Terroirs And Gastronomy Day.

Indulge in a feast for the senses as the village of Daglan comes alive with the vibrant celebration of gastronomy day. Allow yourself to be transported to a world of culinary delights, where the aroma of delectable dishes mingles with the tantalizing notes of fine wines.

As you meander through the picturesque streets of Daglan, your eyes will be captivated by the magnificent display of an abundant food and wine extravaganza. Stalls overflowing with an impressive array of fresh produce, artisan cheeses, fragrant herbs, and locally sourced ingredients beckon you to explore and discover the rich gastronomic treasures of the region.

Whether you are a devoted food enthusiast, an avid wine connoisseur, or simply someone who appreciates the finer things in life, the celebration of gastronomy in Daglan promises an unforgettable experience. So, allow yourself to be immersed in this delectable world of flavors, where every bite and every sip tells a story of tradition, passion, and the joy of indulgence.

A variety of stalls stretch around the square, around the church and along the main road in Daglan village.

.

The above is Gérard, our favourite honey producer with his gorgeous dog. He will show and explain to you about his honey, the amazing flavours and of course you can taste before you buy.

.

The many varieties of local mushrooms are sold here, dried, in tins, pâte etc.

.

The potter demonstrating his craft.

.

At the back of the church in the secret garden is to be found the truffle scrambled egg and the sale of the local black truffles.

.

Setting up the truffle market is our Maire, Pascal Dussol, who is showing a magnificent truffle to the spellbound audience.

.

The truffle market is open and the selling begins.

.

A great success, well done to all who have taken part in the preparation and the selling of local produce.

.

Event;- Belves 6^th August Medieval Day.

.

……….

And Now, A Little Something To Do While In Lock Down.

We are still in lock down, so much so that we get excited when we see someone walk past our window to go to the supermarket or a van or car goes by. As you can imagine nearly everyone is wearing a face mask and are keeping to the social distancing rules.

The tourist season normally wakes our village up from its winter rest but it is almost always silent now.. No tourists, no camping vans or bicycles, it does seem eerily strange for this time of year. The good news is that the wild life, animal, birds and plants are really thriving. I particularity enjoy the bird song in the morning it seems richer and stronger, which is probably due the reduced noise of the traffic and the pollution it brings.

More good news, I can now visit my physio, I know, how great is that. My back is feeling terrible at the moment but with my physio’s help I should be on the road to recovery soon.

And Now, a Little Something To Do While In Lock down.

Why not try the recipe below it is delicious. Or something new from your recipe books. Bearing in mind that some ingredients may be difficult to find now. For example, in our local supermarkets most flour has been out of stock for weeks but you can still buy bread flour from the supermarket next door to us in Daglan. Limited to one packet per person.

And now the recipe.

Salmon With A Tarragon Mushroom Sauce.

Tarragon has a distinctive aniseed flavour which is gorgeous with fish, cream and mushrooms.

Serves four people

50g unsalted butter
4 salmon steaks
175g mushrooms, trimmed and sliced.
200ml of chicken or vegetable stock.
2.5ml about half a teaspoon mustard
50ml cream
45ml chopped tarragon (use less if using dried)
5ml white wine vinegar
Boiled new potatoes or small roast potatoes.

1 Melt half of the butter in a large frying pan and cook the salmon on a moderate heat for about eight minutes turning once. Transfer onto a plate, cover and keep warm.

2 Heat the remaining butter in the pan and gently add the mushrooms and cook until the juices start to flow. Add the stock and simmer for 2 minutes.

3 Add the mustard, cream, tarragon and vinegar.

4 Spoon the sauce over the salmon and serve with potatoes salad or vegetables.

The sauce also goes well with chicken or steak.
 
 

Why the Perigord Noir?

This question has been asked by friends, family, tourists and house hunters. The appeal to us, is that this part of the Perigord offers the most stunning landscapes as the Dordogne River cuts through the unspoiled countryside. The landscape changes at every bend in the road and there are amazing sights as you drive past the villages clinging to the rock face.

La Roque-Gageac.
 

There are four distinctive seasons from short Winters where temperatures can reach below freezing (-7 this morning) to blooming Spring and gorgeous hot Summers. Which are reflected in the seasonal produce sold in the many markets of the area.

The cuisine is rich in its diversity from duck, mushrooms, truffles, cheeses, wine, fruit and vegetables. To match this there are the amazing food festivals. this month we see the truffle market in Daglan and the Truffle Festival in Sarlat. Summertime brings the night markets where you can enjoy fresh cooked local food in pleasant surroundings.

Historical features include the many Château’s featuring pigeonniers and of course the many wonderful Beaux villages of the area.

A taster for the first time visitor to this area are Milandes, Castlenaud, Beynac, La Roque-Gageac, Domme, Daglan and Sarlat.

Medieval weekend last Summer held at Château de Castelnaud.
 

Included sword fighting demonstrations.
 

La Mairie de Daglan, Such a beautiful building.
 

Le Tour de Daglan takes a short rest in the village square.
 

Most of all it is always the people that make a place worth visiting time and again, and Daglan is no exception to this rule. You will never meet more friendly and welcoming people who are always willing to help and to make your life here a little bit better by their presence.

The weekly Craft Session.
 
 

Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année.

From everyone in Daglan.

Cheers. By the way Virginnie, the mulled wine was delicious.
 

Splendid Christmas lights decorate the Boulangerie.
 

A surprise Christmas present.

A bag full of the most delicious mushrooms that were picked that day from the forests around Daglan.
We made mushroom soup for about eight people, (six portions frozen for Christmas and New Year) a delicious mushroom sauce and an outstanding mushroom omelette.

Thank you so much Mieczyslaw.
 
 

This will be our last blog until after Christmas. So have a brilliant holiday and New Year.
 
 

To the Woods

Yesterday was Paul’s first mushroom foraging expedition into the forests that surround this area. Guided by two French experts off he went for a few hours.

A couple of lessons Paul leaned right at the start was, carry a stick for foraging and don’t touch the mushrooms until you are sure of what they are. There are many varieties of mushrooms in this particular area, some of which are ‘do not touch’, some are simply not edible and some are not tasty but, there are some that are delicious. So it is good to have an expert or two at your disposal to sort the good from the bad. If in doubt you can take your picked mushrooms to a pharmacy and they will tell you if they are safe to eat or not.

“Come on Paul catch up”.
 

They did not find any edible mushrooms in the forest but I am glad to say that he came home with a few field mushrooms which we will eat later today. Hopefully on the next visit he will be able to pick Girolle, Ceps or even Faux Mousseron (Fairy Ring) Champignon.
 

However, Paul did find lots of chestnuts which according to one of our foraging experts are excellent served with salmon. I must try that, it sounds delicious.