My Gourmet tours chooses the most beautiful products of our Bordeaux gastronomy to sublimate your tables in the pure tradition.

It is no lie to claim that the Aquitaine region is renowned for its quality terroirs that offer us the most luxurious products of our French gastronomy.

Indeed, whether for the production of world-famous wines with our famous Bordeaux wines but also Cognac, Armagnac, Bergerac or Jurançon, or for the production of high quality caviar and foie gras, truffles from the Périgord, oysters from our Charente coasts and the Bay of Arcachon, Poultry from the Landes and Périgord, cheeses from the Pyrenees, butter from the Charente, our lamb from Pauillac, our beef from Bazas, not forgetting the cows from Limousin and the blondes from Aquitaine, nuts and their oil from Périgord – we cannot deny that our Aquitaine territory is blessed by the gods!  

Even if each region of France has its own traditions, the gastronomy of our festive tables in France certainly puts the gastronomy of Bordeaux in the spotlight..

The tradition of Christmas evenings and meals : 

Traditionally, no less than three meals were held for Christmas.

On the evening of December 24th, a “lean supper” was shared while waiting for midnight mass and then the “fat supper”, called “Réveillon” and shared on the return from midnight mass, late at night. On December 25, the family Christmas dinner was held. 

These unusually abundant meals were mainly composed of pork cooked in sausage and blood sausage also called crepinette, but also, depending on the region, traditional poultry such as goose stuffed with its liver. Bread in all its forms and strong alcohols of apples or pears accompanied the guests all night long around his famous Christmas log burning in the chimney. All of these festivities took place in the context of a country with a Catholic tradition around the celebration of the birth of Christ. 

Today there are still essentially the New Year’s Eve celebrations, most often taken in place of supper and before the Christmas Mass on the evening of December 24th for those who continue to attend, and the meal on December 25th organised at breakfast and after the traditional Christmas Mass.

This is an opportunity for My Gourmet Tours to invite you to share its selection of luxurious products from the pure gastronomy of Bordeaux that we were able to share on our Christmas tables but that we continue to consume throughout the winter for a typically Bordeaux season.

Caviar and truffles, the “black gold” of our Bordeaux gastronomy

A product of Bordeaux luxury gastronomy par excellence, Aquitaine caviar has returned to our tables in force in recent years.

In 2000, overexploitation of caviar-producing species and pollution caused the collapse of production in the Caspian Sea and the disappearance of wild caviar. As a result, in the 21st century, Aquitaine has become the world’s leading producer of quality farmed caviar. A famous Bordeaux legend says that a rich Russian lady educated the Aquitains to cultivate and taste the caviar. In fact the sturgeon has always been produced in Aquitaine for its flesh and the precious sturgeon eggs where fed to… the hens and porcs.

The second world war stopped the caviar-producing in France. It was reintroduced in the 80’s. Today the gustative quality of our caviar is recognized world-wide even if it is mostly consumed in France that is the world’s second-largest caviar consumer after Russia.

Cultivated in fish farms or ponds, the quality of the water in which the sturgeons grow is of prime importance. A water environment free of nitrate, pesticides, fungicides and other pollutants undeniably improves its gustatory qualities and its length in the mouth.

Perfect for a refined and luxurious meal, as an appetizer, with a spoon, accompanied by blinis or miniature buckwheat pancakes or as an accompaniment to seafood, all our great chefs know how to sublimate this exceptional dish. You can be creative without fear of distorting its exceptional taste. 

The truffle is an even rarer gourmet product in our region and is seasonal. It is chosen with care on its appearance and nose of course. It is advisable to find certified producers so as not to have any surprises on quality and price. You can find them on the best truffle markets of the Périgord in particular. Take the time to observe, smell and learn about the producers. They will be delighted to inform you and don’t hesitate to ask for the certifications issued.

For my part, I prefer to put it thinly sliced on a small slice of butter or olive oil spread. It is perfect to accompany pasta and eggs. It can be savoured cooked inside a thin flaky pastry or to perfume your poultry by slipping it under their skin before cooking…  

As for the accompanying wines, for me it will be Vodka of course for caviar and a Pomérol in red wine or a Condrieu de la Vallée du Rhône in white wine for the truffle.

Salmon and seafood

The caviar will accompany as well and richly smoked salmon with a small spoonful of fresh cream as seafood such as oysters and scallops.

It may seem strange to our guests from other countries, but for My Gourmet Tours and the Bordeaux people a fresh oyster platter for the aperitif or as a starter on our festive menus is a must. Especially as we have the best oyster beds in the world only one hour from the city. If you prefer them cooked, try preparing them with champagne sabayon.

We favour seasonal products and scallops, such as oysters, are a popular, high season choice for an appetizer menu.

Our white wines from Bordeaux, Entre Deux Mers or Graves will be perfect to accompany these gourmet dishes.

Foie Gras is a must-have specialty of Aquitaine and another must-have addition to our list of delicacies.

Produced mainly in winter, it is not only a seasonal product but an absolute must for most family and festive meals as an aperitif or starter.

Prepared in a terrine and served with a thin slice of toast, fig or onion confit or prepared in a court bouillon and served with its broth and seasonal vegetables, it is always welcome.

My Gourmet Tours prefers whole duck or goose liver, of the highest quality, produced by our producers in the Landes or Périgord. 

Sweet or sweet wines go best with foie gras, either a semi-sweet Coteaux du Layon or a very sweet Sauternes depending on your palette.

Turkey or Capon and of course Chestnuts!

If turkey is not at all synonymous with festive meals in France, you will still find it on the tables of many families but we advise you to try the Capon (a castrated cockerel to improve its flavour) as we think it is more succulent and richer in taste.  Whatever your choice, don’t forget to prepare a traditional chestnut stuffing from our regions.

 Guinea fowl, pheasant, goose and quail are all popular choices, as are game meat such as deer and wild boar.

When indulging in Bordeaux gastronomy, don’t forget that the Bordeaux wine on our tables is just as important as the food! A good bottle of red Bordeaux wine goes perfectly with everything!

 Treat yourself and consume seasonal products throughout the year. Also come and discover ideas during our gourmet walks in Bordeaux, the capital of our best products and wines of the region.

 And above all, MY GOURMET TOURS wishes you all a happy new taste year accompanied by our fine Bordeaux wines!

Et surtout MY GOURMET TOURS vous souhaite à tous une belle et heureuse année gustative accompagnée de nos beaux vins de Bordeaux !