Each French region has its own greedy personality in terms of cakes and biscuits. To know why, we have to go back to the 19th century and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Follow us!
Under the influence of food habits and taste preferences of merchant bourgeoisies from Northern Europe ports, the recipes of biscuits in the North of France are marked by the use of imported "exotic" sugars (eg brown sugar) and spices (such as the Dutch specific mixture, composed of ginger, cinnamon and cardamom, which perfumes the famous Spéculos).
The East : pink biscuits, gingerbread and madeleine
The political history (presence of the Dukes of Burgundy and the King of Poland / Duke of Lorraine) and the German, Austrian and Polish influences explain the cultural importance of some biscuits in the East of France.
The West : pound cake, shortbread and other butter biscuits
The presence of many seaports (Bordeaux, Nantes, Saint-Malo) and the early industrialization of the region gave birth to a massive manufacturing of dry biscuits for sailors and merchants. Moreover, the recipes of Western France biscuits reveal the economic and cultural importance of butter for a region where the dairy farming is widely developed.
The South-East : olive oil, spices and chestnut floor
Largely influenced by the Southern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, South-East biscuits are prepared with spices (pepper, anise, coriander, cardamom, ginger, cloves, saffron and cinnamon) or flavored with almond and orange blossom water. The Southeast recipes are also characterized by the use of localized chestnut flour.
The recipes of biscuits in the South-West of France have been influenced by the maritime opening with the port of Bordeaux, where arrived vanilla and rhum cargo from islands, and the local maize production.
Sources : www.lesucre.com and www.biscuitsgateaux.com
