Anjou is a region and former province roughly equivalent to Maine-et-Loire in north west central France, around Anger and Saumur. It is an important wine-growing area producing Anjou rosé or Rosé d’Anjou, Anjou Gamay, Anjou Mousseux etc (all AC) as well as many wines under their own AC (e.g. Coteaux du Layon, Saumur). Whites are made from Chenin Blanc grapes and reds from Cabernet Franc. Famous for charcuterie, such as rillettes, white puddings and gogues, poultry and fish from the Loire and green cabbages. It is also a variety of pear.
A large chunky winter pear with a greenish skin which turns yellow as the fruit ripens. It is often russeted. Flesh is juicy and sweet. Best for dessert and culinary purposes. It is also a province in north eastern France.
A ring of soft, salty cheese with a hole in the middle, made with goat's milk. It has a white paste and slightly blue mould rind, sometimes coated in charcoal. It is made on farms in Foix in the Pyrenees. This modern cheese is at its best in spring and summer, is made with raw milk. The curds are uncooked and unpressed and it contains 45% fat (dry). It may be found in the following dimensions: 10cm (4") diameter x 2 cm (¾") deep, weighing 200-250 g (7-9 oz). Affinage is at least ten days. The cheese us well-flavoured with a nutty taste and looks slightly crude and home-made.
A wheel of hard cheese made with cow's milk. A Raclette-type cheese, it is from the Alps near Valais.
A disc of mild, firm cheese made with sheep or goat’s milk. It has a supple paste and a smooth, pale brushed rind. It is made on mountain farms in the Var valley high above Nice in Provence. This cheese is at its best in summer and contains 45% fat (dry). The curds are uncooked and pressed. It may be found in the following dimensions: 16 cm (6½") diameter x 5 cm (2") deep, weighing 625 g - 995 g (1lb 7oz - 2 lb 10oz). Affinage is usually 2 months.
Custard apple. Sitaphal. A tropical fruit which comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. When buying choose very soft fruits indeed. The skin of all of them is green or purplish-green and scaly, almost fir-cone patterned, in appearance. Inside, the flesh is creamy in colour and consistency, but has to be sucked from the shiny black seeds. The flesh has a sweet-sour flavour, sometimes slightly custardy and larger ones have the luscious and complex taste of banana, mango and vanilla. They are often made into fritters, or sliced and steeped in wine. The custard apples include cherimoyas, sweet sops, sour sops and atemoyas.
