A town on the Mediterranean coast in Provence producing fine AOC red, white and rosé wines. The main grapes used are Mourvèdre, Grenache and Cinsaut which need masses of sun for ripening.
A linen-lined reed basket without handles used for raising bread by professional bread-makers. It can leave a distinctive pattern on the bread. It is also a type of fish tank.
A receptacle with holes in it used for storing fish in a tank, pulled up when the fish is needed for cooking. It is also a type of basket.
A small disc of semi-soft to soft cheese made with sheep’s, goat’s or cow’s milk, steeped in brandy or eau-de-vie, wrapped in dried chestnut or, occasionally, savory leaves and tied up with raffia. It has a creamy, white paste and a sticky rind under the leaves, which conserve the moisture. It is named after the market town of Banon in Haute-Provence and is made in Isère, Drôme and Vaucluse. This cheese is at its best from from May to November, is made with raw, whole milk and contains 45% fat (dry). The curds are uncooked and unpressed. It may be found in the following dimensions: 6-7 cm (2½") diameter x 2.5-3 (1") cm deep, weighing 90-120 g (3-5 oz). Affinage is from 2 weeks to 2 months. It has a sweet, nutty taste which becomes piquant as it ages. The variety of milks arises from the tradition of making Banon with sheep's milk in winter and spring, goat's milk (said to be the best) in summer and autumn (US: fall), with some cow all year round. Cow's milk now predominates this industrially produced cheese.
Strong, sweet red wines of good quality made from the Grenache grape in the vicinity of Banyuls-sur-Mer in Roussillon. It is also a Catalan fortified wine said locally to be the best wine to drink with chocolate.
