Cuisine and specialties of Nord-Pas-de-Calais

TheNord-Pas-de-Calais cuisineis a French regional cuisine, whose specialties are largely inherited from thecounty of Flanders. The region has always been at an intersection of Europe, and traces of itshistorycan be found in its specialties, such as the English influence on theCôte d'Opale, ordishes of Polish originin themining basin.
Nord-Pas-de-Calaisis a major agricultural and dairy farming region, and a producer ofcheeses, including the most famous,Maroilles, which is used in a variety offlamiche. Its coastline is home to France's largest fishing port,Boulogne.
Between land and sea, its primary products areherring,rabbit,potatoesandbeer. Historically, this is a cuisine based onbutterorlard, with little use ofoil. It is characterized, among other things, by bitter-sweet flavors, such as those of braisedchicory, beer cooking, orcoffee chicory.
In 2023, Hauts-de-France was awarded the "European Region of Gastronomy" label.
The region was already known for its agriculture when it was part ofGallia Belgica.Plinycites the great variety of vegetables grown:onions,cabbages, andbroad beans, as well as different varieties ofappletrees. Vast expanses ofeinkorn wheatandbarleywere used to make bread, as well as cervoise.Sea saltworks along the coast produced this product used topreserve meatand fish:Menapiiham, salted or smoked, was renowned and imported as far away asRome.
In theMiddle Ages, theregion was Christianized, and theabbeysbecame the owners of much of the land and organized its exploitation.Titheswere paid in goods - for example, inMaroilles cheese, created around 960 A.C. by the abbey of the same name,whose "edict of the pastures" imposed affinage on every cow owner.
As early as the 11th century, the construction of dykes protected the coastline and created the firstpolders; in the 12th century, their drainage through thewateringssystem enabled new land to be reclaimed from the sea for livestock breeding, cultivation, and fish farming.
TheCatholic Churchrequired the practice ofLenton about 166 days a year;as a result, herring was abundantly consumed by the people, makingBoulogne-sur-Meran important fishing port. The regular size of the fish meant that it was used as a unit of payment for seigniorial rents or royalties, or for tithe payment.
Thegrapevine, acclimatized by theRomans, remained cultivated until theLittle Ice Age, but its production was very uneven;it also providedverjuiceto accompanydishes. Beer remained the popular drink, while the courts of Flanders and Artois importedwine from BurgundyandArbois,and abbeys owned vineyards in other regions.
In theMiddle Ages,Artoiswas the region's granary, and bread remained an important part of the diet. After theBlack Deathof the 14th century, during thecrisis of the late Middle Ages, the population was reduced by a third, and agriculture began a slow transformation. New crops were introduced (peas,turnips, etc.), with some regional specialization and diversification intobocageandgrazingactivities.
From the 9th to the 17th century, the region was part of theKingdom of France, theBurgundian, and then theSpanish Netherlands, with some towns passing from one to the other on several occasions or, likeCalais, being English possessions. Cuisine, likeregional culture, has therefore been influenced by many factors.
TheCounts of Artoisand theDukes of Burgundyheld memorable feasts such as the 1454Feast of the PheasantinLille, or those at Château d'Hesdin, featuring roast poultry in multicolored jellies, fountains of fruit juices, and live entertainment. Their cooks left nocookery books,butVivendierwas used, inspired byViandier de Taillevent, which already contained the recipe forpotjevleesch.
In the major cloth-producing towns, thebourgeoisiealso held banquets of this kind, such as those held annually on the Fête de l'Épinette in Lille.
Some recipes by Hotin, cook to the "seigneur de Roubaix",appear in a version ofLe Ménagier de Paris. Both sweet and savorytartsfeature prominently; in the 16th century, flamiches were cheese tarts made with bread dough, while goyère was a sweetwhite cheesetart.
According to La Bruyère Champier, during the 16th century, "in Artois and Hainault, ordinary food was dairy and butter, because the country has abundant pastures; and pork, because it is easy to fatten this animal; as well as pastries, which excel in diversification and are the main table honors".
After the discovery of theNew World, newvegetableswere slowly introduced and, at first, tomatoes were only cultivated as an ornamental plant;turkeys, on the other hand, were appreciated from the outset,with thePremonstratensiansof Licques Abbey raising them as early as the 17th century.
Coffeewas introduced in the 17th century and became a popular product with theIndustrial Revolution, as a hot drink to keep you awake during a long working day. InGerminal,Zoladescribes it as a basic necessity, second only to bread.
In the early 19th century,continental blockageled to the development ofsugar beetcultivation to compensate for the lack ofcane sugar. It was also at this time thatchicorybegan to be roasted, in the absence of coffee. Around 1850, the city of Lille began to growbarbe de capucin, the ancestor of chicory.
Beer production in the abbeys gradually declined in the region, withTrappistssettling instead just over the border inChimay,Westvleteren, andOrval.It gave way to numerous artisanal breweries, reaching about a thousand in the early 19th century,and almost two thousand in the first half of the 20th. The number ofestaminetsalso increased, as they were the ideal places for workers to relax.To distract them,allotment gardenswere created at the instigation ofLemire abbey; thecoronsalso had gardens, where miners grew vegetables and raised poultry or rabbits for feast days.
Despite rapid industrialization, agriculture remained dynamic.Potato cultivationdeveloped to cope with the population boom; the popular diet consisted ofsoups,vegetable stews, anddairyproducts since meat was too expensive.By the end of the 19th century, working-class children were chronically undernourished, especially those in the textile industry.Hygienists encouraged the consumption ofhorsemeat, which was presented as healthy and inexpensive.Meat, particularly in the form ofcharcuterie, only became more common on the working-class table at the end of the 1920s, between the rationing of the two world wars.
For wealthier circles, the standard of gastronomy at the time remained Parisian cuisine: when tourism began to develop on theOpal Coast, regional cuisines were not popular, hence special trains were used to transport cooks and other hotel staff to holiday resorts such asLe Touquet.
Just as in the rest of France, eating habits in Nord-Pas-de-Calais changed from the late 1960s onwards.Cradle of modern French mass retailing, the region also saw the emergence of fast-food chains such asFlunchin 1971, andPaul bakeries, which aimed for a higher standard of quality. Most meals, however, were eaten at home, with the family.
In family cooking, oil was still used very little, but margarine, which has long been held in low esteem, replaced lard as a substitute for butter.The habit of eating soup in the evening fell into disuse; the region produces many vegetables, but Northerners eat very little of them: less than two fruits or vegetables a day among two-thirds of young adults.
French fries are widely consumed,and thebaraque à fritesremains a regional specialty. In the 2000s, there were around 300 in the region, compared with almost 8,000 previously. In the 21st century, despite some communes prohibiting them, the business was integrated into buildings in certain neighborhoods.InLens,France'sfirstdrive-throughfriterie opened in 2012.
The region remains one of the world's leading beer consumers, but young people are turning away from this beverage, which was mainly enjoyed by adults, and turning to sodasand, occasionally,premixes.Daily consumption remains high, however, particularly among men over 55.
Culinary traditions persist to a greater extent during the festive season: pastries for the end-of-year festivities, orcroustillonsfor ducasses. They have also renewed: the tradition of mussels and French fries at the Lille braderie dates from the 1970s,as does that of herring throwing at theDunkirk carnivalin 1962.One of the most recent is the International Soup Festival inWazemmes, a reminder of the region's multiculturalism.
Nord-Pas-de-Calais remains a major agricultural region,characterized by highlyintensive farmingand large-scale crops (cereals,beet,potatoes, etc.) that take up a large part of the landscape.
The region supplies one third ofFrance's potato production:
The region ranks third in France for vegetable production:
In 2012, theport of Boulogne-sur-Merwas still France's leadingfishing port, handling just over 36,000 tonnes of fish.Herring, which has made Boulogne-sur-Mer such a success, comes in a wide range of specialties, originally used to preserve herring: salted and smoked (kippersandbuckling), pickled (rollmops)or canned (pilchards).
Meat is also preserved in various charcuterie specialties, includinghorsemeat, consumed in large quantities in theNord-Pas-de-Calaisregion,where the flagship product is horse sausage.
Chicken fromLicqueshas been aLabel Rougesince 1979.
Specialities include:
Made famous by the filmBienvenue chez les Ch'tis,frikandelis ameatballshaped like a sausage, characteristic offriteries.
The Nord-Pas-de-Calais region offers a wide range ofcheeses, most of them made from cow's milk.The most famous are:
The sugar used in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region comes frombeets; production began in the early 19th century, following thecontinental blockage,and expanded rapidly,enabling chocolate factories to diversify.
Even today, theNord-Pas-de-Calaisregion is not left behind when it comes to confectionery: one in every four French sweets comes from this region.This is thanks largely to Lutti, the second biggest brand in France, which has its main production site inBondues.
In addition to the specialities already mentioned, some are less well known outside the region, such as :
There are three meals a day in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region; similar to Belgium and some French provinces, they are called "déjeuner" (breakfast), "dîner" (lunch), and "souper" (dinner).
Breakfast often consists of a cup of coffee, black or with milk, with a slice of bread. For example,faluche, a soft bread fromNord-Pas-de-Calais, is eaten at lunchtime, or as a snack, withbutterorbrown sugar.Mont des Cats, a mild cheese, can also be eaten first thing in the morning,while Maroilles is less common.
Nord-Pas-de-Calais cuisine is based on butter,with oil rarely used except forvinaigrette.Lard, which was used for cooking,is also sometimes eaten simply spread on bread, under the Flemish name ofsmout.
Maroilles cheese is also used in cooking. A dish often found in the region is a piece ofbeef(steakorentrecôte), accompanied by a Maroilles sauce. Other typical dishes include tarte au maroilles and goyère deValenciennes.
Potatoes are often served alongside dishes;French friesare prepared in the Belgian style, cooked twice inbeeffat or oil.
Regional cuisine includes manyFlemishdishes, such aswaterzooï,hochepotorpotjevleesch, a typicalDunkirkdish made with a mixture of meats in jelly.Endive(called "chicon" in the region) is also one of the region's emblematic vegetables, representing 90% of national production,and is used in the recipe for chicon au jambon.
Sweet and savory flavors are appreciated here: prunes or baked apples can accompany white meats; reinette apples are used with light brown sugar in Flemish-style red cabbage,whileflemish stewis cooked with brown sugar andpain d'épices.
The Flemish influence can be seen in beer-flavored dishes such as coq à la bière, where the bitterness of the beer is often softened by a sweet taste, like thepain d'épicesin Flemish stew, or the fruit in lapin à la tournaisienne (rabbit with prunes). These dishes, especially those featuring rabbit, are typical of festive occasions.
Other influences are also present: in Boulogne-sur-Mer or Calais,welsh rarebit, originating inWales, has become a regional specialty.
Beer is also used asyeastin beignetsand couquebaques, Flanders'crêpesà la bière,as well as in thedoughused to make flamiches.
Besides herring, which we've already mentioned, seafood is a major component ofCôte d'Opalecoastal cuisine.
Mussels are a speciality of the Boulonnais and Calais regions, prepared inmarinaraor with a dash of vinegar, and often accompanied by French fries as inBelgium. Mussels can be found in fish recipes "à la boulonnaise", in caudière (afish soupmade by the fishermen of Étaples), and in cream of cauliflower with mussels (a speciality ofAudomar).
Seafood and white fish cassolette.
Fish is generally served with steamed potatoes. Chicon is also popular, served raw in a salad withbuckling, or braised in a casserole withfish and scallops.
The origins of Dunkirk's specialties are Flemish.Grey shrimpsare prepared ascroquettes, but more often served plain, with a buttered toast.Finally,waterzooïis a fish and vegetable dish with a cream sauce, which can also be prepared with chicken.
One of the most popular familydessertsin the North of France is the tart, traditionally made withyeast dough. It can be a simpleapple, prune orrhubarbtart, but local specialties include:
Northerners are avid consumers ofcoffee, enjoyed as a strong beverage, often containingchicory; coffee that is too light is known by the pejorative term "chirloute". It is consumed sweetened "à la sucette", i.e. by taking alump of sugarin the mouth and drinking the coffee over it.
There are around 25coffee roastersin the region, and the local taste is of a medium roast, "monk's robe" color.
Consumption ofchicory coffeedeveloped in the early 19th century, following thecontinental blockade; Nord-Pas-de-Calais supplies 95% of French production, and the Leroux chicory company is the world's leading producer.Chicory is usually added to ground coffee for breakfast, but can also be consumed without the addition of coffee.
Along withAlsace,Nord-Pas-de-Calais isone of two French regions where locally produced beer remains a traditional beverage. Northerners drink regional orBelgian beers, whose distinctive feature is that they generally have a fairly highalcohol content(around 7-10% vol.).
The region still hosts around twenty breweries,whose best-known beers are the "bière de garde":Jenlain, 3 Monts, Goudale and Ch'ti. Other beers with more local distribution are also well known: these include Grain d'Orge, Abbaye de Lille, Angelus, Munsterbräu, Page 24, Hommelpap, La Choulette, Moulins d'Ascq, Bavaisienne and Bracine, as well as extra-strong beers such as Bière du Démon and Belzébuth. Beer is also used as an ingredient in numerous culinary recipes.
Picon, the bitter-sweet aperitif liqueur that accompanies beer, is not a regional product, but the Nord region is one of its main consumers, along with Alsace.It is often drunk mixed with beer (Picon-bière as an aperitif).
Jenever, astrong liquormade fromeau de vieand flavored withjuniperberries, is also typical of the region: "sweet, strong and spicy", in the words of food criticGilles Pudlowski.In the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, the custom of pouring a little intocoffeeis known as "bistouille".
Many local producers have obtained recognition for the quality of their products through Label Rouge, AOC or PDO certification.
Licquespoultry, for example, has been aLabel Rougesince 1979.Smoked garlic from Arleux has benefited fromPGIsince 2013.
Following the disappearance of theNord-Pas-de-Calaisregional label in 2002, a regional collective brand called Saveurs en'Or was created in September 2004, to promote products from the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region.It distinguishes products with bothLabel RougeandProtected Geographical Indication (PGI)status.
Nord-Pas-de-Calais cuisine is often overlooked inFrench gastronomy, even though certain products such as Houlle jenever and Cambrai bêtises have been listed amongTrésors gourmands de la France.
Estaminets, which were very numerous beforeWorld War I, have experienced a revival since the 1990s. Once simplecafés, they remain convivial places where regional specialties are revisited.
Ghislaine Arabian, for example, earned two stars from theMichelin GuideforRestaurant à Lille, which features a menu devoted to cuisine à la bière, before moving to Paris to offer this regional cuisine.
InBusnes, Marc Meurin's cuisine based on regional products at his restaurantLe Meurinalso earned him two macaroons in 2013.
In 2023, Hauts-de-France was awarded the "European Gastronomy Region" label by the International Institute of Culture, Gastronomy, Art, and Tourism.