LET'S SMOKE IT

A local speciality in The Vosges is smoked meats of all kinds. What else would you expect in a land of forests. They have enough trees to smoke anything. We've tried many the various pork cuts - palette, jambonneau, poitrine, as well as poulet and the canard. They are all excellent. The poitrine fumé (belly pork) on the BBQ is amazing.

Smoked meats at a Saturday marché stall in Épinal

Another new favourite, whilst we are on food, is a cheese called Rondblond affine à la biere. A cricket ball sized beer washed cheese. Can't be bad. Look out for it in Waitrose!

A local seasonal speciality is the wild asparagus. It could be the same species as the Bath asparagus which was apparently introduced by the Romans who were also well entrenched in the Vosges.

Asperges sauvages