A variety of dwarf French bean. Very thin, straight and fairly juicy. Best are French grown varieties from May to late August in Roussillon, Rhône Valley.
In France, the expressions ‘fines’ and ‘spéciales’ when applied to oysters describe oysters of a certain desirable weight and dimension, carrying a guarantee of a good meat to shell ratio. Claires are special pens in which oysters are fattened during their growing season and provide oysters of good flavour. ‘Fines de claires’ thus have a guarantee of flavour and weight.
Fines herbes refers to selected herbs seen as indispensable in cooking and mixed together. The mixture may include parsley, thyme, bay leaf, chives, tarragon and chervil.
Finistère is a province of France, from the Latin for the "ends of the earth" (finis = end, terre = earth).
Twaite shad or gizzard shad from a family of white, migratory fish. The shad is a bony, tasty, oily fish similar to herring, which travels up rivers in spring and is found in deep lakes. In France it is found in the Gironde where it is often grilled over vine shoots or stuffed with sorrel, and in the Loire, where it may be stuffed with beurre blanc. The roe is a great delicacy and shad is also used raw in sushi. Members of the family include Allis shad (Alosa alosa) and the smaller twaite shad or gizzard shad (Alosa fallax).
