Gastronomy

Spicing up traditions

Brittany is famous for crêpes served with cider, seafood washed down with Muscadet wine and top-class veg and butter. But Breton cuisine is open to novelty. The region’s algae are being employed more and more in cooking and the use of exotic spices has made the name of some of Brittany’s finest restaurateurs, led by that culinary alchemist, Olivier Roellinger, based at Cancale.

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Crêpes all round 

Crêperies, serving delicious, thin Breton pancakes, are often charming, on the cheaper side, and easy options for children and vegetarians. The word galette most often applies to savoury pancakes, while the word crêpe indicates a sweet pancake, although it can be used for the savoury variety too. Increasingly experimental fillings have appeared on crêperie menus, but in olden days a dash of butter was the best a child could hope for.

Buttery delights 

Butter features large in the region’s cuisine. Breton beurre is highly regarded in the culinary world, and often comes flavoured with the local sea salt. Brittany’s very buttery biscuits and cakes are intense in flavour, from crunchy galettes (here, round biscuits), via slow-melting gâteau breton, to gooey kouign aman, the last dripping with butter. In contrast, crêpes dentelles are the lightest of biscuits.

Fruits of the sea 

Fruits de mer is the French term for seafood, and Brittany is renowned for producing the finest. The oysters of Cancale and Bélon, the mussels of the Bay of Mont-St-Michel and the Vilaine estuary, all have the highest reputation. Exciting trips show you how the watery farming works. The freshest fish and shellfish are commonly found across the region making the ports great, bustling places to visit. To accompany such excellent ingredients, many of Brittany’s chefs also have meltingly wonderful sea views to offer you at their restaurants.

Did you know ? 

Algae are being increasingly used in Breton cooking. You’ll find a whole range of products ‘aux algues’ and algae fillings in crêpes.