Monday, 1 May 2023

Medieval Street Food

Rue du four banal, Le Grand Pressigny, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
Rue du four banal, Le Grand Pressigny.

Yesterday was the Foire du Four Banal in Le Grand Pressigny. Basically it is just a brocante (flea market), which I wasn't at all interested in, with the special attraction of firing up the medieval four banal (community bread oven) and making the local street food delicacy, fouées, which I was interested in.

Four banal, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
The four banal is housed in a small building under the chateau ramparts.

Fouées are the local Touraine version of pita bread, that is to say, they are small, soft, stuffed flat breads. Medieval in origin, they were originally made at either the beginning or the end of a baking session, when the big brick wood fired four banaux (communal bread ovens) were either heating up or cooling down. If baked at the beginning of a session, they allowed the baker to judge the temperature of the oven. Generally they are cut open and stuffed with rillettes, to be eaten while still warm.

Four banal, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
The four banal.

The reknowned gourmande Rabelais (a local boy) describes them as being made from water, egg yolks, saffron and spices.

Four banal, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
The interior of the four banal building.

Four banal, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
One of the local bakers, giving his time to bake fouées.

Fouées proving, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
Fouées proving.

Making fouées at a fair, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
Another local baker who was giving his time to bake fouées.

Fouées, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
Fouées.

1 comment:

Le Pré de la Forge said...

Baker's... local to where? Not Grand Pressigny.... well, the first one was... he's been retired for 15 years.... all the stuff in the bakery then was "fait maison" and superb... the second lot were nice, keen, but all but the bread was bought in... and his bread was the most "religious" I have ever come across. Now we've got proper boulangers again... all is in house and very good....
Don't recognise the guy who's just got out of bed.....

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