Or maybe that would be a "tin" to you. Actually, we always called such containers "tin cans" where I come from, even though they are not made out of tin. Same with the "tin roof" — no tin. But never mind. With all the home-improvement work going on chez nous, life has been slightly disrupted, and we decided to open a can for lunch the other day.
It's cassoulet, which is white beans cooked with meats like duck, sausages, pork, and/or mutton. Cassoulet is a food from southwestern France, especially the area from Toulouse through Castelnaudary to Carcassonne. The beans are cooked slowly for a long time. The meats are very tender. This particular can of cassoulet comes from a company in the town of Castelnaudary (which means « château neuf du roi » in the local language). The town claims that it invented cassoulet centuries ago, and that its version is the absolute best.
The name cassoulet comes from the name of the dish that the beans are cooked in, la cassole — you might recognize the word "casserole" in that. This was a big can of cassoulet, advertised as serving three people and weighing more than 3 lbs. We both thought it was delicious. I took some collard greens out of the freezer to have with the beans and meats. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that there are restaurants serving this brand of cassoulet to diners right out of the can, but without telling them.
The beans were creamy and mostly unbroken. The sauce was velvety. The duck (wings) were very good, and the sausages (saucisses de Toulouse) were not bad. Walt and I have good memories of going to a nice restaurant in Castelnaudary and eating a fine cassoulet there back in 1989, when we were on vacation and taking a road trip around southern France, so cassoulet has sentimental value for us.
Another treat we enjoyed this week was a bottle of Touraine Primeur wine from a producer up in Saint-Romain-sur-Cher, about 5 miles north of Saint-Aignan. We buy wine there all the time, and I've visited the winery that made the Primeur, which is like our local Beaujolais Nouveau. La Renne is a small river that runs through Saint-Romain, by the way.
This Primeur is made with 2016 grapes and is a Sauvignon Blanc, which is the most common Touraine white wine. It had some sweetness and softness. We tasted citrus notes. It made an especially good apéritif wine — that's the glass you drink before you sit down to eat lunch or dinner. It stimulates the appetite and puts you in the mood for good food. Elle n'est pas belle, la vie ?
I buy same product in Australia and enjoy it in winter...with a crisp Margaret River, Western Australia, sauvignon blanc...I'm glad you enjoyed the product as much as I do!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice that you can get the cassoulet there. I think white, red, and other beans are vegetables that are good out of cans.
DeleteIsn't it just typical of the French. The manage to put good food into a can. Very little good food here comes in a can, although Louise'comment is interesting.
ReplyDeleteBeans are good in a can. Tomatoes too. Corn (maïs). Palm hearts. I'm stretching.
DeleteThe wine lable is very pretty and would indicate just what you tasted.
ReplyDeleteThe wine is good. I need to go back and get some more.
DeleteLOL, That is what I was thinking, Leave it to the French to make a canned lunch look and taste like a fine dining experience.
ReplyDeleteThis would have thrilled my husband, this lunch .
I first noticed cassoulet in cans in France many many years ago, and recently have noticed more and more canned meals. I always suspected that a lot of restaurants that serve cassoulet were using cans. It's probably one of the best things you can buy in a can, although really no need to go to a restaurant and pay to have them open the can.
ReplyDeleteThe wine sounds interesting. I remember about 20 years ago, when Beaujolais Nouveau was really picking up popularity, that more and more wine regions in France and Italy were producing a nouveau-type wine. But I've never had a Loire primeur.
The cassoulet looks wonderful. The label indicates all natural ingredients too. A quick google search reveals that you can buy this brand in the UK and in Quebec Province, but sadly I see no US availability.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping we could buy that brand in the US. We're looking forward to pictures of your green house when it's finished.
ReplyDeletemeal looks yummy
ReplyDeleteOooh, boy, I wish we could get that in a "tin" here (if we can, I'm not aware of it).
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of tin... for some reason, we always used to call aluminum foil, "tin foil". Hmm. Wonder why?
Because, in the old days, it was tin foil made from tin, that later on was replaced by aluminum because it was cheaper.
DeleteWell, you hit on our favorite brand of canned cassoulet for your dépannage. Living in the land of cassoulet, we are picky. But it's true that the French manage to do canned food very well. In fact, we recently did a test of our new vacation rentals, and to test out the oven, we heated up some Belle Chaurienne. See my most recent post.
ReplyDeleteI think the duck is a cuisse (thigh), rather than the patte (drumstick).
The beans are a special variety, called lingots--yes, like the bars of gold. For a reason!
We're not fans of primeur, but it is the season.
The pieces of duck in the can of cassoulet we had were definitely wings — manchons — it says so on the label, which I posted. As for being a fan of primeur, well, you have to try a lot of them before you rule them out completely. This one was very good. Beaujolais Nouveau or Primeur is not always so good.
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