Ardèche, France

France

The Ardèche is a mountainous department in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region of south-central France. Chestnut forests blanket the hillsides. Granite plateaus rise above deep river gorges. The climate is continental at altitude, Mediterranean in the southern lowlands. Pigs here fed on chestnuts and acorns for centuries, producing meat with a particular sweetness. The dry mountain air, cold winters, and stone-walled cellars create ideal conditions for curing sausages. The department capital is Privas. Since 2010, the European Union protects the name 'Saucisson de l'Ardeche' with an IGP label.

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Sausages from Ardèche, France

Saucisson Sec de l'Ardèche

Ardèche, France

A dry-cured pork sausage from the mountains of the Ardèche, south-central France. Coarse-chopped pork from local breeds goes into natural casings with salt, black pepper, and garlic. Some producers add a measure of red wine. The sausages hang in cool mountain air for four to eight weeks, developing a white Penicillium bloom on the exterior. Since 2010, the IGP label protects the name. Sliced thin for apéritif, packed into picnic baskets, or laid across a charcuterie board, this saucisson carries the terroir of chestnut-covered hills and granite plateaus.

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