The cuisine of Cognac & Charente, France

Home of the Charente melon. But there will be no melons on the table until the melons in the fields are ripe. France likes to support its local farmers. Not far from the sea, so fish and mussel stews, Mouclade Charentais and Eclade and often Fruit de Mer, even crab and lobster on the menus. The local snails are called cagouilles and are served with that wonderful garlic sauce. Wild duck and rabbit and 'salted lamb', so called because it is raised on the coast and eats seaweed giving it a ready spiced flavour are all specialities of the region.

The vineyards of the region produce grapes for Cognac, a gorgeous digestif, especially enjoyed on a warm summers evening after a handsome meal. One of the by-products is Pineau, it comes both red and white, is drunk chilled and is an aperitif. The cognac distilleries offer tastings, even take away bottles, miniatures or otherwise, and an intoxicating 'haze' all around them. Wines are best chosen from the Bordeaux vineyards which lie further south.

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