the town had no particular specialty. The reason is historical. “Popular dishes only appeared in the 19th century, at the time of industrialization, when regions sought to assert their identity,” explains Thierry Hervé, in charge of public relations for the town of Blois. Since Blois was clearly identified by its royal past and historic monuments, there was no need to come up with a typical dish. “

But times have changed. A tourist, cultural and, in particular, gastronomic city like Blois had to have its own speciality.

A town like Blois had to have its own speciality. If it didn’t exist, it had to be invented.

A culinary competition

The idea for the competition quickly took hold. A committee was set up in 2016, with representatives from the tourist office, the Château Royal and city departments, as well as the Lycée des métiers de l’hôtellerie et du tourisme, the Centre de formation des apprentis (CFA) interprofessionnel de Blois, as well as the Union des métiers et des industries de l’hôtellerie, the Fédération de la boulangerie-pâtisserie and the Chambre de métiers et de l’artisanat du Loir-et-Cher.

The group had the delicate task of drawing up a set of specifications to which contestants had to adhere when devising their recipes. It wasn’t easy,” confides Mayor Marc Gricourt. On the one hand, we wanted it to be a dish that could be made all year round, and on the other, we wanted it to incorporate our local produce, which is essentially seasonal.”

In the end, it was agreed that the savory dish should be made with poultry (a reference to Galimafrée, a Renaissance recipe served at the table of kings, and thus in Blois), spices and local appellation wine.

The dessert would be chocolate, in reference to the strong presence of chocolate makers in Blois in the 19th century, the most famous of whom was Victor-Auguste Poulain, and a seasonal fruit.

Two dishes from history and terroir

The verdict of the March 2017 final: two recipes steeped in history and terroir, which have the particularity of being reproducible by all, and adaptable to both uses and seasons. Blois is known for its rich historical and cultural heritage, but also for its cuisine, local products, and now these 2 dedicated dishes.

Poularde 1550 with saffron

On the savory side, the winner was Catherine Lloret’s poularde 1550 au safran, based on a Renaissance recipe called galimafrée. It features local poultry, an appellation white wine produced in the region and the extraordinary Sologne saffron, an ancient spice grown locally and regulated by ordinance on March 18, 1550.

The blésois orchard

On the sweet side, bravo to Olivier Dupont’s Verger blésois, made with Poulain chocolate (still produced in Blois since the 19th century), apples from Mont-près-Chambord and walnuts!

These dishes, which were featured at the Fête de la gastronomie in September 2017, can be found in selected partner restaurants in Blois.

You can also reproduce at home the recipes available for download on this page.

Bon appétit!

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