Ask anyone who grew up in the Touraine what their favourite local dish is and they will say rillettes de Tours (pulled pork terrine). Everyone was delighted that this regional delicacy was awarded Indication Geographique Protegee certification a few years ago. This means the authentic dish can only be made within a certain geographic area around Tours.
It is made from pork cooked slowly for many hours which is then pulled into strands by hand, mixed with simple seasonings and local Vouvray white wine then pressed into a terrine, all according to an age old recipe. Sometimes it is served scooped from a large terrine, sometimes it comes in little round pots. Real gourmands, like Balzac, who affectionately dubbed it 'brown jam', eat it with a spoon straight from the pot, although in restaurants it will be served with toast. An average of 300 tonnes are made annually by the 20 local certified artisanal producers. With the certification guaranteeing quality and authenticity, the producers are confidently expecting sales to increase in the future.
If you think this sounds delicious (it's a great alternative if you don't like liver patés) and would like to sample some yourself, please email us and we will design a day that includes gourmet treats.
To enquire about our private guided tours of chateaux, wineries, markets and more email us or use our contact form. More tour ideas can be found on the Loire Valley Time Travel website.