Exploring a region in a food and wine can teach you a lot about its culture and people. The culinary specialities of Picardy, from the Bay of the Somme to the borders of the Thièrache, are abundant and varied! Ignite your taste buds in the ancient capital Amiens, as well as the nearby towns of Aisne and Oise. It’s time to discover the wonderful gastronomy of Picardy in this special edition of savoury dishes!

The leek flamiche: the Picardy galette des rois

The traditional gastronomy of Picardy is renowned for its simple and seasonal dishes. One of them is leek flamiche, a savory pie dish popular with locals and tourists alike. Its two layers of puff pastry make this dish easy to make, while its leek fondue-based filling adds a delicious touch of flavor.

Gastronomy in Picardy has been shaped by its history and its environment, as evidenced by the timeless leek flamiche. First seen as a bread pancake with melted butter and old cheese in the Middle Ages throughout Northern Europe, this old dish eventually evolves into a savory pie filled with fresh pumpkin, sorrel or onion, delicious ingredients strongly associated with the local region. As one of Picardy’s oldest gastronomic specialties, this flamiche carries centuries of passion and flavor in every bite.

For those familiar with French gastronomy, this tart resembles the savory galette des rois, making it a great choice for any occasion!

The tasty ficelle picarde: one of the oldest dishes in the region

The gastronomy of Picardy is enriched by the presence of the Picardy string. This simple and inexpensive dish consists of a thin pancake filled with ham and mushrooms cooked in shallot. It is then toasted in the oven with crème fraiche and grated Gruyère, this mixture is known as duxelle. Interestingly, this recipe was created by chef Marcel Lefebvre in 1956 at a fair-exhibition in La Hotoie, making it one of the oldest traditional dishes in the region. Given that Picardy has many mushroom farms, it’s no surprise that this ingredient also features prominently in this recipe so loved by young and old alike!

Flavours of the Haute Somme in its smoked eel

For gastronomy lovers, they will be able to discover a real gastronomic experience in Picardy: the smoked eel! It is an amazing lucifugal fish that travels miles and miles to breed in the Sargasso Sea. The Haute Somme has been fishing for this particular species since 1383, thanks to its nine ponds. To this day, they are still smoked in the last eel smokehouse on the Somme, in Saint-Christ-Briost. Those looking for this dish can experience its local flavor by saving all the ancient techniques employed by local smokers. Many recommend going to taste this gastronomic masterpiece at the Vivier d’Omignon, where you will find eels that are proudly called “cacheux”.