Enjoy a seasonal and local delicacy on your walking or cycling holiday in Provence
We are approaching the end of March. Whilst many of us are looking ahead to the coming months and beginning to plan our 2020 Provence walking holiday or self-guided cycling tour in France, nature is also getting ready for the warmer months to come. The trees are beginning to blossom, and the bees are noisily buzzing. It’s time to pack away the scarves and gloves and air out your sun hat and dust off your sunglasses, for spring has arrived!
The days are getting sunnier and the sun’s warm rays are waking up the strawberry plants! This sweet and juicy fruit will soon take pride of place at the dinner table come dessert! At the Provençal markets, in Isle sur la Sorgue, Vaison la Romaine etc, strawberries already adorn the stalls, and the Provencal town of Carpentras is famous for this delicious red fruit.
There are many varieties of Carpentras strawberries: the Pajaro, the Ciflorette and the well known Gariguette. The fruit here is picked from the end of February to mid-July. Strawberries were first cultivated around Carpentras at the end of the 19th century thanks to the irrigation system put into place by the Carpentras Canal in 1857. Offered at first in all markets in France, the Carpentras strawberry also supplies confectioners (jam, candied strawberries, syrups, etc).
The town of Carpentras celebrates the strawberry in mid-April with a small festival. A great way to meet with the local fruit suppliers as well as tasting some local Ventoux rosé wines. There is always a good excuse to wine taste in the region, as you will discover on your next walking or cycling stay in Provence!
To really get your taste buds flowing, here is a delicious recipe for a rustic strawberry tart:
- 100g of flour
- 50g of ground almonds
- 30g of icing sugar
- 60g of soft butter
- 2cl of water
- 12 strawberries
- Strawberry jam (home-made is even better!)
- Icing sugar for sprinkling
Mix the flour, ground almonds, icing sugar, butter and water in a large mixing bowl until you get a smooth ball of dough.
Cover the dough and leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes
Pre heat the oven to 180°C. Melt some butter in a deep pan. Wash and cut the strawberries in half. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a well-floured surface. Place the flattened dough in the base of the pan and make sure to cover the sides. Spread the jam on the base of the dough and then place the fresh strawberries over the top. Fold in the sides.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and put in the oven for 15 minutes.
Leave to cool before tasting.
Bon appétit !
