My drink tips in Nouvelle-Aquitaine: from grape juice to Cognac
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I do not see drinks as a mere accompaniment: to me, they are as much a part of a meal as good bread or a carefully chosen product. In Nouvelle-Aquitaine, I like to start with what is simplest and most fitting. When I come back from a market, linger a little under the market halls, or stroll along the Garonne quays, I first think of the non-alcoholic glass that brings balance back to the table: a well-chilled local grape juice, or very lightly sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon, to keep the palate fresh without weighing the moment down. It is the kind of tip I also follow after a bike ride towards the Dune du Pilat or when I return from a windy beach: I want something clean, lively, and thirst-quenching, without breaking the rhythm. My engineering side also likes this simple logic: I look at the intensity of the dish, the temperature of the drink, and the acidity, then seek out the most obvious pairing—the one that truly lets what I am eating breathe. For an aperitif, I remain very attached to the region’s typical drinks because they reflect a genuine relationship with the table. A well-chilled Pineau des Charentes, for instance, works very well with a few walnuts, some Bayonne ham, or fish rillettes: I like it because it is indulgent without being heavy, and it whets the appetite without dulling it. If I move on to the meal, I think about the wine before I think about the setting: a Jurançon white with fish, a Bordeaux white with oysters, a supple red with grilled meat or a slow-cooked dish, and I can immediately tell whether the whole thing holds together. This is where my tips make sense in LaBouffe: I look for a drink that accompanies, enhances, and leaves room for flavours. And when I finish on a quieter note, I save Cognac or Armagnac for a slow, almost ceremonial moment—never to mask the taste of things, but to extend it. I come for what is real, not to perform an image, so I prefer a well-chosen glass, suited to the dish and the moment, over any kind of staging. Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health. Drink in moderation.
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Where: Nouvelle-Aquitaine