Day 26 – Exploring countryside Perigord

Happy birthday Bruce! Alan volunteers to drive again, much to Sue and my relief, and we head off for Sarlat. We drive through acres and acres of walnut trees – one of the main staples of the area. Of course we get lost a few times but by late morning we are wandering the fresh produce market – agog with all the fabulous cheeses, sausages, olives, and walnut products. We taste chocolate and caramel walnut pieces – mmm.


Sue and I have a little shop before we take toute directions around and around a few times and head off towards Lascaux caves. At Montignac, a town bizarrely festooned with plastic flower bunting for the local Miss Periogord 2010, we have lunch at a corner spot. Over to Sue our food writer:


“Lee and I have a duck salad - cured duck and duck gizzards plus walnuts and croutons on a bed of greens. Surprisingly tasty for 7.50 euros. Alan has endive salad with duck and a couple of cheeses.”


The caves are reproductions of the original caves discovered in 1940, which have animal illustrations over 17,000 years old. All rather mind boggling but a little claustrophobic for me.  We buy a present for James here.


Back at the farmhouse, with a few more meandering detours, we debrief with Larry in the courtyard before taking off for dinner at a restaurant below our local Hautefort castle.


Over to Sue again:


“We have complimentary pieces of cured duck with an aperitif (peach, apricot and pear). Lee chooses a bottle of Chateau Barotte – a light merlot style red. We all choose the 3-course formulae meal for 19 euros.


“We share the three entrees of pate de foix, rillard of duck and rabbit terrine. All are served on top of greens with little berry and citrus preserves. Excellent start to a great meal. Alan and Lee choose the lamb with a sauce of mushrooms, chestnuts and cream and I choose the confit duck leg. All served with jacket potatoes with vegetables including lightly battered zucchini.


“Alan and I choose the mixed plate of apple tart and walnut, chestnut and almond cake for dessert. A very light cake served with vanilla ice cream. Lee has fig and plum ice cream but thinks she would have preferred our dessert. The exquisite meal is completed with a complimentary raspberry liqueur.


“The total cost is 81 euros.”


Four English people are at the table opposite. They remind us of the crew from the English tv series 'New Tricks'. They are very jolly and have a chat with us before they leave. “ I love it here,” says one of the men, “I am constantly full of duck and goose fat.”