Formerly called the Garden of France, because of its breeding and market gardening lands, Tours and its surroundings are full of culinary treasures.

Laurent Mariotte spends the region in the pan in the program "La Table des bons vivants" with a prestigious guest, Benoît Pasquier, chef of Saint-Honoré in Tours for 14 years. 

Tours, its half-timbered houses, François Rabelais and ... its gastronomy.

The city is not necessarily the best known in France for its culinary specialties and yet, on closer inspection, there are many treasures hidden there.

This is what Laurent Mariotte and his columnists allow us to discover by telling us about their favorite dishes from the region on the program

La Table des bons vivant

.

With the help of Benoît Pasquier, chef at Saint-Honoré de Tours for 14 years. 

The rillettes of Tours 

The Tours rillette is special, according to the locals.

But why is that?

"The difference between the rillette from Tours and that for example from Le Mans (or elsewhere), is that there is one which is caramelized in the cauldron and especially not covered, which means that there is a lot of evaporation, ”explains Yves Camdeborde.

Result?

The rillette is crunchier.

"Unlike the one from Le Mans which is stewed, and which is therefore more flexible when tasted."

To accompany why not with a good Sauvignon de Touraine. 

> Find La Table des bons vivant in podcast and in replay here 

The fish of the Loire

For years, the fishermen of the region have tried to do justice to the delicious fish to taste that are found in the Loire.

Among them, we find pike, roach and carp.

Problem?

Often these are bony fish and therefore difficult to cook.

Suddenly, some fishermen have had fun transforming them to allow the general public to taste them.

For example, we find Garum, a dried fish juice.

"We can use it very simply on a small vinaigrette without mustard, just made with olive oil, salt and pepper, and we will add a teaspoon of Garum which will accompany, for example, a Saint -Jacques to give it an overpowering side which is very pleasant, ”explains Yves Camdeborde. 

Racan pigeon 

Great specialty of the region that chefs around the world are snapping up: Racan's pigeon.

"It is a pigeon which is killed by suffocation and which therefore keeps all its blood inside, which makes it possible to obtain, after cooking, an incomparable softness", explains Benoît Pasquier.

A traditional dish that chefs like to serve with ease with vegetables grown around Tours.

To give us ideas for this weekend. 

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Taped pears from Rivarennes

Finally, the last specialty of the region from which we can draw inspiration is a dessert: taped pears.

"The pear is reheated several times in a wood-fired oven, and once it is taken out of the oven it is struck with a mallet to make it flat. Then it can be worked either with sugar or with sugar. salt ", explains the chef of Saint-Honoré.

"Me, for example, I use it in a pâté. With taped pear, foie gras and pork from the region."

A delight according to the Queen of Norway, who had the chance to taste this dish.

For the anecdote, this tradition of hitting the fruit does not date from yesterday since historically, it allowed fishermen to eat without risking contracting a disease on the boats during long trips.

Because cooked in this way, the fruits keep for a long time in good conditions.