Cassoulet with breadcrumb crust
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Making the cassolle
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1300's knights
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Practising crossbow fire
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Fun jousting on homemade waterwheel boats
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One of my pleasures of travelling the globe healing, lecturing and teaching, is trying local foods. This week, tastes of France gave culinary delights that created mouthwatering memories.
The medieval Cassoulet Festival in Castelnaudary in South West France attracts 50,000 Cassoulet lovers. Streets line with restaurants, and huge awning-type tents, all serving Cassoulet.
The Great Cassoulet Recipe is not just a bean stew. No other French dish is associated with so much history, religion, and myth.
In 1355, the Black Prince, son of England's king, ransacked the South West of France. He forced men to join him, to fight the French king. The Black Prince took all the food the army could carry.
For those left behind, little food remained. So they gathered leftover food from their homes, popped it all in a rustic earthenware pot and cooked the first ever Cassoulet.
They celebrate their survival ever since with annual Cassoulet. . The pot is still made by local potteries from local earth of Issel, a village near Castelnaudary.
Residents of Castelnaudary, Carcassonne and Toulouse, all ransacked by the Black Prince, get themselves into a stew about Cassoulet's ingredients.
Castelnaudary's is mainly beans, pork and spices. Carcassonne's adds mutton and perhaps partridge. Toulouse's recipe includes Toulouse sausage, goose or duck confit. They also debate whether tomatoes or bread crumbs should create the crust.
Although the dish was started by destitute peasants, Cassoulet is now big business. Castelnaudary factories produce one million tins weekly. And top chefs of gourmet restaurants create special versions for the rich.
Alongside the Cassoulet restaurants is a medieval fair. Armoured knights battle with axes and swords. Jousting tournaments take place from river boats. Medieval craftsmen can be seen at work. And medieval games and cross bows are enjoyed by adults and children alike.
I often think that, if I had enough money, and nothing else to do to help relieve suffering, I'd love to travel the world visiting tasty local festivals such as this Cassoulet Festival.
The medieval Cassoulet Festival in Castelnaudary in South West France attracts 50,000 Cassoulet lovers. Streets line with restaurants, and huge awning-type tents, all serving Cassoulet.
The Great Cassoulet Recipe is not just a bean stew. No other French dish is associated with so much history, religion, and myth.
In 1355, the Black Prince, son of England's king, ransacked the South West of France. He forced men to join him, to fight the French king. The Black Prince took all the food the army could carry.
For those left behind, little food remained. So they gathered leftover food from their homes, popped it all in a rustic earthenware pot and cooked the first ever Cassoulet.
They celebrate their survival ever since with annual Cassoulet. . The pot is still made by local potteries from local earth of Issel, a village near Castelnaudary.
Residents of Castelnaudary, Carcassonne and Toulouse, all ransacked by the Black Prince, get themselves into a stew about Cassoulet's ingredients.
Castelnaudary's is mainly beans, pork and spices. Carcassonne's adds mutton and perhaps partridge. Toulouse's recipe includes Toulouse sausage, goose or duck confit. They also debate whether tomatoes or bread crumbs should create the crust.
Although the dish was started by destitute peasants, Cassoulet is now big business. Castelnaudary factories produce one million tins weekly. And top chefs of gourmet restaurants create special versions for the rich.
Alongside the Cassoulet restaurants is a medieval fair. Armoured knights battle with axes and swords. Jousting tournaments take place from river boats. Medieval craftsmen can be seen at work. And medieval games and cross bows are enjoyed by adults and children alike.
I often think that, if I had enough money, and nothing else to do to help relieve suffering, I'd love to travel the world visiting tasty local festivals such as this Cassoulet Festival.
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