The unmissable specialties and local products of the Landes

The Landes are located between Gascony , Gers and the mouth of the Gironde . Its agricultural lands on the banks of the Adour , its breeding in Chalosse , its vineyards in Armagna c and its Atlantic coast make it a " land of plenty ", with renowned gastronomy . You will find many local and seafood products there . We take you for a gastronomic getaway , to taste Landes specialties .

Discover the products of the market

The market is the heart of a city or a village, a place of meeting, sharing, life! Strolling through the markets allows you to soak up the atmosphere of a country, meet producers, taste good products and find recipes and tips. Today the markets are reinventing themselves to adapt to all your desires: gourmet, night market, producers, or traditional ... To find the market that suits you, here is our page on the markets of the Landes . Now that you have the dates and addresses, we suggest you take a tour of the products that you will find on site:

• Canard Fermier des Landes : We immediately think of foie gras. But in the duck, everything is good. The liver, gizzards, other offal, candied thighs and sleeves, fillet, duck breast, but also gratons (the skin, fat and pieces of meat which are scraped to make a pâté), the carcass which gives an exceptional fatty broth. If you are fond of foie gras, here is our list of producers
• Farm poultry : The land is rich and nourishing in the Landes. However, it is not just fatty poultry either. Chicken, capon, fowl, guinea fowl, quail, ... for those from farms. But you will also find birds from hunting, such as wood pigeons, which are traditionally eaten in salmis ... You can also find good products directly on the farms, here .
  

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• Beef from Chalosse : Whether it is Blonde d'Aquitaine, Limousine or Bazadaise, the beef produced on the lands of Chalosse is renowned. Its juicy, tender and delicately marbled meat benefits from a " Protected indication of origin " and a red label. An association defends this traditional breeding of Chalosse beef, here is their file with their contact details .
• Oysters and shellfish from the Landes coast: The ocean offers many products to taste. Hossegor and Cape Breton are renowned for their well-stocked seafood platters.
• Salmon from the Adour : This is a wild salmon that is fished in the Adour and in the gaves of Pau and Oloron . It is an exceptional product that deserves special care. To meet one of the last traditional smokers and learn about smoking techniques, go to Peyrehorade, at Maison Barthouil, which welcomes you in its shop and museum .
  
  
• Sand asparagus : In “ Protected Geographical Indication ” in the Landes, it grows on its dunes of sandy soil. It is a white and delicate asparagus, with a slight nutty taste.
• Kiwi de l'Adour : It is recognized as a “ Protected Geographical Indication ” and benefits from the “ Label Rouge ”. Its high sugar level gives it a very significant sweet flavor.
• Sweet pepper from Seignanx : Its production area is very close to the Basque Country. It is also called " Piment d'Anglet ". It is a green chili, which is very sweet. It can therefore be eaten raw or cooked.
• Soustons peanuts : It's rather original in the Landes! But when you think about it if its sandy soil is suitable for growing asparagus and carrots, then why not peanuts… For the moment, only one producer has embarked on the adventure and offers you this atypical product.

Aperitif, digestif and wines from the Landes ...

To taste these good products of the Landes terroir, it is necessary to accompany it with good drinks… Aperitifs, wines, beers or liqueurs , the Landes do not lack drinks, to be consumed in moderation of course!

• Landes beer: A craft beer, local, organic, do you like it? Have a look to find craft beers from Landes
  
• Floc de Gascogne : Appreciated above all as an aperitif or as a starter, with melon, it is the result of a clever blend of a young Armagnac and grape must . As its name indicates so well in Occitan, this " Floc " is really a bouquet of flowers, with a delicate fragrance.
• Vin de Tursan : It is the only wine from the Landes to have a “ Protected Designation of Origin ” and a “ Controlled Designation of Origin ”. In red, these are tannic wines, close to Madiran, which go well with game. In rosé, it has a very characteristic flint note.
  

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• Vin de Pays des Landes : In “ Protected Geographical Indication ”, it comes from Bas-Armagnac . It is a simple wine. Rather appreciated in white, it is light and fruity.
• Chalosse wine : From the Chalosse hillsides , you will find it in white, rosé and red. In this case, it perfectly complements another product from Chalosse, its beef!
• Vin des Sables de l'Océan : This ancient vineyard is located on the dunes of the Landes. In white, its marine notes go well with seafood platters and fish. However, it is famous in its three colors.
• Blanche d'Armagnac : It's a brandy. It is part of the manufacturing stages of Armagnac. It is a freshly distilled alcohol which has not yet aged. It retains fruity and floral notes.
• Armagnac : It is a must in the Landes. It is famous and prized around the world. Armagnac is much more than a digestif. It is a tradition which gives rise to local festivals, the “ Fête de la Flamme ”. It is a land with ancestral know-how. It is also and above all a passion for the distillers, the winegrowers and cellar masters who take care of it for many years.

>>>>> If you want to know more, see our article on Landes wine.

And if you prefer to discover the products from this vineyard and know our good addresses of producers, it is rather here .

Traditional Landes recipes

All of these good products would be nothing without good recipes. They are part of the Landes cultural heritage . They are passed on from generation to generation and are today revisited by big names in the kitchen. Whether you are a good cook or let the professionals do it, here are the essential traditional dishes of the Landes:

• Venison specialties: The Landes are renowned hunting grounds. You will taste many game , such as red deer, roe deer, wild boar, hare, but also quail and wood pigeon. The wild boar stew is one of its typical dishes. If you are not tempted by big game and these strong flavors, do not miss to taste the wood pigeon salmis ...
• Like all duck breeding regions, confits are a staple of local cuisine. The Landes cassoulet is a good winter dish, gourmet and generous.
• Garbure : Long-simmered vegetables that accompany a duck or pork, this is a very invigorating dish, on a rainy or cold day.
• Pastis landais : Here is a delicious and soft cake, with the delicate scent of orange blossom and sublimated by a little touch of pastis!
  

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• Landaise croustade or tourtière: This is a traditional apple pie. The difference between the croustade and the tourtière, which is a variation of it, is a matter of the dough. If the croustade is made with a puff pastry with butter, the tourtière is made with a stretched dough, nicknamed " bridal veil ", in reference to its finesse.
• Madeleines de Dax : To finish gently, with coffee ... A madeleine, but not just any! That of Dax is the result of traditional and artisanal know-how for five generations.

If you don't feel like getting started in designing these typical dishes, come and taste them in one of the selected restaurants .

Here is this discovery of Landes specialties which end here, but which will continue on site with a tasting ... We hope to have made you hungry and want to taste the Landes gastronomy , during a gourmet getaway .

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Article written by Stéphanie Tempier for the Guide des Landes.

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