Land of Traditions

Dordogne, Périgord.

The Dordogne takes its name from the Dordogne River, which rises at the foot of the Sancy and flows into the Garonne at the Bec d’Ambès after a journey of 472 km. It crosses the department from east to west in its southern part.

A department called “of Périgueux” or “of Périgord” was created by decision of the Constituent Assembly on January 25, 1790. It was only a month later, on February 26, 1790, that the name Dordogne was officially adopted after the final approval of the list of French departments. The Dordogne department was formed from almost the entire former province of Périgord (786,048 hectares), part of Agenais (99,250 hectares), both belonging to the former Guyenne, as well as a portion of Limousin (25,858 hectares) and Angoumois (30,250 hectares).

In 1972, when 22 French regions were created, Dordogne was attached to Aquitaine.
Since the territorial reform adopted in 2015, it has been part of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

There are four main tourist areas, commonly known as the four Périgords: Périgord Vert, Périgord Blanc, Périgord Pourpre, and Périgord Noir.

Périgord Vert takes its name from its lush, rolling green landscapes, ideal for nature tourism.

Périgord Blanc is named after its white limestone plateaus.

Périgord Pourpre owes its name to the vineyards that cover the area.

Périgord Noir, contrary to popular belief, does not take its name from the famous truffle, but from the dense oak forests that cover the region.

Dordogne owes much of the quality of its landscapes and colors to its dense hydrographic network. It is crossed from north to south by the Bandiat, Dronne, Isle, Auvézère, Dordogne, Vézère, and Dropt rivers. Only the Dordogne and the Isle (at least up to Périgueux) are navigable.

Dordogne enjoys an oceanic climate, generally mild, thanks to the influence of the Gulf Stream, whose warm waters heat the Atlantic coast of Europe. However, frequent continental influences can lower winter temperatures.

Foie Gras

Depicted in tomb frescoes dating back 4,500 years in Saqqarah, the practice of force-feeding geese is known to date back at least to ancient Egypt. Egyptians fed several species of waterfowl, including geese, with pellets made of roasted and moistened grains.

This practice continued during the Roman Empire. Pliny the Elder mentions the force-feeding of geese with dried figs. In the 4th century, Apicius provided the first recipe. The resulting liver was called Jecur ficatum, literally “fig liver.” Over time, only the word ficatum (fig) remained, evolving into figido in the 8th century, then fedie, feie in the 12th century, and finally “foie” (liver). This root is found in Romance languages such as French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Romanian.

The tradition of foie gras continued after the fall of the Roman Empire in Central Europe, particularly within Jewish communities. Goose fat was widely used for cooking, as butter with meat and lard were forbidden. Olive and sesame oils were also difficult to obtain in Central and Western Europe. Jewish communities spread goose farming from Alsace to the Ural Mountains and mastered force-feeding techniques, especially in regions where maize, introduced in the 17th century, was grown-namely Alsace and Hungary.

Thus, although two French regions – Alsace and the Southwest – traditionally claim its origin, foie gras actually has very ancient roots.

Truffle

The truffle is the common name given to the edible fruiting body of an ectomycorrhizal ascomycete fungus, which develops underground. A single fungus can produce several truffles.
While some truffles have been highly prized by gourmets since antiquity, not all species are equally valued. The term “truffle” is also used for species with little flavor and therefore little value.

The black truffle, or Périgord truffle (Tuber melanosporum), grows only in calcareous soils at a depth of 1 to 15 cm, at the foot of “truffle trees” (oaks, hazelnut trees, lime trees, hornbeams, etc.). It develops in spring, grows from mid-August, and reaches maturity several months later. It is then harvested—known as “cavée”—usually with the help of a trained dog, a pig, or flies.

There are more than one hundred species of the genus Tuber, belonging to the Tuberaceae family. All these fungi and their fruiting bodies may be called truffles. By extension, due to similarities, other edible fungi are sometimes referred to as truffles, even though they differ significantly in taste and classification. The ripening period varies depending on the species.

Truffles have been appreciated since antiquity. In Egypt, around 2600 BC, Pharaoh Khufu is said to have enjoyed truffles when receiving honored guests. In the Bible, the “love apples” contested by Leah and Rachel around 1700 BC may refer to truffles.

Truffles have a 2,000-year history in Italy. In France, they first appeared on the table of King François I.

There are six main gastronomic truffle species:
– Tuber melanosporum, the black Périgord truffle (or Provence truffle), the “queen of truffles,” prized for its aroma and flavor; it requires calcareous soil and warmth.
– Tuber brumale, the winter truffle, with a musky, radish-like aroma with hints of garlic.
– Tuber aestivum, the summer truffle, with a light woodland aroma and mild mushroom flavor.
– Tuber uncinatum (Burgundy truffle), similar to Tuber aestivum but with a stronger aroma and taste.
– Tuber mesentericum (Lorraine truffle), with notes of licorice and almond (when mature) and a slightly bitter taste.
– Tuber magnatum, the white truffle of Alba (Italy) and Istria (Croatia), by far the rarest and most expensive, with a very strong garlic-like aroma.