Vineyards in Givry, Cote Chalonnaise, Bourgogne

France has issued many stamps on food (not foodstamps!) on her own gastronomy for quite some time including the new series will be issued on April 25th and wil be printed in the form of mini-sheets dedicated to a particular region with stamps, pics and explanations.
As for stamps issued since the firts stamp in 1849, quite a few were issued with wine as a theme:

Clos Vougeot in Bourgogne, probably the most famous wine of Bourgogne. They also have shares in the glorious Romanee Conti!

Vignobles de Champagne/Champagne Vineyards
Do I have to introduce the bubbly wines of Champagne? LOL

Vignobles du Beaujolais/Beaujolais Vineyards
Beaujolais is both famous for 10 great vintages and notorious for Beaujolais Nouveau, a crass success story, if there is one (don’t start shooting!)!

Vendanges/Grapes Harvest!

The next posting will be about cheese!

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Must-see tasting websites:
-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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France has issued many stamps on food (not foodstamps!) on her own gastronomy for quite some time.
A new series will be issued on April 25th and wil be printed in the form of mini-sheets dedicated to a particular region with stamps, pics and explanations.
With the twenty-second of these sheets I’d like to introduce is Rhone-Alpes.

Rhone-Alpes is an administrative regions in France whose history is both ancient and new.
Rhone stands for the Rhone River which flows through Switzerland before taking a 90 degree turn towards the Mediterranean Sea. This region with the Saone River valley is the true start of France with a 2,500 plus year old history.
On the other hand, part of the Alpes/Alps, including Mont Blance was still Italian until the French governement bought it in the second half of the XIXth century!

It is an extremely rich region and the present sheet does not do it justice.
You can see:
-Fondue which shares its origins with Switzerland and French Jura. Originally a poorman’s winter fare invented by shepherds, it has expanded behind the French borders as a culinary specialty.
-Boucho restaurants in Lyon were originally inns where the wife was cooking and the husband serving. There are only under 20 authentic ones left in Lyon.

Naturally the region is deservedly famous for its many wines, cheeses and spirits distilled by monks in mountain monasteries.
Withe bourgogne it accounts for half of the best restaurants in France.
It is also the land of winter sports with already two Olympic Games staged there!

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Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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日本語のブログ
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France has issued many stamps on food (not foodstamps!) on her own gastronomy for quite some time.
A new series will be issued on April 25th and wil be printed in the form of mini-sheets dedicated to a particular region with stamps, pics and explanations.
With the twenty-first of these sheets I’d like to introduce is Pyrenees.

The Pyrenees is the area bordering the mountains separating France from Spain. My own mother came from the Gers near Auch.
In this particular case we talk about the area stretching from the south of the Central mountains to the Basque shores.
A rugged land with rugeed people, it is the land of rugby players.
No wonder people have some of the biggest appetites in France!

This sheet shows an interesting specialty: Gateau a la Broche, a soft cake cooked around a spit over a hot fire. Only takes a few hours to make!
Cheese, especially ewe cheese has to be tasted. In Basque country, they serve it in thin slices with cherry jam!
There are many succulent almost wines to be discovered along with foie gras.
Chocolate was first introduced to France by Basque sailors as well as chili peppers which are presently known as Espellettes.
Cassoulet is another specialty for big appetites. It takes at least four hours to cook the beans with tomatoes and pork (or duck, or goose)!

It is also the land of the Cathares which were wiped out during the Albigeois Crusade. Innumerable castles are still there to be seen along the mountains. Artists will be interested to know that Toulouse-Lautrec was born in Albi, not far from Toulouse!

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Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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日本語のブログ
—————————————-

France has issued many stamps on food (not foodstamps!) on her own gastronomy for quite some time.
A new series will be issued on April 25th and wil be printed in the form of mini-sheets dedicated to a particular region with stamps, pics and explanations.
With the twenty-first of these sheets I’d like to introduce is Provence-Cote d’Azur.

Provence is called such because it was the first “provincia/colony” officially recognized by the Roman Empire. Cote d’Azur is called such for its blue skies altough Italy claims the same with justification. After all Nice was still Italian until the second half of the XIXthe Century!

On this sheet you can see culinary specialties univesally known:
-Bouillabaisse, although the original one was only fish soup served with toasts (and mayonnaise if your were lucky, as this was a poor man’s food!).
-Herbs of Provence both used for food and perfume.

Other produce include olive oils, lavender, thyme and other herbs, and wine of course.
This particular land was fought over the ages not so much for its wealth, but for its harbours and wood. The Roman in fact cut the whole forest extending all over it 2,500 years to build their ships.
Reforestation was only begun in very late XIXth century!

had it not been for its tourist industry that was launchd after WWII, it could have stayed one of the poorest regions of France!

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Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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日本語のブログ
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