La Saga des Régions #3 : Full West...
Four boxes, four regions, and a mosaic of flavours synonymous with escape! At la belle-iloise, we love to treat you to our quality preserves, and to take you on a journey with their countless recipes. So, to mark the launch of our new Regional Gift Sets, we're taking you on a little tour of France and its beautiful horizons...
LA TRINITÉ-SUR-MER: THE CRADLE OF SAILING
Degemer mat ! Welcome to Brittany! Renowned for its wild and enchanting coastlines, its changing skies where you can see three seasons in a single day, and its spirit full of courage and authenticity, the Breton peninsula invites you to take a walk in the fresh air and recharge your batteries.
In honour of our new Plein Ouest boxed set, we've chosen to set sail for La Trinité-sur-Mer, just a few kilometres from the Quiberon peninsula, where La belle-iloise opened its shop at 6, Cours des Quais in 2008.
Dive into the heart of the "Cradle of Sailing", in the company of Sylvie, a sales assistant and local ambassador for belle-iloise for the past 15 years!
How long have you lived in Brittany? Is it a good place to live?
I always have been! I'm Breton, a true Breton, born in Vannes, in Morbihan!
La Trinité is heaven! I have my own little haven of peace a little way out in the surrounding countryside, by the river at Crac'h. Here, on the harbour, it's hustle and bustle, at home, it's calm!
LA BELLE-ILOISE
How did you get to La Belle Iloise?
The shop opened in February 2008, and I arrived the same year, in June! I did my first season, and then went on to work in a number of local shops: Vannes, Port Crouesty, Carnac, Sarzeau... before coming back to La Trinité full-time.
What do you like about your job?
I love to see customers' faces light up when they taste our preserves in shop. I explain to them that they can't just be eaten as they are: they can also be used to make superb recipes at home!
In tarts, quiches or gratins, they're a great way to make cooking at home easier, and to create tasty dishes in no time at all. What's more, it means you can spend more time with your guests! When I show my customers the different possible recipes, they're amazed: they can't believe you can do all this, and that it's so simple!
I tell them about our head chef, François Sehier, who takes our taste buds on a journey to different regions of France and even the world, with exotic flavours such as Emietté de thon Zanzibar and Emietté de maquereau aux graines de paradis!
I try out the recipe ideas myself at home. Sometimes I have fun making different versions, finding variations with ingredients I have on hand...
What does belle-iloise mean to you?
La belle-iloise is the spirit of holidays, the scent of the seaside, the aperitif and good times with family and friends... These are good preserves made in Brittany that I'm happy to sell because they're quality products, tasty and healthy at the same time!
What's your favourite belle-iloise recipe?
On a daily basis, it's sardines that I eat the most. I don't eat meat, so sardines make up my protein portion! As I find them all really good, I like to vary from recipe to recipe.
To get the real old-fashioned taste of sardines, you have to use peanut oil sardines and eat them with butter bread, just like in the old days! Sardines Saint-Georges or those with olive oil and lemon are basics that go with everything...
Sardines with tapenade are great as an aperitif. The Pitomaïl are delicious with large pasta dishes, the Sardines A la Luzienne with mashed potatoes, and the Epices et aromates with hot potatoes or buckwheat pancakes. And the Deux Piments, I love making into a tart!
What does eating well mean to you?
It's all about healthy eating and conviviality! Sharing, being together, and simplicity through good products.
For me, it's also buckwheat pancakes! I'm crazy about them, I couldn't go a week without buckwheat pancakes... I'm a true Breton, after all! And, what's more, with the belle-iloise tins, that's something else... (laughs) I slip sardines inside, or tuna or mackerel, depending on what I feel like!
FULL WEST
What does Brittany mean to you?
For me, Brittany is the most beautiful of regions! It's a magnificent setting and a great place to live - we're happy here! We've got our tides, a beautiful sea, fine sand, beautiful coasts, a rich and diverse natural environment, good produce... we've got it all!
And, over the last few years, the weather in Brittany has been getting nicer and nicer... but you can't say that too much or everyone will want to move here! (laughs)
Tell us about Trinité and the neighborhood where the store is located?
The store is located on the Quai du Port, with the fishing port on one side, and the marina on the other where there are all the sailboats. On the opposite bank, there are oyster farmers along the road to Saint-Philibert!
Large competition sailboats are based here like the Sails of Change, the largest ocean racing trimaran in the world, or the Actual, Yves le Blevec's boat... I see them going out to sea from the store, it's an impressive spectacle!
The main activity of the Trinity is sailing and its regattas, speed races. For the SPI Ouest France, which takes place every year during the Easter weekend, spectators come from all over the world! Training takes place all winter and I see a lot of sailors or boaters who come to buy me Salads and Sandwich Mixes before going to sea.
What are the must-see places or activities in the area?
Stroll along the port, go sailing or admire the sailboats, eat a crepe at the truck which makes great pancakes next to the fish market, go to Men Du beach - very popular for fishing on foot - or Kervillen beach, eating oysters facing the Crac'h river, going to the Trinité market on Tuesday and Friday - very nice - visiting the Carnac menhirs, going to Saint-Goustan...
And then there is Quiberon where you have to visit the Cannery! I always invite passers-by to go see the Belle-Iloise factory. They often come back to see me afterwards, amazed by the delicate work of the sardine pots, and appreciate tasting our products even more!
A typically local recipe to share?
Far Breton! It’s very simple to make: you need eggs, milk and flour! I make it more often plain than with prunes or grapes, for which it takes a little more cooking time. Cooking is important because the far must not be soft, but very compact.
My little secret is to put a vanilla pod and a little rum in it, like in pancake batter - it's better, it's fragrant! To be enjoyed with cider, which should preferably be taken raw!
The summer season will soon begin, what can we wish you?
That we have lots of people and that we work well! And all that with a smile, kindness, the sun and the salty air… that’s the whole Belle-Iloise spirit!
Photo credit: Nozimages
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