First and foremost is the renowned (and rare) black truffle, sniffed out by trained pigs and shaved into dishes for a luxurious, heady twist. Other local delicacies include geese and duck in every guise, from magret to foie gras, while Toulouse is the home of the classic cassoulet.As far as cheeses are concerned, prestigious Roquefort, Bleu des Causses and the small, round, melt-in-the-mouth pebbles from Rocamadour vie for attention on the cheese board, along with other cheeses made from goat, cow or ewe’s milk.

And to finish your meal, why not try a Gâteau à la broche (spit-roast cake) or Pastis gascon, with its extremely delicate layers of raised puff pastry? In the summer months, the sweet melons of Quercy and Lectoure provide a refreshing alternative.

---

The area is renowned for the “black wines” of Cahors and some particularly good white wines. The name
“black wine” dates back to the time when the local wine-growers heated some of the grape bunches or the ‘musts’, resulting in very dark wines.

A recent innovation is the ‘New Black Wine’, produced from 100% old Malbec vines in a similar fashion to the wines exported to England as long ago as the 13th Century. Most of the famous chateaux and local vineyards welcome visitors for guided tours of the vineyards and cellars, and offer wine tasting and an opportunity to purchase wines.

Further afield, world-famous Montbazillac, a sweet, perfumed white wine ideal with “foie gras” and desserts, is produced in the Bergerac area to the north-west.