Top 10 culinary specialities in Poitiers

Would you like to eat some typical French food, but don’t know where to head? Then head to the west of France, to the charming town of Poitiers. Where the Romanesque church of Notre-Dame-la-Grande turns many heads and arouses the curiosity of visitors for its facade with carved motifs narrating extracts from the Bible. But it’s not cultural activities that we want to take you to in this article. We’re interested in a somewhat “crunchy” subject, that of gastronomy. What do you eat in Poitiers? What are the traditional dishes? If you’d like to get a taste of the cuisine of this French region, Inspector Navaway has done some investigating. And the results are mouth-watering, to say the least! We tell you all about it…

What’s for dinner in Poitiers? Our selection of 10 culinary specialities.

1. Farci Poitevin

Formerly known as “the poor man’s dish”, farci poitevin is a terrine made from bacon and green vegetables, hence its unusual colour. Spinach, cabbage, sorrel and chard are added. The whole thing is tied up and covered in butter. Some people even add an egg to the dish. To make the most of this recipe, tradition demands that it be cooked in scented water with thyme and bay leaves. This adds even more character to the flavour. It can be eaten hot or cold, as a starter or as a main course. There’s a whole history behind farci Poitevin, and it’s a very old dish, typical of the town of Poitiers. Don’t hesitate to ask the chefs for details of its past!

2. Tourteau Fromagé

This is a pastry like no other. It looks like a cake left in the oven too long, judging by its burnt crust. And yet the Tourteau Fromagé is so exquisite, its shortcrust pastry has been called a delicacy. Made with goat’s milk, reputed to contain easily digestible proteins, not forgetting the fact that it gives the body plenty of energy and vitality, the tourteau fromagé is one of the most popular desserts in Poitiers. Enjoy it with a cup of coffee or tea, with a few pieces of fruit such as grapes or strawberries, and you’ve got a refined dish whose taste will thrill your taste buds.

3. Chabichou

When you put it like that, you might think that chabichou is a sweet dessert (with an endearing name). And yet… it’s a wine with a pronounced flavour, the pride of the people of Poitiers. This intoxicating nectar has had an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée since 1990, and an Appellation d’Origine Protégée since 1996. It’s a delicacy to be enjoyed with a delicious meat dish, or as an aperitif. For wine lovers looking for something new, you’ll be served up on a silver platter!

4. Sorrel Soup

A little tip when you visit the Poitiers market: buy a bunch of sorrel from a small local shopkeeper, and ask him or her how to prepare the legendary sorrel soup. This recipe is very popular in Poitiers. The main ingredient, sorrel, has many virtues: described as a veritable cocktail of goodness containing just 24 calories per 100 grams, it is packed with proteins and vitamins for the body. A healthy dish that’s best enjoyed hot, with a slice of bread to top it all off! What’s more, sorrel is so popular that it can also be eaten as an omelette, or mixed with the farci poitevin we mentioned earlier.

5. Goat’s cheese crottins

If there are any dairy product lovers among our readers, you won’t be disappointed by a trip to Poitiers. I might as well tell you that cheese is a godsend here, eaten morning, noon and night. It’s eaten morning, noon and night, as an aperitif, with a main course or as a dessert. One tradition is to eat it on a warm slice of fresh bread at breakfast time. It’ll give you a boost of energy for the day ahead, when you’ll be exploring the city from top to bottom. Alternatively, in a salad, goat’s crottins (what a funny name) go perfectly with crisp lettuce, which brings out the softness of the goat’s crottins.

6. Broyé du Poitou

If we had to give you one of grandma’s recipes from many years ago, it would undoubtedly be Broyé du Poitou. This flat cake looks like a dry biscuit, a bit like shortbread. Its ingredients are typical of a traditional pastry: eggs, flour, butter and sugar. A little technique if you want to bake it at home (nothing too difficult): the Poitou crushed cake is first broken by hand before being eaten. The best thing to do is to add slivered almonds to your cake before baking. Then you’ll have achieved perfection.

7. The Macaroon of Montmorillon

The Macarons de Montmorillon are an integral part of the town of Poitiers. Wherever you go, in any street or shop, you’ll be able to buy these tender little sweets made from almonds. What can we say about their recipe? Well, not much, because the recipe has been kept secret for generations. It has been passed down from year to year to the Poitevins and Poitevines alike, and can be presented in a variety of ways. As a souvenir, there’s nothing better than buying one of the pink Macaron de Montmorillon boxes containing a dozen of these pastries. Yummy!

8. Poitou-Charentes PDO butter

We talk a lot about cheese in our rankings (we love that little creamy cloud-like wonder), but what about the ‘similar’ food it’s often compared to? Butter. It’s good for you, but only if you don’t eat more than 20 grams a day. It’s high in vitamin A, and can counter skin ageing while protecting you from certain infections. Beurre Poitou-Charentes PDO is an extra-fine, slightly salty butter, with a discreet hazelnut aroma. Its authentic, distinctive taste makes it a refined, top-of-the-range delicacy.

9. Nougatine du Poitou

Nougatine du Poitou is a real eye-catcher. Judging by the photo above, you’ll be tempted to bite into this crunchy pink sweet. A delight for young and old alike, this unique dessert was created by a craftsman in Poitiers in the 19th century. Since then, it has quickly become one of the most popular confectionery items in the town, then in neighbouring towns, and then throughout western France! Made with cooked sugar and crushed almonds, hence the brown colour when you bite into it, it is wrapped in a thin layer of pink icing.

10. The Benoîtines

It’s easy to recognise Benoîtines when you see them. These little diamond-shaped cakes are flavoured with apple. They are baked with wheat flour, milk, sugar, eggs, salt and butter. They are eaten well cooked, and contain no colourings or preservatives. Do you know which drink they go perfectly with? Surprisingly, they go well with a glass of wine. Why not Chabichou? A total immersion in Poitevin gastronomy!