A specialty of Gascony, foie gras is one of the world's great gastronomic delicacies. These fully cooked foies gras from Rougié, France's leading foie gras producer, have a wonderfully rich flavor and silky smooth texture, and contain the finest liver, seasonings, and port wine. For an extra-special treat, try the goose foie gras with truffles. Foie gras should be served chilled. Enjoy it on toasted bread with a glass of Sauternes, or on a baguette with a glass of California red. Duck foie gras has a stronger, richer taste, while goose foie gras has a more subtle and nuanced flavor.
Rougié · Bloc of duck foie gras · 200g (7 oz) ·
$38.50
· To order
Rougié · Bloc of goose foie gras · 145g (5.1 oz) ·
$34.00
· To order
Rougié · Bloc of goose foie gras with 3% truffles · 145g (5.1 oz) ·
$45.00
· To order
This light and tasty mousse--intermediate between pâté and foie gras--is made with goose foie gras. This generous-sized tin is perfect for parties. Like foie gras this mousse should be served chilled.
Rougié · Goose liver mousse · 320g (11.2 oz) ·
$22.00
· To order
Rougié · Goose liver mousse with 2% truffles · 320g (11.2 oz) ·
$26.00
· To order
Another specialty of Gascony, confit is a time-honored method of preserving meat by salting it and cooking it slowly in its own fat. The cooked meat is then packed into a crock or pot and covered with its cooking fat, which acts as a seal and preservative. The beauty of this duck confit from Rougié is that all the hard work is done for you. All you have to do is to heat it and enjoy! You can also use this tender confit to prepare a cassoulet, or roast it with cep mushrooms for confit à la basquaise, with fried potatoes for confit à la béarnaise, or with sorrel for confit à la périgourdine.
Rougié · Duck confit, 2 legs · 575g (20.3 oz) ·
$16.90
· To order
Rougié · Duck confit, 6/8 legs · 1915/1065g (68/38 oz) ·
$48.70
· To order
What bouillabaisse is to Marseille, cassoulet is to the Southwest of France: the subject of endless and spirited debate. Everyone agrees about the foundation, white beans cooked with fat, garlic, and herbs; this base gives the beloved dish its smooth texture and rich, creamy flavor. But the meats used to garnish the dish vary by region. In Toulouse, preserved goose or duck (confit d'oie ou de canard), mutton, and Toulouse sausage are essential ingredients; in Castelnaudary, pork and goose are the meats of choice; and in Carcassonne, mutton and partridge are de rigeur. Whatever the ingredients (these and other variations work equally well, to our mind), a homemade cassoulet is a labor of love, and many hours (Julia Child recommends two to three days!). If you are pressed for time, you will be pleased to discover this ready-made version from Elevages de Périgord. Produced in Canada (the French don't have the right to export pork to the U.S. these days), this cassoulet contains two pieces of duck confit and two sausages per jar. Just warm it in the oven or stovetop and enjoy.
Elevages Périgord · Cassoulet · 850g (30 oz) ·
$30.00
· To order
This tasty pâté is made with pork, duck, and green peppercorns. Serve chilled on toast with cornichons or pickled onions. (Because of current restrictions on pork imports from France, this pâté is made by Rougié in Canada.)
You will find as many different pâtés as there are regions of France, each reflecting the cuisine and ingredients of the area. Pâté from Chartres is made with partridge, pâté from Pithiviers with lark, pâté from Pézénas with mutton, pâté from Corsica with blackbirds, and pâté from Dieppe with sole.
Rougié · Countryside pâté · 80g (2.8 oz) ·
$3.90
· To order
Made with 20 percent duck foie gras, the terrine also contains pork, duck meat, and duck liver, flavored with port wine. Serve chilled on toast with cornichons or pickled onions. (Because of current restrictions on pork imports from France, this terrine is made by Rougié in Canada.)
Rougié · Périgord terrine · 80g (2.8 oz) ·
$5.90
· To order
This pâté contains pork, pork liver, duck foie gras, duck meat and duck fat. It is produced in Canada (the French don't have the right to export pork to the U.S. these days). Serve chilled.
Elevages Périgord · Périgord pâté · 88g (3.1 oz) ·
$5.90
· To order
Rillettes are made by gently cooking delicately seasoned meat until tender, then pounding into a smooth paste. Rillettes are most often made from pork, rabbit, duck, or goose meat, but you will also find rillettes made from tuna, salmon, sardines or mackerel. The goose rillettes from Rougie contain goose meat, goose fat, water, salt, garlic and shallot pulp, and pepper, and are made in France. The duck rillettes from Elevages Périgord are made with duck, duck fat, and, strangely enough, duck foie gras. It's a bizarre combination, but it works. The Elevages Périgord rillettes are produced in Canada, and for some reason the manufacturer calls the product "pâté of duck (cured rillettes)". The duck rillettes from Rougié are also made in Canada. They are the least fatty-tasting of the three rillettes and they also have less of the characteristic shredded texture. Serve chilled.
Rougié · Goose rillettes · 180g (6.3 oz) ·
$9.40
· To order
Elevages Périgord · Duck rillettes · 88g (3.1 oz) ·
$6.90
· To order
Rougié · Périgord duck rillettes · 80g (2.8 oz) ·
$5.00
· To order
Black winter truffles (tuber melanosporum) are the most aromatic and thus the most prized of the 70 varieties of truffles. Impossible to cultivate, this subterranean fungus grows near the roots of certain trees (primarily the oak but also chestnut, hazelnut, and beech trees); they are found by truffle seekers (truffiers) working with dogs (or sometimes pigs) trained to sniff them out. These "first boiled" "extra" black winter truffles come from Plantin, which supplies fresh truffles to the finest French restaurants in New York (Alain Ducasse, Daniel, etc.). Each jar contains 2-3 small truffles.
Next time you're in Paris, be sure to stroll by La Maison de Truffes on the Place de la Madeleine: the smell is intoxicating, even from the sidewalk. You can also visit the Ecomusée de la Truffe in Sorges (Dordogne), which features exhibits in French and English and a unique walk through truffle territory.
Plantin · Black winter truffles, first boil · 25g (0.9 oz) ·
$57.00
· To order
Of the 116 edible species of snails, Helix pomatia are considered the best, and the ones harvested in Burgundy are the most popular among gourmets. These already cooked snails are quite easy to prepare: just bake them in a beurre d'escargot, also called beurre à la bourguignonne (butter, shallots, parsley, and garlic). These snails are extra large (18 snails per 125g can).
During the Christmas season, Parisians alone consume an estimated 20 tons of snails.
Escal · Burgundy snails, extra large, 1 1/2 dozen · 125g (4.4 oz) ·
$7.30
· To order
Escal · Burgundy snails, extra large, 3 dozen · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$11.40
· To order
A dreamy puree of salt cod, olive oil, and milk (or cream), brandade has its historical roots in Languedoc, and is especially associated with Nîmes. Most likely, the 16th and 17th century Basque fishermen who returned from the northern seas with boatfuls of salt cod exchanged some of their load for fresh salt from Languedocian salt beds, and Nîmes, a flourishing city since Roman times, was the center of this trade. You can make your own brandade, by soaking salt cod overnight, changing the water three times; poaching the de-salted fish for eight minutes; then gently stirring (brandade comes from the Provençal word brandar to stir) the fish alternately with heated olive oil and milk to achieve a smooth paste, taking care not to destroy the fibers of the cod, which give brandade its characteristic consistency. Or you can use this ready-made brandade from Casabel (salt cod 32%, vegetable oil, and milk). Serve it on toast or with potatoes; garlic and truffles are sometimes added, depending on the region.
Casabel · Salt cod brandade · 190g (6.7 oz) ·
$7.80
· To order
Although a Danish product, smoked cod liver, or foie de morue fumé, is very popular in France and can be found in every grocery store. Also known as the foie gras of the poor, cod liver is usually served on bread or toast.
Officer · Smoked cod liver · 121g (4.26 oz) ·
$2.80
· To order
Most closely associated with Brittany, fresh, warm crêpes can also be found on many a street corner and at many a crêperie throughout France. If you have a yen for your own crêpes, try this easy-to-use mix from Francine. The mix contains no sugar, so is suitable both for savory main-course and for sweet dessert crêpes. Directions for use: Pour the contents of the sachet into a mixing bowl. Add 50cl (2 cups) of milk and stir with a whisk. Add a tablespoon of oil or 25g (1 ounce) of melted butter and stir again. Pour a scoop of the mix into a lightly oiled, preheated skillet. When the first side is nicely golden, turn using a flick of the wrist, or if you must, a spatula. Let brown, then add your filling.
Know someone who's been persuaded to completely change his mind? The French would say he had been "retourné comme une crêpe", literally, "flipped around, like a pancake."
Francine · Crêpes mix · 380g (13.4 oz) ·
$8.70
· To order
The Tanche olive is unique to southern part of the Drôme, and "Nyons" is the name given to the Tanche olives grown in and around the charming town of Nyons. Distinguished by their large pits, sweet meaty flavor, and lack of bitterness, Nyons olives are special enough to have earned their own AOC, or Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (the French system for designating and controlling the geography and quality of wines and other products). The skin of Nyons olives is finely wrinkled, because they are harvested in December, after the ripe olives have begun to shrivel a bit with the cold. You can eat them straight from the jar or use them to make a tapenade, an olive purée, or a variety of hot dishes, like Patricia Wells's pintade de la Drôme aux olives de Nyons (Bistro Cooking, p. 183).
Nyonsolive · Black Nyons olives AOC · 230g (8.1 oz) ·
$8.30
· To order
The olive has been a mainstay of Provençal cuisine for centuries, used in dishes ranging from pissaladière to salade niçoise and even to flavor pastries and cakes. Perhaps the most famous of French olives, the picholine is medium-green with a shiny skin and firm flesh. Cultivated in the South of France, principally in Gard, these crispy olives have a "green" taste with a hint of pistachios. The green picholine olives with fennel are prepared in the traditional Provençal manner by marinating the olives in brine flavored with fennel seeds until they are fully infused with this delicate flavor. They are especially good with an apéritif.
Brunel · Green Picholine olives · 200g (7 oz) ·
$4.90
· To order
Brunel · Green Picholine olives with fennel · 200g (7 oz) ·
$5.00
· To order
These firm-fleshed black olives are hard to find. Unlike other black olives, these are picked while still green and ripened after harvest. Far less salty and bitter than other olives, these are crispy and have a full-bodied, fruity taste.
Brunel · Black Picholine olives · 200g (7 oz) ·
$4.70
· To order
From the Hérault region in the south, this exlusively French olive is distinguished by its light nutty taste, meaty flesh, crescent shape, and bright green color.
Brunel · Lucques olives · 200g (7 oz) ·
$5.40
· To order
Nyons olives (97 percent!) are the base of this luscious tapenade, which also contains capers and herbes de Provence. This tapenade contains no anchovies, so it's suitable for pure vegetarians.
"Tapeno" is the Provençal word for caper, hence tapenade, that heady mixture of capers, olives, and often anchovies.
Nyonsolive · Black tapenade with Nyons olives AOC · 90g (3.2 oz) ·
$10.00
· To order
This flavorful tapenade is made with black olives (97 percent), capers, and herbes de Provence. Containing no anchovies, this tapenade is good for vegetarians.
Nyonsolive · Black tapenade · 90g (3.2 oz) ·
$5.80
· To order
For a very different taste, try this tapenade made with green Provençal olives, capers, anchovies, and herbes de provence. The green olives give this tapenade a lighter and fresher taste than black tapenade.
Casabel · Green tapenade · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$5.00
· To order
Think of this traditional Provençal spread as an inversion of tapenade. Here the anchovies are the dominant flavor, nicely complemented by Nyons olives, capers, and herbes de Provence. Spread it atop bread, or use as a dip with raw vegetables.
10% OFF
Nyonsolive · Anchoiade with Nyons olives AOC · 90g (3.2 oz) ·
Exp 11/27/08 ·
$9.40
$8.46
· To order
These cornichons, pickled fresh in vinegar and spices in the traditional French way, make a perfect accompaniment for pâtés or cold meats.
Brunel · Cornichons · 190g (6.7 oz) ·
$4.80
· To order
This white bean was originally cultivated by the Aztecs in Mexico. Introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus, it has been cultivated for centuries in Tarbes, at the foot of the Pyrénées, where it's said that the combination of the pebbly soil and the mild climate produces a bean unlike any other in the world; indeed haricots tarbais have earned the prestigious label rouge (red label). With their thin easy-to-digest skin and sweet non-farinaceous flesh, haricots tarbais are an essential ingredient of the classic dishes of the region, garbure and cassoulet.
Coopérative Pyrénéenne · Tarbais beans, dry · 500g (17.6 oz) ·
$18.60
· To order
"The best lentils in the world," according to Patricia Wells, these lentils are grown in the red volcanic soil of the Velay and are known for their unusual coloring--dark green marbled with blue--and fine taste. Use them to prepare a salade de lentilles chaude or a hearty lentil soup.
Sabarot · Le Puy lentils · 500g (17.6 oz) ·
$7.60
· To order
First produced by chance by Gabriel Chevrier in 1872 (whence the name flageolets Chevrier or Chevrier Vert), these small pale green beans are grown in the Arpajon region, in Brittany, and in central France and are harvested in August and September before they have matured. Their delicate taste makes them an excellent accompaniment for lamb dishes.
Sabarot · Flageolets verts · 500g (17.6 oz) ·
$6.10
· To order
These dainty pea-sized white beans may be used in stews or cassoulets; they are also superb with lamb, sausages, gésiers, or duck confit.
Sabarot · Haricots Cocos · 500g (17.6 oz) ·
$3.90
· To order
According to Larousse Gastronomique, the French first discovered couscous, a hard wheat semolina, in the reign of Charles X during the conquest of Algeria. Today, couscous is a mainstay in France's ubiquitous Algerian, Moroccan, and Tunisian restaurants. You can use this precooked couscous as the foundation for your own couscous dish; garnish with stewed meat, vegetables, or chickpeas, and season it with harissa.
Croix de Savoie · Couscous · 500g (17.6 oz) ·
$3.80
· To order
What better way to enjoy your pâté, mousse, or tapenades than with these light and crispy mini-toasts?
Albatros · Mini toasts · 75g (2.65 oz) ·
$2.65
· To order
Chauds les marrons, chauds! A sure sign of winter's approach, this street vendor's cry invites you to warm up with a cone of roasted chestnuts. Popping open a jar is not quite as romantic, but at least you won't burn your fingertips. You can eat these whole roasted, peeled chestnuts straight from the jar, or you can use them to prepare soups, side dishes (try sauteeing them with with fennel and onions), or desserts like chocolate chestnut cake. They will also make a fine addition to your Thanksgiving stuffing.
Americans lost some of habit of eating chestnuts when a virus killed almost all American chestnut trees in the 1930s. The French never lost the taste. In addition to the famous roasted chestnuts that you can find on any Parisian street corner at Christmas-time, the French use chestnuts in a wide variety of sweetened and unsweetened dishes including Ardèches salad (chestnuts, potatoes, and pork over greens) and Corsican brilloli (chestnut polenta). For brisolée, a traditional harvest meal of the Valais, roasted chestnuts are served with cheese, dried meat, and autumn fruits.
Ardèche Marrons · Whole roasted chestnuts, jar · 420g (14.8 oz) ·
$9.30
· To order
All you have to do to realize the full flavor of these dried morilles (morels), cèpes (ceps or porcini), chanterelles, or mixed forest mushrooms is to soak them in warm water for 15 minutes. Then cook them with your favorite meat dish or use them in an omelette. They are excellent in a fricasse de champignons or in a feuilletage. The dried mixed forest mushrooms is made of the best selection of cèpes, pleurotes, and oreilles de Judas (black fungus).
Plantin · Dried morels · 50g (1.8 oz) ·
$37.00
· To order
Plantin · Dried ceps · 50g (1.8 oz) ·
$6.60
· To order
Plantin · Dried chanterelles · 50g (1.8 oz) ·
$6.60
· To order
Plantin · Dried mixed forest mushrooms · 50g (1.8 oz) ·
$4.50
· To order
This ultra-smooth olive oil is made from the Nyons olive, the name given to the Tanche olives grown in and around the town of Nyons, in the Drôme. Golden-green in color, this oil is easily recognized by its aroma of granny smith apples and nuts. It is a wonderfully soft oil, with no trace of bitterness. Olive oil from Nyons was, in 1994, the very first olive oil in France to be awarded the coveted AOC, or Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (the French system for designating and controlling the geography and quality of wines and other products). This oil is extra virgin, made from the first cold pressing. For optimal preservation, keep in a cool, dark cupboard away from the sunlight, both before and after opening.
Nyonsolive · Nyons extra virgin olive oil AOC · 25cl (8.45 fl oz) ·
$14.40
· To order
This extremely popular oil is mild and elegant, with a pleasantly fresh taste. You'll discover hints of artichoke, almonds, green vegetables, and freshly cut hay. It is made from four olives: the Salonenque, Béruguette (the local name for the Aglandau), Grossane, and, from the Bouches-du-Rhône area, Verdale. The Vallée des Baux extends from the south side of the Alpilles range to the Crau plane and encompasses the villages of Aureille, Fontvielle, Mouriès, Maussane, les Baux, and le Paradou. This oil was awarded, in 1997, an AOC, or Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (the French system for designating and controlling the geography and quality of wines and other products). It is an extra virgin oil, made from the first cold pressing. For optimal preservation, keep in a cool, dark cupboard away from the sunlight, both before and after opening.
Moulin St Michel · Vallée des Baux extra virgin olive oil AOC · 25cl (8.45 fl oz) ·
$16.70
· To order
This subtle yet ardent olive oil abounds with flavor, of raw artichoke, apple, almond, and freshly cut grass. Aglandau (50 percent) and Salonenque (35 percent) olives are dominant, complemented by a variety of other olives (Picholine, Bouteillan, Grossane, etc.). In recognition of its uniqueness, this oil was awarded an AOC, or Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (the French system for designating and controlling the geography and quality of wines and other products). It is a extra virgin oil, made from the first cold pressing. For optimal preservation, keep in a cool, dark cupboard away from the sunlight, both before and after opening.
Moulin de la Fare les Oliviers · Aix-en-Provence extra virgin olive oil AOC · 25cl (8.45 fl oz) ·
$17.60
· To order
Whether rendered straight from the duck or from this jar, duck fat is an indispensable ingredient for making the rich dishes of Southwest France, like cassoulet. And there's simply nothing in the world better on a cold damp winter night than potatoes cooked in duck fat. You can also use to give a special flavor to almost any dish. Duck fat is actually the healthiest of animal fats because it has far less saturated fats than butter or bacon fat and far more of the health-promoting mono- and polyunsaturated fats. (This duck fat replaces Rougié's popular goose fat, which the company is no longer exporting to the US.)
Rougié · Duck fat, glass jar · 320g (11.3 oz) ·
$7.00
· To order
An unusual and versatile alternative to vinegar, verjuice--or verjus--is the golden juice of unripened green grapes. Delicate, sweet-tart, and clear, verjuice was very popular in the Middle Ages until it was eclipsed by the lemon, which was brought back to France from the Crusades. Because it shares the same acid base as wine, verjuice will not distort the essence of wine, the way a vinegar-based dressing may. Like lemon juice, verjuice heightens the flavors of soups and sauces, makes an excellent marinade, and may be used for cooking or deglazing. It's soft and flavorful enough to use all by itself as a salad dressing. In summer, mixed with water or straight, it makes a refreshing and unusual beverage with much less sugar than other fruit juices. Refrigerate after opening.
Domaine du Siorac · Verjus · 33cl (11.2 fl oz) ·
$8.30
· To order
Domaine du Siorac · Verjus · 75cl (25.4 fl oz) ·
$14.50
· To order
Peek in an Alsatian cupboard, and you're more likely to find Melfor than any other vinegar. Created in 1922, Melfor is made from a closely guarded family recipe of alcohol vinegar, honey, and an infusion of plants and herbs. Melfor gently seasons vinaigrettes and marinades. With an acidity of 3.8 percent, Melfor is not acid enough to be called a vinegar according to French regulations, which require vinegar to have an acidity of 5 to 8 percent. Indeed, between 1933 and 1991, the sale of Melfor was banned everywhere but Alsace and Moselle, as a result of effective lobbying by a competing Dijonnaise vinaigrier.
Fernand Higy · Melfor Alsatian vinegar· 50cl (16.9 fl oz) ·
$3.55
· To order
Banyuls is one of France's famous vins doux, sweet wines drunk in apéritif or as a dessert wine. It is made principally from the grenache grapes that grow in and around Banyuls-sur-mer, where the Pyrenées descend into the Mediterranean. The vinegar that is made from this wine is aged for six years in oak casks and retains all the wine's qualities, with hints of nuts, licorice, coffee, orange peel, and vanilla. It mixes well with nut oils. Its natural sweetness also makes it an intriguing choice for deglazing such rich dishes as sautéed duck or foie gras.
Cave de l'Abbé Rous · Banyuls wine vinegar · 50 cl (16.9 fl oz) ·
$19.70
· To order
Once you try this amazingly smooth and tasty whole-grained mustard from Meaux, you may never go back to Dijon! Mustard from Meaux has been served at the tables of French kings since 1632 and made by the Pommery family according to a closely guarded secret recipe since 1760. The famous 18th century gastronome Brillat-Savarin said "If it isn't Meaux, it isn't mustard."
Pommery · Mustard from Meaux, plastic cap · 500g (17.6 oz) ·
$18.80
· To order
It's hard to find a green peppercorn mustard in which the taste of the peppercorns does not compete with the taste of the mustard. This green peppercorn mustard will delight peppercorn lovers because the taste of the Madagascar-grown green peppercorns shines through. And for those who like their mustard hot, the firemen's mustard, made with hot peppers, packs a wallop.
Pommery · Mustard with green peppercorns · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$13.50
· To order
Pommery · Firemen's mustard · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$16.10
· To order
You won't find a French kitchen without a jar of moutarde Amora fine et forte within arm's reach. If you want to make a vinaigrette the way the French do, this is the mustard for you!
Amora · Mustard · 150g (5.3 oz) ·
$4.30
· To order
There's something magical about mayonnaise. Egg yolk, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, and oil: with the right touch and a bit of luck, these simple ingredients are transformed into a sublimely silky sauce to accompany eggs, fish, vegetables, or cold meat. If the force is not with you, however, or if you're simply not in the mood to make your own, you won't be disappointed by this mayonnaise from Amora, which gets its kick from Dijon mustard. It's the classic choice for a pique-nique. Ingredients: sunflower oil, egg yolk, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, sugar, modified starch, dextrine, paprika extract, lutein, and flavoring.
So common is the experience of a failed mayonnaise that the French have an expression, "La mayonnaise n'a pas pris" (the mayonnaise didn't take) to describe business relationships or partnerships that didn't work out.
Amora · Mayonnaise, tube · 150g (5.3 oz) ·
$3.90
· To order
Dating back to 1899, Savora is a condiment made with 11 spices and herbs, including mustard seeds, cinnamon, Cayenne pepper, nutmeg, curcumin, cloves, celery, garlic, tarragon, malt vinegar, and thousand-flower honey. Use it to accompany cold meats, fish, and vegetables.
Amora · Savora condiment · 150g (5.3 oz) ·
$7.70
· To order
These sea salts come from the salt marshes of either South Brittany (Guérande) or the Méditerranée (Camargue). They are harvested in the traditional manner and contain no additives. Rich in minerals and lower in sodium than regular salt, they are a gourmet's delight. Try them on fresh tomatoes for a taste experience that's truly out of this world!
So when exactly is salt season? It begins in early summer, when sea water is channeled into a series of shallow fields or ponds lined with clay. As the summer sun and wind cause the water to evaporate, a layer of salt appears, which the salt-marsh farmers, or paludiers, gather in August and September with a wooden rake or lousse.
Le Paludier · Fleur de sel de Guérande · 125g (4.4 oz) ·
$8.10
· To order
Le Saunier · Fleur de sel de Camargue · 125g (4.4 oz) ·
$8.10
· To order
This light grey sea salt is moist, unrefined, unprocessed, and full of sea minerals. It makes a perfect table salt.
Le Paludier · Grey sea salt de Guérande · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$5.00
· To order
With their bright blue or red cannister and trademark whale, La Baleine fine and coarse sea salts are a familiar sight in French kitchens. They have been made in Aigues Mortes since 1856. Both are now available only uniodized.
La Baleine · Fine sea salt · 750g (26.5 oz) ·
$4.60
· To order
La Baleine · Coarse sea salt · 750g (26.5 oz) ·
$4.60
· To order
All salt is sea salt, at least originally. But today 2/3 of the world's salt production comes from salt mined from deposits left when the oceans receded, 245 to 200 million years BC (it's hard to figure why, with salt this old, the container has an expiration date of one year). "Land" salt is extracted in one of two ways: it is mined as rock, or a salt lode is dissolved with water below earth; the water is then brought above ground to evaporate, leaving the dried salt behind. The brand Cérébos traces its roots to 1892 when a French chemical engineer decided to mix calcium phosphate with salt and invented dry-pouring salt. The name derives from Ceres, the Roman goddess of the harvest, and os, the French word for "bone," which the phosphates in salt are supposed to strengthen.
Cérébos · Fine salt iodized · 500g (17.6 oz) ·
$2.10
· To order
No two mixtures of herbes de Provence are alike, but they all contain some combination of the aromatic herbs that perfume the Provençal countryside and are an essential component of Provençal cooking. This particular mix contains finely ground thyme, rosemary, savory, and marjoram. Sprinkle it on grilled foods or use it to season tomato sauces, omelettes, stewed meats, soups, and marinades.
Carte des Saveurs · Provence herbs · 25g (0.88 oz) ·
$8.80
· To order
If you visit Espelette, in the heart of Basque country, in August, you can see strings of these wonderful red peppers as they hang out to dry. Known locally as ezpeletako biperra, they're terrific because they are intense but not too hot. Espelette pepper is an essential ingredient in any dish à la basquaise, but you can use it in mayonnaise, vinaigrette, and many other dishes as well.
Accoceberry · Espelette pepper, powder · 45g (1.6 oz) ·
$13.00
· To order
This colorful mix of black, green, white, and pink peppercorns and allspice is ideal for adding a delicate fruitiness and hint of spiciness to any dish. Try it with white meats, fish, foie gras, omelettes, and fresh goat cheeses.
Carte des Saveurs · Mixed peppecorns · 60g (2.12 oz) ·
$12.20
· To order
The Szechuan peppercorn (poivre de Sichuan) is harvested from a thorny ash tree (Zanthoxylum piperitum) native to Szechuan province in Central China. Also called "fagara," the tree belongs to a botanical family that is distinct from true pepper (Piper nigrum). It produces bright red berries that gradually turn brown (October-November) and split in two to free tiny black seeds. These berries, deliciously perfumed, are used dried and ground. Their complex flavor is reinforced by pan roasting. The pepper's delicate notes of camphor, anis, and citron result in a freshness that complements meat poultry dishes, foie gras, pork or beef as well as fish. It also goes well with certain desserts (crème anglaise, tarte au chocolat, etc.).
The rare Cubebe peppercorn (poivre à queue (Cubebe)) has an aroma reminiscent of camphor and citrus, and on the palate yields citron and menthol flavors suggestive of eucalyptus. Its heated and slightly bitter note are ideal for meat and vegetable dishes.
Both of these peppercorns are produced by the Marseilles-based La Carte des Saveurs, which offers an extensive range of 100% natural spices in pretty tinplate containers. For 26 centuries the port of Marseilles has been at the heart of trade in rare and exotic spices.
Carte des Saveurs · Szechuan peppercorns (Fagara) · 30g (1.06 oz) ·
$11.00
· To order
20% OFF
Carte des Saveurs · Cubebe peppercorns · 60g (2.12 oz) ·
Exp 10/31/08 ·
$12.20
$9.76
· To order
Green peppercorns are a key ingredient of many French dishes like pavé au poivre vert, many pâtés, and mustards. Use these green peppercorns from Madagascar to make your own sauce au poivre vert.
Moulin · Green peppercorns in brine · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$4.50
· To order
You can't have a bouillabaisse without rouille, the flavorful spread that gets its name from the French word for rust and its fiery flavor and color from red chiles and saffron. This mix allows you to prepare a rouille exactly to your own liking. Made with paprika, garlic, mustard, tomato, chili, salt, and other herbs and spices including 3% saffron, this powder can be added to a ready-made or home-made mayonnaise and used to top the croutons or bread in your bouillabaisse. But don't stop there: you can use the spice mix to flavor any number of fish, poultry, or vegetable dishes.
Carte des Saveurs · Rouille spices · 50g (1.76 oz) ·
$12.40
· To order
Originally from Tunisia, this hot sauce made with vegetables and chiles seasoned with coriander, caraway, and garlic, is now produced in France, to meet the demand first among the French repatriated from Algeria and later among the many immigrants from northern Africa who have settled there. Unlike other hot sauces, harissa, due to the particular balance of flavors, must be mixed with a moist dish, typically couscous, for the full effect.
Déa · Harissa, tube · 150g (5.3 oz) ·
$2.60
· To order
Unchanged since its creation in 1880, Epices Rabelais is a delicate blend of finely ground herbs and spices. It may be used to season meat and poultry dishes as well as pâtés, rillettes, and ready-made dishes.
Provence Epices · Epices Rabelais · 50g (1.76 oz) ·
$3.50
· To order
Sweet cake flavored with ginger is a treat that dates back to Roman times and is thought to have been introduced into Europe following the Crusades. In the years since, France, Italy, Germany, and Belgium all developed their own twists on the recipe. In France pain d'épice (literally, spice bread) need not contain ginger (although it often does), and it is sweetened with honey. Rye flour formed the basis of the version popularized in Reims in the 16th century; in Burgundy, the basis was wheat flour. Nowadays, it is often made with a mix of the two. Bien sur, the mix, which contains cinnamon, anis, cardamom, clove, nutmeg, and ginger root, can also be used for other cakes and cookies, pancakes, or even an all-American pumpkin pie. The combination can also be used to flavor savory dishes.
Carte des Saveurs · Gingerbread spices · 50g (1.76 oz) ·
$11.20
· To order
Chocolate mousse, crêpes, gâteau Breton, madeleines, the celebrated bugnes lyonnaises and the Provençal Christmas cake, pompe à l'huile...recipes for these French classics often call for eau de fleur d'oranger, or orange flower water, made by macerating and distilling the flowers of Seville oranges. Rose water, a staple ingredient of Middle Eastern pastries, is less common in French recipes, although it is used in sorbets and fruit compotes. Both the orange flower water and rose water are made near Grasse, the capital of French perfumes and scents.
Monteux · Orange flower water · 9cl (3 fl oz) ·
$2.15
· To order
Monteux · Rose water · 9cl (3 fl oz) ·
$2.10
· To order
Ready to bake a gâteau? Then grab one of the famous pink packs of Alsa baking powder, known in France as levure chimique or levure alsacienne. Unlike most American brands, Alsa is single-acting, which means that it creates the gas needed for leavening as soon as it is mixed with liquid ingredients. In other words, pop that cake batter into the oven ASAP or else it may go flat. The double-acting powders that are common in the U.S. release gas in two stages: first when mixed with liquid ingredients and then when heated. You may be wondering what all this has to do with Alsace. The brand was founded in 1897 by Emile Moench, born in Alsace four years after the region had been ceded to Germany following the war of 1870-1871. Moench worked first as an aide cuisinier for the wagons-lit and then went to Vienna to perfect his craft. It was there, working for a baker, that he first came to know of baking powder, then still under development (baking powder was invented by the German August Oetker in 1891). He took the knowledge with him back to France, where he opened a small fine food shop and sold flans and cakes made with the product. Eventually he opened a factory in Nancy to produce the baking powder commercially. The pink packets have always featured a woman in Alsatian head dress; a stork, symbol of Alsace, also appears at times. Each pack contains 11 sachets; each sachet contains about 1 tablespoon of baking powder.
Alsa · Baking powder, pack of 7 sachets · 7x11g (7x0.39 oz) ·
$4.00
· To order
See Chocolate for pure cocoa (Voisin).
This delectable jam, also known as chestnut spread, goes by various names in French: confiture de marrons, confiture de chataignes, and crème de marrons. Practically unknown in the United States, it is a favorite in France. Made like any jam by cooking fruit with sugar and in this case vanilla, it is excellent on toast. And because of its thick and smooth texture, it also goes well with ice cream, yogurt, or fromage blanc. Some use it in place of chestnut purée to make a Mont Blanc. Of course, you may also find yourself eating it straight from the jar!
Once widespread in France, chestnut trees, or châtaigniers, are now becoming scarce as land has been given over to more profitable crops like grapes. Today the number of regions producing chestnuts has dwindled--Ardèche, Corsica, and Limousin are the principal producers of chestnuts today.
Bonne Maman · Chesnut jam · 370g (13 oz) ·
$5.00
· To order
Whether you start your day with a croissant or with toast, whether you sweeten fromage blanc or yogurt, you will enjoy any one of these "extra" jams from La Mère Poulard, each of which is made with 60g of fruit per 100g and pure cane sugar.
La Mère Poulard · Orange jam · 220g (7.8 oz) ·
$3.70
· To order
La Mère Poulard · Apricot jam · 220g (7.8 oz) ·
$4.80
· To order
La Mère Poulard · Strawberry jam · 220g (7.8 oz) ·
$4.80
· To order
La Mère Poulard · Cherry jam · 220g (7.8 oz) ·
$4.40
· To order
La Mère Poulard · Blueberry jam · 220g (7.8 oz) ·
$5.10
· To order
A gold-medal winner at the 2002 SIAL in Paris, this spread makes it possible to enjoy the taste of calissons atop your morning toast. You can also try this spread as filling for crêpes or cakes.
Confiserie du Roy René · Crème de calissons · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$14.40
· To order
This honey comes from Bonnieux, a small town in the Luberon, a region of Provence. Harvested in the traditional method by a several-generation-old family business, this honey is 100 percent natural, pure, and unadulterated. The light-colored lavender honey is naturally creamy but not liquid, aromatic, and full of flavor (not to mention rich in iron!). The chestnut tree honey is dark amber with deep floral and nutty tones. The rosemary honey is fragrant and pale cream in color; herbaceous notes cut its sweetness.
Le Mas des Abeilles · Lavender honey · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$12.20
· To order
Le Mas des Abeilles · Chestnut tree honey · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$9.00
· To order
Le Mas des Abeilles · Rosemary honey · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$10.30
· To order
See Bonbons Candies & Gums for lavender honey drops.
You may not be able to stop once you've tasted one of these melt-in-your mouth galettes, or cookies. Made with pure butter (24 percent) according to a traditional Breton recipe, they are delicious with coffee or tea. Galettes are often compared to shortbread in taste, but in texture they're thinner and crisper. La Mère Poulard galettes are practically synonymous with Mont St. Michel and are a favorite of French children and adults alike, both for their taste and for their colorful tin! (Tin contains six sealed freshness packs, with six cookies in each pack; box contains two packs, with six cookies in each.)
La Mère Poulard · Galettes, decorative tin · 300g (10.6 oz) ·
$9.80
· To order
La Mère Poulard · Galettes, box · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$2.15
· To order
Like galettes, palets are a specialty of Brittany. The difference? Palets are thicker, delightfully crumbly rather than crisp and contain even more of Brittany's famed butter (26 percent) so you can imagine their popularity. They resemble nothing more than a miniature gâteau breton. (Box contains two sealed freshness packs, with four palets in each pack.)
La Mère Poulard · Palets, box · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$2.30
· To order
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The funny name, Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef, probably derives from Chevesché, the ancient name of a nearby promontory.
St Michel · Galettes · 130g (4.6 oz) ·
$3.10
· To order
St Michel · Original big galette 1905 · 150g (5.3 oz) ·
$4.60
· To order
These "seashell cakes so strictly pleated outside and so sensual inside" so famously described by Proust are made with wheat flour, sugar, butter (21 percent), and eggs (21 percent). The association between these golden teacakes and the town of Commercy dates back at least until 1755 when a young serving girl so impressed the Polish king Stanislas Leszcynski (who happened to have a château at Commercy) with her baking skills that he named the desert after her. Comment s'appelait-elle? You guessed it: Madeleine. The package contains 12 individually wrapped madeleines.
St Michel · Madeleines de Commercy, sachet, 12 individually wrapped · 300g (10.6 oz) ·
$8.50
· Available mid July.
These pure-butter cookies are made in Commercy. Half chocolate half plain (nature), they're thick enough to dunk in a hot chocolate or tea.
St Michel · Savaroises chocolat · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$6.90
· To order
Gingerbread has been a French staple at least since the time of the Crusades, when returning soldiers brought back the recipe, said to have originated in China, then passed to the Middle East. Unlike British gingerbread, French pain d'épice (literally spice bread), rarely contains ginger; it may be flavored with cinammon, anis, orange flower water, or other spices, depending on the recipe. It is typically sweetened with honey. For many years the gingerbread makers of Reims held the monopoly on the product. Their pain d'épice was made with rye flour. WWI decimated industry around Reims, and Dijon became the capital of gingerbread; Dijonnaise bakers use wheat flour. Gingerbread in available in many fanciful forms, as well as the traditional loaf. The N1 gingerbread is made with rye flour. It is delicious toasted.
N1 · Gingerbread · 470g (16.6 oz) ·
$3.80
· To order
Each of these delicate vanilla-cream-filled wafers is inscribed with an amusing phrase, in French of course. An artisanal product, the gaufrettes are made with a recipe that dates back to 1894.
66% OFF
Blond · Gaufrettes Amusantes · 210g (7.4 oz) ·
Exp 07/02/08 ·
$4.30
$1.46
· To order
Nothing could be simpler, or tastier, than this classic treat, in which a layer of chocolate is sandwiched between two cookies. It's not hard to see why Choco BN gradually replaced the traditional pain et chocolat ("bread and chocolate") as the snack of choice among French schoolchildren for their quatre heure ("4 o'clock snack"), taken at the afternoon break in their long school day. Truth to tell, they are a favorite among adults as well. (These new larger boxes now contain 16 chocos)
So what does BN stand for? Biscuiterie Nantaise. Indeed, Nantes has been a capital of the French cookie industry, ever since cookie-making became the mainstay of the city's economy in the 19th century.
Biscuiterie Nantaise · Choco BN · 300g (10.6 oz) ·
$5.50
· Available in the Fall.
Created in 1963 by Belin (now merged with Lu), pépitos are a shortbread biscuit topped with either dark chocolate or milk chocolate. Each box contains two sealed freshness packs with 10 biscuits each.
Lu · Pépito, dark chocolate · 200g (7 oz) ·
$4.20
· Available in the Fall.
Lu · Pépito, milk chocolate · 200g (7 oz) ·
$4.20
· Available in the Fall.
Biscuit Lu was first established in Nantes in 1846. Among the many dozens of popular cookies that the company has produced, the raspberry-filled Pailles d'Or (literally "golden straws") are a perennial favorite.
Lu · Paille d'Or · 85g (3 oz) ·
$3.90
· Available mid July.
The palmito is Lu's take on the classic palmier, made from a sheet of puff pastry folded in on itself from each side, then sliced to produce the pretty furled design. The layers are brushed with sugar, which caramelizes in the baking, giving the pastry a wonderful golden hue. Said to resemble a palm tree (palmier in French), the pastry also goes by the names of elephant ear and butterfly. The Lu cookie is crispier and smaller than the version you would find in a patisserie. It's excellent with tea and not too sweet.
Lu · Palmito · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$2.90
· To order
The cat won't have your tongue once you try these delightfully crispy thin oval cookies, traditionally served with tea and with chilled desserts like ice cream, sorbet, or chocolate mousse.
The French expression donner sa langue au chat (to give one's tongue to the cat) means to give up guessing, for example, in a game of 20 questions. A Provençal expression, Ai manjat lango de cat (I ate the cat's tongue) signifies I couldn't hold my tongue.Lu · Langue de Chat · 200g (7 oz) · $7.05 · To order
Originally a specialty of Quimper, in Brittany, these delicate marvels of crispiness were once made by rolling baked crêpes around a knife blade to form a many-layered rectangle. They come two per foil-wrapped packet, 12 packets per box.
Gavottes · Crêpes dentelles · 125g (4.4 oz) ·
$5.60
· To order
In Mikado, the game of pick-up sticks, you can use the black stick (the Mikado) to help extricate other sticks. Of course, you won't need any help extricating these chocolate-dipped sticks from their package!
Lu · Mikado, dark chocolate, pocket size · 30g (1.1 oz) ·
$1.50
· Available in the Fall.
Lu · Mikado, milk chocolate, pocket size · 30g (1.1 oz) ·
$1.50
· Available in the Fall.
This special treat combines the rich sweetness of chocolate and the tart sweetness of candied orange peels.
Voisin · Candied orange peel in chocolate · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$26.70
· Available in the Fall.
Miam miam (yum yum) say the French about these treats, their answer to the candy bar. They are made of dark chocolate (noir) or milk chocolate (lait) praliné covered with either dark or milk chocolate.
Suchard · Rocher Noir · 37g (1.3 oz) ·
$1.62
· Available in the Fall.
Suchard · Rocher Noir, box of 24 · 888g (31.3 oz) ·
$34.00
· Available in the Fall.
Suchard · Rocher Lait · 37g (1.3 oz) ·
$1.62
· Available in the Fall.
Suchard · Rocher Lait, box of 36 · 1332g (47 oz) ·
$50.00
· Available in the Fall.
Try one of these fine chocolate bars made with pure cocoa butter: dark chocolate (60% cocoa), bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa), or bittersweet chocolate (60% cocoa) with candied orange peel or moka. Voisin's latest invention: the unusual (and wonderful) combination of milk chocolate and candied lemon peel.
Voisin · Dark chocolate bar 60% · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$2.85
· Available in the Fall.
Voisin · Bittersweet chocolate bar 70% · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$3.20
· Available in the Fall.
Voisin · Bittersweet chocolate bar w/ candied orange peel · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$3.50
· Available in the Fall.
Voisin · Bittersweet chocolate bar with moka · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$3.50
· Available in the Fall.
Voisin · Milk chocolate bar · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$3.00
· Available in the Fall.
Voisin · Milk chocolate bar with candied lemon peel · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$3.70
· Available in the Fall.
Voisin · White chocolate bar · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$3.50
· Available in the Fall.
Papillotes are sweets that come in a shiny fringed wrapper and contain a little paper bearing a famous quotation, riddle, or cartoon. Originating in Lyons, they have become a Christmas tradition throughout southeastern France. This bag of papillotes from Voisin includes mixed chocolates (ganache, pralinés, chocolate with candied orange, and chocolate with marzipan) (80 percent) and pâtes de fruit (20 percent). Indulge your sweet tooth while practicing your French!
Legend has it that a young candy-maker's apprentice in Lyons sent his sweetheart love notes wrapped around his master's candies. His master found out, and the message-wrapped papillotes have been a tradition ever since!
Voisin · Papillotes · 200g (7 oz) ·
$9.90
· Available in the Fall.
Use this exceptional quality pure cocoa for your fine baking needs.
Voisin · Pure cocoa powder · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$5.70
· To order
See Beverages for hot chocolate mixes.
In Provence, "les 13 desserts de Noel" is one of the most treasured Christmas traditions. Every village--in fact, every household--has its own version of the 13 desserts, which are eaten together at the end of the Christmas meal. This festive three-tiered box from the famous calisson-maker Le Roy René presents the tradition at its best. First there are raisins, hazelnuts, almonds, and figs--collectively known as les quatre mendiants (the four beggars) because their colors are those of the mendicant orders: raisins for the Dominicans, dried figs for the Franciscans, nuts for the Augustines, and almonds for the Carmelites. Next there is white nougat and dark nougat (symbolizing good and evil), calissons, candied orange peels, crystallized clementines, dates, candied quince, almond paste. Finally, there is a special flat cake called pompe a l'huile, made of leavened dough and olive oil and flavored with anise and orange-flower water. The cake is traditionally served broken by hand, and not cut, to ensure successful future harvests. This festive box makes an excellent gift, and is sure to enliven your holiday meal.
Confiserie du Roy René · 13 desserts · 530g (18.7 oz) ·
$36.00
· Available in the Fall.
Candied chestnuts are without question a labor of love. The chestnuts are first sorted to eliminate those that are not perfectly round or smooth. They are then boiled, peeled by hand, and sorted once again. Finally, the chestnuts are cooked for two days in a rich vanilla syrup until the flavor seeps into the very heart of the chestnut. This elegant wooden box ontains 12 individually wrapped chestnuts in a vacuum pack.
Ardèche Marrons · Candied chestnuts, wooden box, 12 pieces · 240g (8.5 oz) ·
$43.00
· To order
You've finished your meal, you've finished your coffee. Now there's absolutely nothing in the world that tastes better than these cherries in Kirsch.
Les Parisiennes · Cherries (semi-confit) in Kirsch · 575g (18.5 oz) ·
$20.00
· To order
Les Parisiennes · Cherries (semi-confit) in Kirsch, mini jar · 32g (1.1 oz) ·
$2.30
· To order
Originally a specialty of the Auvergne, pâtes de fruits are now made throughout the whole South of France. The fruits are chosen with enormous care, and cooked with just the right amount of sugar so that the flavor of the fruit is enhanced, not hidden. The package contains four orchard-fresh flavors: plum, blackcurrant, apricot and raspberry.
In the Middle Ages, pâtes de fruit, known as épices de chambre, were very popular, especially the ones made with plums and apricots.
Voisin · Pâtes de fruits · 200g (7 oz) ·
$17.20
· To order
These fruits confits (glazed candied fruits) are a treat for the eye as well as the tongue. Beautifully preserved, they are the product of a painstaking process in which the natural liquid in the fruit is gradually replaced by a sugar syrup while conserving the full flavor of the fruit. To produce a fruit confit, the fruit is placed in successive 24-hour baths in a sugar-syrup; during this period the concentration of sugar is gradually increased. The number of baths varies depending on the fruit. Five or six days' worth of baths are required for cherries, while several months are needed for clementines. One bite of these fruits will show you why they were a favorite of the popes of Avignon. They are made in the Provençal city of Apt, the capital of fruits confits, which is surrounded by the fruit orchards of the Luberon. The assorted fruits include apricots, clementines, prunes, and pears.
66% OFF
Ciprial · Glazed assorted fruits · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
Exp 07/31/08 ·
$13.80
$4.69
· To order
What distinguishes these prunes from their California counterparts is their rich flavor and tender texture. California prunes are dried longer and at a higher temperature so they are harder, with a caramelized taste. Agen prunes are dried just enough to make them keep, leaving them moist and full of flavor. The plum tree was brought to southwest France from China several centuries BC, and dried plums, or prunes, have been a staple of the region ever since. In the 13th century, Benedictine monks in Clairac, near Agen, succeeded in crossing the local plums with Syrian plums to produce the Ente plum (the name Ente comes from the old French verb enter, to graft. With climate shifts, the cultivation of the plum moved gradually westward; today the plum is cultivated in the vallies of the Lot and Garonne, Gascony, Dordogne, and Quercy. In the 18th century, the prunes were known as Bordeaux prunes, because they were exported from that city; heavy Bordeaux taxes caused the center of export to move to Agen, a port city and later a railway hub, and today they are known worldwide as Agen prunes. They are an essential part of the rich cuisine of the Southwest, where they're used in appetizers (with foie gras, in terrines, or stuffed with Roquefort and hazelnuts), in main dishes, with rabbit (lapin aux pruneaux), duck, pork, or beef (daube aux pruneaux), and in desserts (prune clafoutis).
Maître Prunille · Pruneaux d'Agen, pitted · 500g (17.6 oz) ·
$9.00
· To order
Maître Prunille · Pruneaux d'Agen, with pits · 500g (17.6 oz) ·
$9.00
· To order
With an outside made of almond paste rolled in sugar and an inside of chocolate ganache lightly flavored with curacao, these exquisite candies are sure to please. A specialty of Lyons, coussins are a reminder of the city's once bustling silk industry: each candy is shaped like a miniature silk cushion. Voisin, a chocolatier-confiseur in Lyons since 1897, invented the coussin and is the exclusive manufacturer.
Lyons' silks are still prized by leading fashion designers throughout the world. Visitors to Lyons can still see the "ateliers de canuts," the workshops where the silk workers once plied their trade, on the Croix Rousse, the steep hill to the north of Lyons.
Voisin · Coussins, ballotin · 350g (12.4 oz) ·
$25.60
· To order
These diamond-shaped candies from Aix en Provence have been a favorite for centuries. Manufactured according to time-honored tradition by Confiserie du Roy René, these calissons contain nothing but the highest-quality almonds and crystallized melon and orange peel ground together, spread atop a rice-paper base, and covered with a white royal icing. The diamond-shaped boxes, in the distinctive form of the calisson d'Aix, make a perfect gift. The 260g box contains 20 calissons.
Whether calissons were indeed invented by a lovestruck cook on the occasion of the wedding of Jeanne de Laval to King René of Anjou in 1473 is a matter of endless speculation.
Confiserie du Roy René · Calissons, diamond-shaped box · 260g (9.2 oz) ·
$21.00
· Available mid July.
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Nougats, like calissons, are one of 13 traditional Christmas desserts.
50% OFF
Confiserie du Roy René · White nougat, bar · 200g (7 oz) ·
Exp 07/19/08 ·
$11.40
$5.70
· To order
Chabert & Guillot · White nougat, bar · 30g (1.06 oz) ·
$1.10
· To order
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A 13th century Verdun apothecary is credited with the idea of coating his pills in sugar. They proved so popular that a grocer did the same with almonds. Louis XIV decreed that dragées be distributed to school children every New Year's Day. Today the French offer dragées to family and friends on special occasions: weddings, baptisms, and the like.
Braquier · Dragées Avola Marquise assorted, tin · 65g (2.3 oz) ·
$7.20
· To order
Braquier · Dragées Avola Princesse assorted, blue tin · 400g (14.1 oz) ·
$28.00
· To order
Braquier · Dragées Avola Princesse assorted, box · 1kg (35.3 oz) ·
$45.00
· To order
Braquier · Dragées Avola Princesse white, box · 1kg (35.3 oz) ·
$45.00
· Available in the Fall.
Credit for this treat--whole almonds coated in caramelized sugar--goes to the cook for the Marechal Duc de Plessis-Praslin back in the days of Louis XIII. One day, or so the story goes, he discovered children roasting sugar-dipped almonds over an open fire. He perfected the recipe, named the candy praslines after his master, and made a fortune manufacturing the bonbon--whose name evolved to pralines--at the Maison de Praslin in Montargis, which you can visit to this day. The spelling isn't the only thing that has changed; in New Orleans pralines are made with a handful of pecans in place of the single almond. These pralines come from Braquier, in Verdun.
Braquier · Pralines, sachet · 125g (4.4 oz) ·
$5.80
· Available Date Unknown.
No, it's not a camembert! These caramels from Isigny sur Mer in Normandy come wrapped in a wooden camembert box, and get their special flavor from the local salted butter that is added to the traditional ingredients like whole milk and cream to produce these exquisite candies. Each box contains 22 caramels. For those buying the loose caramels, there are approximately 65 caramels per pound.
Normandie Caramels · Caramels au beurre salé, camembert box · 150g (5.3 oz) ·
$9.90
· To order
Normandie Caramels · Caramel au beurre salé, unit · 7g (0.25 oz) ·
$0.27
· To order
Normandie Caramels · Caramels au beurre salé, bulk · 453g (1 lb) ·
$13.20
· To order
These luscious candies have a liquid lavender honey center with a hard sugar coating. It's the neatest way of taking your honey with you wherever you go!
Le Mas des Abeilles · Lavender honey drops · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$10.00
· To order
These hard candies have the refreshing taste of honey and pinesap.
La Vosgienne · Suc des Vosges · 60g (2.1 oz) ·
$2.30
· To order
These mints have been made in Vichy since 1828, when a local pharmacist figured out how to extract the minerals from the town's famous thermal waters. He mixed the extract with sugar and natural mint flavors, and produced the tablet. A favorite of the Empress Eugénie, the octogonal pastilles were immensely popular in the nineteenth century, not only for their reputed ability to cure heartburn but for their fresh minty flavor. The vogue for thermal waters has passed, but the candies remain, a testament of their tastiness.
In the mid-nineteenth century, some doctors advised their patients that eating eight pastilles de Vichy a day would have the same benefit as a visit to the thermal waters themselves.
Vichy · Pastilles de Vichy, roll · 25g (0.88 oz) ·
$1.10
· To order
Vichy · Pastilles de Vichy, sachet · 125g (4.4 oz) ·
$3.10
· To order
These tiny licorice-based candies are still made in Toulouse, where they were invented by the pharmacist Leon Lajaunie in 1890. Don't let their size fool you: these candies are extraordinarily strong, a result of the mint extract which is added to the licorice, and are a powerful breath-freshener. The trademark small yellow tin was invented by a clock-maker friend of Lajaunie, who designed it to fit in a watch-pocket.
The story of Cachou Lajaunie is a story of advertising as well as of confectionary. In 1902 the famous poster artist Cappiello produced the first of many classic advertising posters for Cachou Lajaunie. These posters typically featured a seductive (often cigarette-smoking) woman. Eighty-three years later, in 1985, a Cachou Lajaunie television ad, once again featuring a voluptuous woman, was found so risqué that broadcasters refused to air it.
Lajaunie · Cachou Lajaunie · 7g (0.25 oz) ·
$2.35
· To order
Lajaunie · Cachou Lajaunie, pack of 30 tins · 210g (7.4 oz) ·
$62.00
· To order
Who cares if they really can stop a cough (toux, in French)? These hard black candies are another favorite among licorice-lovers.
La Pie Qui Chante · Stoptou licorice · 165g (5.8 oz) ·
$4.20
· To order
This candy, consisting of a grain of aniseed coated in sugar, is perhaps the oldest in France, mentioned in a document as early as 872. In the 17th century, when the candy was manufactured by Ursuline sisters, six months were needed to add and dry the successive coats of sugar. Today, the factory is still situated at the heart of the ancient abbey, but the process is completed in only 15 days.
Abbaye de Flavigny · Anis pastilles, oval tin · 50g (1.8 oz) ·
$2.70
· To order
Abbaye de Flavigny · Anis pastilles, box · 232g (8.2 oz) ·
$7.10
· Available Date Unknown.
These small candies are made of pure licorice extract, sweetened with sugar and flavored with ginger, mint, and violet.
Confiserie du Midi · Grains de Provence, réglisse · 20g (0.7 oz) ·
$0.85
· To order
Among France's many licorice-based candies, Zan is a standout. This hard square tablet was first manufactured in 1855 in Uzès, not far from the Camargue where licorice plants abounded (it is the root that is carefully dried and used in candies, tisanes, and beverages). This licorice candy is quite strong and is available in two flavors: anis and mint. Also available is a pocket-sized dispenser of Zan pellets, Zanoid, which are much less strong than the tablets.
"Maman, z'en veux! Donne moi z'en!" This childish pronunication ("Mommy, I want some! Gimme some!"), overheard by candy-maker Paul Aubrespy in a Parisian restaurant, inspired the name "Zan."
Haribo · Zan, anis-flavored licorice · 12g (0.4 oz) ·
$1.23
· To order
Haribo · Zan, mint-flavored licorice · 12g (0.4 oz) ·
$0.49
· To order
Haribo · Zanoid, pocket-sized dispenser · 20g (0.7 oz) ·
$1.60
· To order
Dating back to 1936, this chewy (but not too chewy) candy has a dark chocolate (64% cacao) outside and a soft caramel center.
La Pie Qui Chante · Michoko · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$3.70
· To order
This little bear has been around for more than four decades, and even has his own cartoon show on TV in France. Each milk-chocolate-covered marshmallow bear comes individually wrapped.
Cémoi · Ourson Bouquet d'Or marshmallow chocolate · 13g (0.45 oz) ·
$0.55
· Available in the Fall.
Cémoi · Ourson Bouquet d'Or marshmallow chocolate , box of 80 · 1016g (35.8 oz) ·
$37.00
· Available in the Fall.
Favorites among kids (of all ages!), Batna is a chewy licorice-flavored candy.
Krema · Batna · 150g (5.3 oz) ·
$3.50
· To order
Pierrot Gourmand lollipops were once a fixture in every boulangerie, where they beckoned children from their display in a porcelain bust of the clown Pierrot.
Invented in 1924, the flat, spear-shaped lollipops now come in four fruit flavors (cherry, raspberry, lemon, and orange) and the classic milk caramel.
Pierrot Gourmand · Lollipop (flat), caramel · 14g (0.5 oz) ·
$0.38
· To order
Pierrot Gourmand · Lollipops (flat), caramel, box of 125 · 1750g (61.7 oz) ·
$41.00
· Available mid July.
Pierrot Gourmand · Lollipop (flat), fruit · 14g (0.5 oz) ·
$0.38
· To order
Pierrot Gourmand · Lollipops (flat), fruit, box of 125 · 1750g (61.7 oz) ·
$41.00
· To order
Always popular, Carambar is a chewy baton-shaped candy, in caramel or in assorted fruit flavors.
La Pie Qui Chante · Carambar caramel · 8g (0.3 oz) ·
$0.27
· Available mid July.
La Pie Qui Chante · Carambar caramel, box of 200 · 1750g (61.7 oz) ·
$40.00
· Available mid July.
La Pie Qui Chante · Carambar Caranougat · 8g (0.3 oz) ·
$0.27
· To order
La Pie Qui Chante · Carambar Caranougat, box of 200 · 1750g (61.7 oz) ·
$40.00
· To order
La Pie Qui Chante · Carambar barbe à papa (cotton candy) · 8g (0.3 oz) ·
$0.27
· To order
La Pie Qui Chante · Carambar barbe à papa (cotton candy), box of 200 · 1750g (61.7 oz) ·
$40.00
· To order
Le chewing gum arrived in France in 1917 with American GIs, who carried it in their war packs, but didn't catch on until the American soldiers returned during WWII, and distributed it by the handful as they liberated French towns. The Hollywood brand was created in 1952 in France by an American soldier who returned after the war. Through its name and advertising that celebrated the "American way of life," Hollywood successfully capitalized on American glamour and is still #1 in France. Today, France is second only to the U.S. in per capita chewing gum consumption. Malabar was created in 1958, and bubble-blowers claim that it produces the largest bubbles. Each piece of Malabar comes wrapped with a vignette or cartoon; the early ones are much sought after by collectors.
Malabar · Bubble gum, mint · 7g (0.25 oz) ·
$0.26
· To order
Malabar · Bubble gum, barbe à papa · 7g (0.25 oz) ·
$0.26
· To order
Hollywood · Chewing gum, chlorophyll, 11-stick pack · 31g (1.1 oz) ·
$1.50
· To order
For a refreshing thirst-quencher, mix a few drops of this extract based on licorice and other plants (the exact ingredients are still a closely guarded secret).
One bottle is enough to flavor 85 liters of water, hence the well-known advertising slogan La meilleure façon de boire de l'eau (the best way to drink water). It's an instant pick-me-up; what's even better, it's sugar free and contains no artifical sweeteners, deriving its sweetness naturally from the licorice. One glass contains less than one calorie. You can mix it with water (hot or cold), sparkling water, tea, coffee, or milk. Some even use it as a culinary aid, to accentuate the fennel taste in certain Mediterranean dishes, or to flavor yogurts, ice creams, or sorbets without adding sugar. Available in two flavors: anis and mint.
In 1898 a young pharmacist, Noel Perrot-Berton, was challenged by a railroad executive to invent a drink--without alcohol--that would quench the thirst of the stokers who toiled in the heat. The result: antésite, which gets its name from the Latin ante (against) situm (thirst). A bit of trivia: on the French stage, it's often antésite that gives water the color of "whisky."
Antésite · Antésite anis · 13cl (4.4 fl oz) ·
$7.60
· To order
Antésite · Antésite mint · 13cl (4.4 fl oz) ·
$7.60
· To order
Those who have visited Provence can attest that there's nothing so relaxing as sitting around a hot Midi afternoon under Platane trees with a glass of this anis-flavored drink and watching a leisurely game of pétanque. Mix this alcohol-free pastis with water, just as you would the regular pastis, for a refreshing drink, especially in summer time. (Note that this brand of alcohol-free pastis is flavored only with anis, not with anis and licorice as are some other brands; as a result, it is milder and somewhat less sweet.)
The word "pastis" means "confused" or "mixed" in local Provençal dialect, and perfectly describes the cloudy appearance of water once mixed with pastis.
Ricard · Pacific anis drink (Pastis without alcohol) · 100cl (33.8 fl oz) ·
$16.00
· To order
Fruit syrups have always been a part of the French way of drinking, whether mixed with water, Perrier, lemonade, milk, pastis, or even beer. Hence the cries in a French cafe for un lait fraise (milk with strawberry syrup), un Perrier menthe (Perrier with mint syrup), une tomate (pastis and grenadine syrup), une mauresque (pastis and orgeat syrup), un diabolo fraise (lemonade and strawberry syrup), or un tango (beer with grenadine syrup). Try one of these combinations or stick with the most popular mixer--plain water--for a flavorful thirst quencher (1 part syrup to 7 times water). The orgeat syrup is flavored with almonds today, but it was originally made with barley (orge in French), hence its name.
Grenade is the French word for pomegranate, and originally grenadine syrup was made from pomegranate juice and sugar. Today, grenadine is the name loosely applied to syrups made from a mixture of other dark-red fruits. The Teisseire grenadine syrup gets its flavor from the concentrated juices of five fruits: raspberry, elderberry, red currant, blackcurrant, and lemon.
Teisseire · Grenadine syrup · 600ml (20.3 fl oz) ·
$7.10
· To order
Teisseire · Lemon syrup · 600ml (20.3 fl oz) ·
$7.10
· To order
Teisseire · Orange syrup · 600ml (20.3 fl oz) ·
$7.10
· To order
Teisseire · Mint syrup · 600ml (20.3 fl oz) ·
$7.10
· To order
Teisseire · Blackcurrant syrup · 600ml (20.3 fl oz) ·
$8.30
· To order
Teisseire · Lime syrup · 600ml (20.3 fl oz) ·
$8.30
· To order
Teisseire · Peach syrup · 600ml (20.3 fl oz) ·
$8.30
· To order
Teisseire · Raspberry syrup · 600ml (20.3 fl oz) ·
$8.30
· To order
Teisseire · Strawberry syrup · 600ml (20.3 fl oz) ·
$8.30
· To order
Teisseire · Tropical (passion fruit) syrup · 600ml (20.3 fl oz) ·
$8.30
· To order
Teisseire · Anis syrup · 750ml (25.4 fl oz) ·
$11.70
· Available mid July.
Teisseire · Orgeat syrup · 750ml (25.4 fl oz) ·
$11.70
· Available mid July.
Quench your thirst like the French with the refreshing lemon-flavored Gini.
Gini · Gini Lemon, can · 33cl (11.2 fl oz) ·
$2.30
· To order
The number one mineral water in restaurants in France (where you will sometimes see people mixing it with wine), Badoit has a light refreshing sparkle and is good for digestion. This all natural water has its source in Saint Galmier near Saint Etienne.
Badoit · Badoit water, plastic bottle · 50cl (16.9 fl oz) ·
$2.90
· To order
St Yorre bubbles up from the depths of the Auvergne, in the Massif Central, outside the town of Vichy. Naturally carbonated, it is the most mineral-y of French bottled waters. Rich in bicarbonates, it is reputed to aid in digestion.
Vichy · Vichy St Yorre · 1.25l (42.3 fl oz) ·
$5.30
· To order
Carte Noire is a great French classic, with its famous advertising slogan, "Un café nommé désir" ("a coffee named desire"). Known for the perfection of its aroma, it is made from carefully roasted Arabica beans, and is a full, well-balanced coffee that is not at all bitter. It is already ground.
Carte Noire · Coffee · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$8.30
· To order
Sixty percent chicory and forty percent coffee, this instant drink promises to "make you a morning person" (devenir du matin).
Nestlé · Ricoré · 100g (3.5 oz) ·
$7.80
· To order
If you've warmed up over a hot chocolate at the local brasserie on a wintry French day, this hot chocolate mix will bring back fond memories. The chocolate flavor is strong and true. Depending on your philosophy, you can add the powder to the milk once hot or mix the powder with cold milk and heat the two together while stirring. For a creamier result, you can whip the mixture once hot or steam it using the attachment on an espresso machine. If you want to throw all caution to the winds, use half and half and white chocolate to sweeten the mix; we guarantee a hot chocolate you'll never forget. You can also use the powder as the base for a chocolate fondue.
Voisin · Hot chocolate · 250g (8.8 oz) ·
$4.90
· To order
This popular children's breakfast drink combines sugar, chocolate, three grains (wheat flour, barley flour, and malted wheat flour), banana, and honey. Its history is a case study in marketing. In 1909, while traveling in Nicaragua, banker and journalist turned adventurer Pierre Lardet discovered a drink based on banana flour, crushed grains, cocoa, and sugar. Upon his return to France, he recreated this miracle drink with the help of a pharmacist friend. He began selling the product in 1912, emphasizing its supposed health benefits, and trademarked the recipe in 1914. The first tins featured the image of a smiling Antillaise. In 1915, a new image appeared, that of a Senegalese sharpshooter, a figure much on the minds of the French as tens of thousands of Senegalese fought in the trenches of WWI. His red and blue uniform provided a striking contrast to the yellow background, the yellow evoking the still-exotic banana. Never one to miss a PR opportunity, Lardet shipped 14 wagons of Banania to the troops on the front lines to give them "force et vigeur." Company legend has it that the trademark slogan "y'a bon," pidgin French for "it's good," came about when an injured Senegalese infantryman, hired to work in the Banania factory, pronounced his opinion on the drink. During WWII the factory, being in occupied France, was closed; it reopened near Clermont Ferrand, using a modified recipe because of wartime shortages. And the marketing went on, rife with dark wartime humor: "DCA: Défense contre l'anémie" (defense against anemia, playing on the acronym for defense contre avions, antiaircraft guns); "Après l'alerte, c'est le réconfort" (after the bomb alert, the comfort), "Tous les matins, je réquisitionne mon Banania" (every morning I requisition my Banania). In the years since WWII, the company has been sold and resold, and the advertising character became more and more stylized, until 1987, when the slogan was retired and the image replaced by more abstract drawings, first of a smiling sun, then of small boy. In 1999, probably thinking to capitalize on nostalgia, the company resurrected a stylized reprensentation of the Senegalese that had first appeared in 1959; in 2003 new owner Nutrial brought back the "y 'a bon" slogan. The strategy backfired. A group of Antillese, Guyanese, and Reunionese took the company to court, arguing that the image and slogan were racist and insulting. A compromise was reached in 2006 whereby the image was kept and the slogan dropped.
Banania · Chocolate breakfast mix · 400g (14.1 oz) ·
$7.70
· To order
See Chocolates for pure cocoa powder.
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