It’s thyme to talk food!
Being a Track Finder certainly has its advantages. We get to spend a fair amount of time out on the paths and trails, creating and/or checking our cycling routes, working out the best cycle paths on quiet country roads and off the beaten track. We regularly check in with our accommodation hosts and are always on the look out for ways to improve our itineraries. Needless to say, we build up quite the appetite whilst in the saddle and thus have a rather long list of favourite restaurants and local dishes that we enjoy very much. So, get ready for some mouth-watering recipes and ideas that will tickle your taste buds as we take you on a food lover’s cycling trip through Provence!
Variety is the spice of life!
Provence is known for its many signature dishes. The olive grows in abundance in the region and so olive oil is a base ingredient for many recipes along with tomatoes, garlic and the famous herbes de provence – a mixture of dried herbs (usually basil, rosemary, thyme & marjoram). Many traditional Provençal dishes are simple, hearty dishes such as the ‘soupe de pistou’ – a Provençal take on a minestrone with lots of basil, garlic and oil and the ‘ratatouille’ made with beautiful ripe tomatoes, onions, courgettes, garlic, peppers and a heavy handed dose of dried herbs! Truffles are also found during the winter months and are often used in omelettes and mixed with pasta. From the Camargue region comes the ‘Gardiane de taureau ’ – a bull stew cooked in red wine with herbs and olives. A delicious stomach filler on your Provence cycling holiday through the Camargue!
We love a local market cherry much!
Provençal cuisine is, above all else, seasonal. Take the time to explore the local markets and you will be amazed at the fruit and veg on offer. Enjoy an early season Provence cycling trip in April and you can cycle through the flowering cherry orchards. Come May/June time, the blood red cherries are overflowing on the market stalls. Then come the strawberries from Carpentras, followed by the melons from Cavaillon. Apricots, nectarines, figs and colourful stuffed olives also adorn the stalls and are perfect provisions for a summer picnic.
Grape expectations!
Of course, all of this delicious food is washed down wonderfully well with the local wines. Vineyards blanket the landscape throughout Provence, and you can enjoy a cycling tour through the Provence wineries and partake in some wine tasting often accompanied by some homemade tapenade, a signature Provençal aperitif dish made with olives, capers, oil, garlic and spices.
Hungry, yet?
