The Transhumance of Languedoc
- In collaboration with www.paesaggiritrovati.it online newspaper of culture of the territory
The region of Languedoc, in the south of France, is maybe one the least known areas in the whole country and, at the same time, is one of the most varied when it comes to wine and food offerings. In fact, its climate is pacified by its particular geographic position, directly overlooking the Mediterranean, making it an ideal place for the production of wine and more.
In particular, the mountains in the interior part of the region, called Lozère, are surprising in culinary terms because of its popular traditions, especially during these times. In fact, it's in the spring that the region is consumed by one of the most important and oldest traditions of life of the highlands: the transhumance of the flocks-a huge shift from one pasture to another of thousands of specimens that come up from the plains to the mountains, then making the same journey back starting in October.
It's a veritable parade along the paths of Aubrac, Corbières and Albères, an ancestral walk with lots of blessings of the flocks towards the elevated pastures and the passage through Bonnecombe among the festive decorations and noisy cowbells. What was once a route done completely on foot, today, has become shorter because the sheep are carried by truck until about the last 10 miles of the trip, which are walked.
At noon on the dot, the curious and the pastors always meet for a traditional lunch. It is the time for "l’aligot", a typical dish made of potatoes, garlic and fresh toma cheese, a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. This apparently simple recipe does, however, require a certain amount of skill. The difficulty lies in being able to mix the purée in the necessary amount of time without "breaking" it so it maintains a solid form. Toma di Lozère, which is the basis of this traditional recipe, is famous beyond the confines of the region. Produced from only cow's milk, the cheese requires four to six months of maturation and as it ages naturally becomes more fragrant. Also, during its making cream is recovered from the cheese, which is then boiled to make "rebarbe", a cream served with boiled potatoes.
The festivities continue with people toasting and singing as well as discovering more local products-including the "lamb below the sea", fed exclusively on milk, forage and cereal-based food or Aubrac beef, fattened as is the tradition in winter, then eaten at the end of the season, either grilled, braised, boiled or cooked slowly in wine. The festivities conclude with typical regional desserts, especially "croquant di Mende", dry golden colored biscuits, made with flour, sugar, milk cream, vanilla, almonds and whole hazelnuts, which are normally, especially during this time, accompanied by a sweet wine, such as Muscat or Grenache.
Another dish is “Sac d’os.” Pork stomachs prepared by the butchers of Gévaudan during the entire year are filled with pieces of meat with bone fragments. Sold raw, they are salted and left for 48 hours, then cooked in a court-bouillon, a condensed broth prepared by flavoring salted water with celery, carrots and onions, which is then eaten warm or cold and accompanied by steamed potatoes.
In particular, the mountains in the interior part of the region, called Lozère, are surprising in culinary terms because of its popular traditions, especially during these times. In fact, it's in the spring that the region is consumed by one of the most important and oldest traditions of life of the highlands: the transhumance of the flocks-a huge shift from one pasture to another of thousands of specimens that come up from the plains to the mountains, then making the same journey back starting in October.
It's a veritable parade along the paths of Aubrac, Corbières and Albères, an ancestral walk with lots of blessings of the flocks towards the elevated pastures and the passage through Bonnecombe among the festive decorations and noisy cowbells. What was once a route done completely on foot, today, has become shorter because the sheep are carried by truck until about the last 10 miles of the trip, which are walked.
At noon on the dot, the curious and the pastors always meet for a traditional lunch. It is the time for "l’aligot", a typical dish made of potatoes, garlic and fresh toma cheese, a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. This apparently simple recipe does, however, require a certain amount of skill. The difficulty lies in being able to mix the purée in the necessary amount of time without "breaking" it so it maintains a solid form. Toma di Lozère, which is the basis of this traditional recipe, is famous beyond the confines of the region. Produced from only cow's milk, the cheese requires four to six months of maturation and as it ages naturally becomes more fragrant. Also, during its making cream is recovered from the cheese, which is then boiled to make "rebarbe", a cream served with boiled potatoes.
The festivities continue with people toasting and singing as well as discovering more local products-including the "lamb below the sea", fed exclusively on milk, forage and cereal-based food or Aubrac beef, fattened as is the tradition in winter, then eaten at the end of the season, either grilled, braised, boiled or cooked slowly in wine. The festivities conclude with typical regional desserts, especially "croquant di Mende", dry golden colored biscuits, made with flour, sugar, milk cream, vanilla, almonds and whole hazelnuts, which are normally, especially during this time, accompanied by a sweet wine, such as Muscat or Grenache.
Another dish is “Sac d’os.” Pork stomachs prepared by the butchers of Gévaudan during the entire year are filled with pieces of meat with bone fragments. Sold raw, they are salted and left for 48 hours, then cooked in a court-bouillon, a condensed broth prepared by flavoring salted water with celery, carrots and onions, which is then eaten warm or cold and accompanied by steamed potatoes.
