Normandy is known for its cider, but it’s also home to a wide variety of festivals and events. From food festivals to music festivals and a major film festival.
Historically Normandy has been a major centre for the production of faience or tin-glazed earthenware pottery. The city of Rouen is particularly well-known for its wares and the city’s potters have a long tradition of making highly skilled faience vessels.
Cider
Cider, like many other drinks, has an interesting history. The Celtic Gauls, a people that were later conquered by the Romans, are credited with bringing this drink to France in the first century BC. It has been a popular drink in the country ever since, and was also a favourite drink of the French king Charlemagne.
Traditionally, cider has been made from apples, although other fruit juices can be used as well. For example, some countries produce cider from pears. Other pome fruits, such as quince, can also be fermented to make a similar drink.
The term “cider” can refer to both cider and apple wine, and may be confusing to some people, especially if they’ve never tried it before. In the United States, “cider” is generally a term used for a type of apple wine, while in Europe, it’s a term used for cider produced from the traditional methode champenoise.
In Sweden, the term “cider” is restricted to cider with less than 15% juice. This is because it can have a high alcohol content and thus be harmful for consumers who suffer from diabetes or heart problems.
However, in some countries, such as Normandy, apple cider is made from traditional methods and can be sold without a label. It can be a light, fruity drink with less alcohol, or a fuller, drier cider with more sugar.
If you’re visiting the area of Normandy in France, try to go on a cider tour where you’ll see apple and pear orchards and learn about the production of cider. A tour will also allow you to taste different types of cider and apple juice.
You’ll also be able to visit several cider-producing companies. There are many small and larger producers to choose from and each has its own distinctive character.
Some of them offer tours of the factory, where you can learn about the process from start to finish. Other cider houses offer a tasting of their products.
There are several types of cider, including cidre brut, cidre doux and cidre demi-sec. The former is a lighter style, with 3-4deg alcohol and between 28g and 42g sugar per litre. It is tart and thurst quenching, while the latter is slightly drier with 4deg alcohol and less than 35g sugar per litre.
Lace
Lace is an embroidered fabric that can be machine or hand-made. It is a delicate and versatile material that has been around for centuries and is still used by fashion designers today.
There are a variety of different types of lace, including bobbin lace and needle lace. The former is typically a thinner fabric than the latter, which is more durable. The earliest lace was made from linen threads, but it soon changed to cotton and then synthetic fibers.
The process of lace making is extremely detailed and can take days to complete, depending on the type of lace. It is also a very expensive fabric to produce, so only rich people can afford it.
Lace-making is a very popular activity in Normandy and has been around since the 11th century. You can visit a lace museum in Bayeux and learn about the history of this unique tradition.
If you want to try your hand at lace-making, there are many courses available in the area. It can be a fun and rewarding experience, and is a great way to connect with local culture.
Often seen in the form of ruffles and ribbons, lace is a very elegant and timeless fabric that can be found on dresses, mantillas, hats, and even scarves. It is also a very soft and gentle fabric, which is why it is so popular with women.
There are a number of ways to make lace, but the most common is to use a needle and bobbin. This is a time-consuming and expensive process, but it can be a rewarding one.
It can be difficult to work with lace if you don’t have the right tools and equipment, so it’s important to purchase the correct supplies before you start. The lace-making industry is very important to the economy of Normandy, so it’s worth getting started if you are new to this craft.
You can learn how to make lace in a variety of ways, from reading patterns to watching videos online. You can also join a class and learn how to make lace from an experienced lacemaker.
Crepes
Crepes are a staple food in the region of Normandy and Brittany. They are a great way to enjoy a light meal or snack, and they also make a wonderful dessert.
While they are most commonly associated with Brittany, crepes can be found everywhere in the Normandy region. They can be eaten savory or sweet and are usually served with something tasty like ham, cheese, and eggs.
They can also be filled with anything from jam, to melted butter and sugar. They are a delicious treat, and they can be easily made at home.
You can find crepes in most French restaurants, but you can also make them yourself at home. You can use a variety of ingredients to make your crepes, including different kinds of flour, eggs, milk, and sugar.
Another type of crepe that can be made at home is the galette. They are similar to a pancake, but they are more thin and usually have a savory filling.
To make a crepe galette, place a bit of butter in a frying pan and heat it over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add a bit of crepe batter to the pan and swirl it around to spread evenly. When the crepe takes on some colour, flip it over to cook the other side.
If you are feeling hungry and want to try a savory crepe, one of the best places to go is La Cidrerie. It has a nice atmosphere and is located in a lovely little building. They serve up delicious crepes as well as homemade ciders.
This crepe shop is located in a quaint building in Honfleur, and they have a variety of crepes to choose from. They also have several types of ciders, and the service is warm and friendly.
The crepes are very tasty and they are very inexpensive, making them a good choice for those on a budget. You can also get a hot spiced cidre at this location, which is perfect for those who are looking for a warming drink during the colder months.
Festivals
Every year Normandy celebrates its rich cultural heritage and prestigious arts scene through a variety of festivals. From medieval fairs to annual gastronomic feasts, these events provide a unique opportunity to experience French culture and taste the region’s finest produce.
In early May, Rouen’s Medieval Market celebrates the folk heroine Jeanne d’Arc with parades and re-enactments of her famous siege. Throughout the summer towns put on Medieval fairs with a plethora of markets, feasts and games.
Bayeux is the home of a weekly farmers’ market in which local producers showcase their best produce. The stalls are stacked with local cheeses and ciders as well as meats, dairy products and jams. There are also calvados-spiked salted butter caramel sauce, wheels of local Camembert and melt-in-the-mouth apple-filled doughnuts called beignet aux pomme.
If you’re looking for a more spirited option, try Normandy’s celebrated hard cider–a lightly fizzed fermented amber concoction served in a corked bottle–which tastes of earth and festiveness. You can add a splash of the region’s revered calvados, a twice-distilled apple brandy, for even more zing.
The coastal town of Granville hosts a huge seafood festival in September, Toute la Mer sur un Plateau (‘The Whole Sea on a Plate’), which attracts over 55,000 visitors each year. Seafood markets, pop-up restaurants and cooking demos offer plenty of opportunities to eat your way around this popular port.
A few miles up the coast in Dieppe, a fabulous two day Herring and Coquille Saint-Jacques festival takes place on Nov. 13-14 2022 to celebrate the herrings that are so essential to the Alabaster Coast’s cuisine. This is a must-see for anyone who enjoys herring, scallops and other savoury dishes.
There are many other herring festivals around the Alabaster Coast, so check their websites to find one near you. You could also visit sun-baked Ceret in Roussillon to sample cherries or Itxassou, a basque village, for their garlic fair.
Oysters are another coveted ingredient of Normandy’s cuisine, with roughly a quarter of all oysters grown in France coming from the area. A visit to the town of Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, which is crowned France’s favourite oyster village, will allow you to sample the subtle, nutty flavour that makes these delicate shellfish so appealing. Oysters can be enjoyed raw with lemon juice or in a simple sauce, but the oyster farmers also produce a delicious range of cooked dishes too.