The Perigourd Walnut the Little Prince of France

Recipes and Regional Walnut Markets from South West France

Nov 13, 2009 Kerry Swash

Autumn - season of mists and mellow fruitfulness - and the little prince which falls from the sky! Or so the Walnut Producers of Perigord would have you believe.

The Walnut Tree - Juglans Regia which translates as the Royal Nut - originated in the Orient and was introduced to Europe by the Romans. For nearly 2000 years the tree has been part of folklore and fairytales and reportedly on All Saints Day the first nut will fall from the heavens heralding the start of the harvest.

The tree grows widely in France but it truly flourishes in the Dordogne and Perigord region in Sw France. Here over 7000 hectares are given oven to Walnut Groves and over 578 different communes (parishes) are involved in the Walnut business.

There are several varieties of walnut, the most common of which in the Dordogne is the Corne (horn) an oblong shelled pale nut, with a delicate flavour. Further south they grow the ‘marbot’ walnut which has a rounder shell that opens more easily and a stronger flavour. The other two acclaimed local varieties are Franquette and Grandjean.

Walnut trees are very productive with one tree able to produce up to 40kg of fruit each year! The harvest which may traditionally begin on All Saints Day ( 1st November) actually commences in early September. To assist or observe the harvest you can visit Ferme Mouret at Nailhac where they will show you the ropes. Nailhac is one of the many villages on the Perigord Walnut Route which winds its way through the walnut growing landscapes of the Corrèze, Lot and Dordogne valleys, offering a choice of four main itineraries based around the Noix du Périgord varieties mentioned above: Franquette, Grandjean, Corne and Marbot. There are walnut factories to visit, museums, distilleries, local markets and restaurants. All of which provide a fascinating insight into the 'Little Prince of nuts'.

One of the highlights on the tour is the Ecomusee of Perigord Walnuts. (Ferme de Vielcrose. Open April to October 10am - 7pm except mondays. 05 53 59 69 63.) Here you can learn all about the cultivation, varieties and usages of the Perigord walnut, from wood to kernel. There is a pleasant hour long guided walk through the groves and a chance to buy a variety of walnut products, including the famous walnut oil.

Don’t miss out on the seasonal Walnut market at Sarlat-de-Caneda which takes place every Saturday morning throughout the month of October in the aptly named Place du Marche aux Noix.

As well as fresh walnuts from the market take the opportunity to try cakes and pastries which are flavoured and decorated with walnuts. One of the most delicious is the Perigord Walnut Cream Tart found in many local patisseries and restaurants.

Recipe: Sweet Walnut Tarte

Serves 6 (individual tartes)

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Shortcrust Pastry:

• 125g Plain Flour
• 75g Butter (room temperature)
• 25g Caster Sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• Pinch of salt
• 25ml water

Walnut Filling:

• 500g of walnuts(without shells)
• 150g crème fraiche
• 60g sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ vanilla pod
• Icing sugar to decorate.

Method:

Preheat the overn to 220 degrees C (th 7/8)

To make the Shortcrust Pastry:

1. Mix the flour, sugar and salt together.
2. Rub in the butter with your fingertips to form a rough crumble.
3. Beat the egg and water together and add to the crumble. Mix to form a firm dough.
4. If the mixture is too dry and flaky and will not hold together when squeezed in the palm, add a tiny bit more water.
5. Using your hands roll into 6 equal sized balls.
6. Flatten by hand or roll out to fit into 6 well buttered small tartlet tins.

To make the filling

1. Keep aside 6 well shaped nuts for decoration.
2. Grind the rest of the nuts to a powder.
3. Add the cream, sugar and egg.
4. Scrape out the inside of the vanilla pod and add the black seeds into the mix.
5. Mix well.
6. Divide the mixture equally between the 6 pastry cases.
7. Place in the oven for 30 mins.
8. Leave to cool before covering with icing sugar and decorating with nuts

To Serve: A good organic vanilla ice cream and a strong expresso.

NB: The aperitif of choice in the region is a sweet dark wine made from green walnuts picked in early July. Green walnuts are immature walnuts whose hard shells have not yet formed. It’s the smooth green skin and soft interior which gives the sweet wine its unique flavour. As well as an aperitif, it’s a perfect accompaniment to a strong cheese board.

The copyright of the article The Perigourd Walnut the Little Prince of France in Culinary Travel is owned by Kerry Swash. Permission to republish The Perigourd Walnut the Little Prince of France in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Walnut Tart	Perigord Region SW France	Marbot Perigord Walnut
Walnut Grove