This region just across the Channel is packed full of bustling cobbled market towns, sleepy villages with meandering lanes and superb long beaches. Surrounded by gently rolling green hills, Picardy is a picturesque region with wide open spaces and some of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world.
There is a distinct Flemish feel to the food in this region with hearty stews and hotpots, including carbonnade (beef stew cooked in beer with onions and spices), and hochepot made of beef, pork, mutton and oxtail cooked with vegetables. Strong and heady cheeses are a characteristic of this area. It is not unusual to find cheeses with herbs incorporated into them. Sausages are common, most of which are made from pork, but look out for the speciality spicy tripe sausages!
Finally, this region produces beer rather than wine. Bottled beer tends to be more popular here in the North and locally brewed ales can be found in some of the villages. As Picardy is close to the Champagne region, it is worth looking out for local vintages. The flavoursome regional spirit is Genièvre, gin flavoured with juniper berries. |
