France’s Truffle Hop
2008 Itinerary

Plutarch believed they were mud cooked by lightning.  Juvenal that they were the product of thunder and rain and Pliny that they were nature’s greatest miracle. Elizabeth David said they were the most delicious of foods anywhere and Brillat Savarin that ‘without truffles there can be no truly gastronomic meal.’ And the mystic around the truffle continues, in its nebulous way, to intrigue.
This weekend is an idea to allow you to get to know this mysterious and gastronomically fantastic fungus as you may never have been able to do before. You will concentrate on three subjects concerning truffles: the hunting, the cooking/eating and the buying.
The weather in February can be glorious. Cold and crisp with perfect blue skies – the perfect skies to go hunting truffles ‘à la mouche’. The idea is to do some walking but should you get bad weather there are ample alternatives (castles, chateaux and wineries to visit).
The weekend takes place in the truffle rich region of the Quercy. This is a beautiful untouched region of France just south of the Dordogne. In 1152 it was given by Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henri d’Anjou two years before he became Henry II of England and it is an area that has changed little since. There is no industry here to pollute the atmosphere and the limestone plateaux, fertile lombardy poplared valleys, long lazy meandering rivers and fantastic food and wine lend to a wonderful long weekend holiday! 

Day 1  Saturday  Bonjour You arrive at Toulouse airport in the afternoon to be met by James.  You’ll be driven to Le Vert, a charming Quercy stone Manor House situated in the middle of the rolling Quercy countryside. All rooms have bathrooms en suite. It is a most lovely and relaxing place to stay under the careful eye of Bernard and Eva Philippe. Bernard will cook dinner as you sit in front of a roaring fire drinking aperitifs and enjoying the weekend off.

Day 2  Sunday   You are greeted in the morning by a table laden with croissants, pains chocolats, jams, fresh fruit juice, fruits and strong black coffee. Then you set off in the cars to start a good walk to breath in the fresh French air and to build up your appetite for an excellent lunch at the Auberge de la Tour. After lunch a little walk to the village of Montcuq for a drink before returning to Le Vert passing by a pretty fourteenth century frescoed church to learn about the seven deadly sins.  You finish the day with an excellent truffle dinner cooked by Bernard Philippe. Bernard is probably one of the best chefs of the region and he will also be cooking crepes suzette.  This is a rare treat as Bernard never has the time to cook at the table but you are there off season so you gain this privilege!  Walk 7 miles

Day 3  Monday  ‘Cook the truffle’  More croissants and breakfast delights before a drive to Lario, the home of James and Diana. Here you can all cook in the kitchen and see how one can work with the truffle. ‘Poule en demi-deuil’ is a wonderful treat with a good fresh farmyard chicken and vegetables fresh from the Sunday Montcuq market. You will make tiny cabbages stuffed with bread crumbs, truffle and bacon. Here you will also use the frozen truffle which is the best way to preserve the fungus. This gives you the opportunity to see and handle the difference between the fresh and the preserved. You will also make your own truffled foie gras which you can then take home with you! After lunch the group will walk through the beautiful Quercy landscape before returning to Lario. From here you drive to the vineyard of Clos Triguedina. This is an important Cahors vineyard and the Baldès family have been making wine here since 1830 which includes today a Black Wine where the grapes are ‘cooked’ in prune drying ovens and a beautiful sweet white made from Chenin Blanc grapes. You return in the vehicles to Le Vert for more delicious French cuisine from Bernard. Once again a warm crackling fire. Once again delicious wine. And once again a well-earned cosy bed.  Walk:  5 miles

Day 4  Tuesday  ‘Buy the truffle’ and ‘Hunt the truffle’ A coffee before you drive for a wonderful truffle brunch at ‘Le Gindreau’ where the chef Alexis Pelissou will tempt everyone with a number of truffled dishes. ‘Le Gindreau’ is a restaurant with an enormous reputation and Alexis Pellisou is obsessed with truffles owning several hectares of truffle oaks. He cooks seven courses all rich with truffle. This is a real treat and Pellisou, a chef with a truffle passion hard to beat. You will then drive to the village of Lalbenque for the rural but world famous truffle market. It is indeed a gloriously rustic and remarkably unique and simple affair. You will never get a better collection of pure bred rustic types! And here is a chance to buy some real fresh truffle to take back home. A decent truffle should cost around 70 euros depending on the rains in August 2007, which were excellent. That would come out at about 1000 euros a kilo! After the market you leave Lalbenque by car for a truffle hunt with a dear old lady and her friendly pig. It is a rare event to find a truffle pig these days as most truffle hunters use dogs. If there is time after this you may try for a cup of tea at the bar-cum-bakery of Concots before returning to Cahors. You’ll spend the night at Le Grand Hotel Terminus, a large ivy clad nineteenth century bourgeois house with an excellent restaurant of international repute where you will enjoy your farewell dinner. 

Day 5  Wednesday  Au revoir After breakfast there is time to shop in Cahors and enjoy the hustle and bustle of market day. This takes place in front of the majestic Gothic cathedral on an ox-bow of the river Lot. You will leave Cahors in time to lunch at the Moulin in Moissac after looking at the fabulous Romanesque abbey that Sir Kenneth Clark eulogised in his great BBC series ‘Civilisation’. A quick visit in the abbey before lunch, then after lunch you’ll drive to Toulouse Blagnac.
 
NOTE:  The itinerary is subject to change according to local conditions.  All mileages are approximate.