Loot from Salon Saveurs December 2005

1. A box of baby Bordeaux caneles from Lemoine.
According to my box, the canele recipe has been passed down for six generations in the Lemoine family.
2. 500g of chestnut honey and homemade pain d'epices from Baudat
According to Baudat, chestnut honey is rich in iron and calcium and marries well with goat cheese. My honey is collected in the Limousin region.
3. Young and old Ossau-Iraty, made on one of the 60 farms that from the Idoki network in France's Basque country
4. 500g of lentilles du Berry, not very far from Puy
5. 500 mL of Ruhlmann Gewurztraminer Vendange Tardive 2002
6. Madame Figaro

I tasted lots of savory and sweet spreads, many made with onions; young cognac; cheeses such as tomme de brebis, the Swiss tete de moine, parmigiano reggiano, among nameless others; coffee made with the new Lavazza Blue machine (with those stupid doses); honey--one that impressed me was the fir tree honey; oils--one unusual one was pumpkin seed oil which had a heavy, oily taste; different spreads made with the piment d'espelette, such as a sweet jam (too sweet); and various other goodies.