There’s more to Bordeaux than wine, there’s food!  Bordeaux gastronomy is usually linked to wine, recommending food and wine matches. 

But if you want a taste of Bordeaux without wine (a strange idea for most of you I know, here are some suggestions.

Water into wine

Instead of wine there’s always water. If you have read The Drinking Woman’s Diet you’ll know the importance I attach to drinking enough water every day. Bordeaux has its own mineral water. 

The Abatilles spring in Arcachon was discovered in the 1920s, when the owners were looking for oil! Then famous for its health properties, it was purchased by Jean Merlaut of Le Taillan wine group in 2013 and has since gone from strength to strength. You’ll see it served on most Bordeaux tables, it’s easily recognizable by the shape of the bottle that bears a striking resemblance to a Bordeaux wine bottle! 

Tea time.

There are several ‘Thés de Bordeaux’ blends, my favourite is made by the team at The Noisettines du Médoc, a Médoc speciality of caramelised hazel nuts. The tea is totally Medocaine, bended with pine needles, vine leaves, heather and acacia flowers, all emblematic flora of the Medoc Peninsula. Light and floral it goes particularly well with the Noisettines.   

Coffee de Sigalas

I’ve mentioned this before, but I can’t get enough of it so happy to share again. 

Since January last year, Simon Verger from the two Michelin star restaurant Haaitza in nearby Pyla and coffee specialist Yoann Bride from the Brûlerie Comtoise in the Jura, have been working with Laure de Lambert of Château Sigalas Rabaud in Sauternes to create a unique coffee. 

Raw or green coffee beans are aged for nine months in barrels that previously held the classified growth Sauternes. The barrels are regularly rolled to impregnate the grains with the floral and citrus notes of the wine, before being roasted. The coffee is available as grains or in bio degradable pods. It smells amazing and is really smooth.

Coffee and chocolate is the perfect pairing, and Bordeaux is spoilt for choice with chocolate. There are well established ‘heritage brands’ such as Cadiot Badie started in 1826 and Saunion since 1893 who also make the delicious chocolates created specifically for Château Haut Bailly to match with their wines. 

The most emblematic are the chocolates made in Medoc – Mademoiselle Margaux, made in the appellation and famous for their ‘sarment de vines’ flavoured chocolates in the shape of vine clippings.  

The most original are the wine flavoured chocolate ganache made by Hasnaâ. Working with local chateaux, she has created a range of chocolates using wines from both right and left bank vineyards. The names of the chateau are clearly indicated on each chocolate which makes for a very different comparative tasting experience. You’ll also find her chocolates at lots of different chateaux for wine and chocolate tastings.

Sweet treats. 

Canelés are a Bordeaux classic, these little caramelised cakes have a history going back to the 18^thcentury. Egg whites are traditionally used for fining the wines of Bordeaux, and up until the 20^thcentury, this was mainly done at the port of Bordeaux, on the Quai des Chartrons, where Bordeaux wine merchants had their ageing cellars. The story is left over egg yolks were collected from the merchants by nuns from the local convent and combined with flour, sugar, vanilla and rum (products common in the port of Bordeaux) to make nourishing cakes to give to the poor. 

They take their name from the crenelated copper moulds that make them crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Many restaurants bake their own to serve with coffee, the biggest supplier is Baillardan, specialising in canelés since 1988, they also sell them on line.

Religious experience

Another emblematic cake is the macaron of Saint Emilion. Very different from the trendy multi-coloured French macarons, more ‘rustic’ perhaps but for me simply delicious. 

The best ones are baked fresh everyday by Nadia Fermigier, who uses the original recipe of eggs, almonds (sweet and bitter) and sugar created in 1620, by the Ursuline Nuns.  Baked on to sheets of paper, they’re packaged in easily recognisable boxes of 24 or 48. They say you can keep them in the fridge for up to 15 days, not in my house! 

Dunes blanches. taking their name from the nearby dune du Pyla, the largest sand dune in Europe, Dunes Blanches are choux pastry puffs filled with whipped cream and sprinkled with icing sugar. Lighter than Canelés they were created in 2007 by Brice Lucas, the son of Cap Ferret baker Pascal and are now available in town , via local delivery, as well as on the beach.

Bee biodiverse 

Many châteaux have beehives in their vineyards, introduced to improve or maintain the biodiversity of the properties. Chateau Lagrange, Château Carbonnieux, and Château Dauzac are among many with hives amongst the vines.

The owner of Château Rabaud Promis in Sauternes is such a passionate beekeeper he has designed his new bottle to reflect his love of bees. 

At Château Dauzac you can join a workshop with the beekeeper to learn about the life of a beehive and who will let you help harvest the honey and leave with a jar of freshly extracted Dauzac honey.

Hungry yet? If I’ve missed one of your favourite Bordeaux treats let me know and I’ll give it a try and report back. 

Want to read more? If you have enjoyed this post please sign up here  to receive future blog posts directly to your inbox. If you would like to learn more about Bordeaux, you can buy your copy of Bordeaux Bootcamp here, to learn more about Wine and Wellness, you can buy your copy of The Drinking Woman’s Diet here.  

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