Must try foods in Lorraine: Mirabelle, Quiche, Wine and More
Last Updated on 27th November 2023 by Sophie Nadeau
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Lorraine is a region that is steeped in history, full of culture and where plenty of French delicacies are produced and grown. From the sweet to the savoury, here’s a selection of the very best of must try foods in Lorraine.
I first visited the former French administrative region of Lorraine several years ago, though I’ve been eating goodies that originate from here for most of my life! While some food stuffs might surprise you, others you’ll be surprised to discover come from the region.
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Must try foods in Lorraine:
Tarte à la Mirabelle
Mirabelle (a type of plum) is a particular speciality of Lorraine and plenty are grown in the region each year. In fact, Mirabelle has been a regional speciality since at least the 16th-century! As such, you’ll find plenty of Mirabelle themed products throughout the entirety of the area.
Baba Au Rhum
Also known as Baba Rum, this delicious dessert is typically created using a small yeast cake and some form of hard liquor (normally rum- as the name suggests). It’s thought that Baba Au Rhum was first introduced to France in Lorraine in the 18th Century thanks to exiled King of Poland, Stanislaus I.
The French patisserie who is credited with creating the French version of Baba au Rhum, Nicolas Stohrer, is the very same man who established the oldest running pastry shop in Paris, Stohrer on rue Montorgueil.
Liqueur de Mirabelle
This liqueur is good when drunk on its own, as well as when it’s used as part of a kir made of Mirabelle Liqueur and Moselle wine. Mirabelle Liqueur has an alcohol content of around 15% and is perfect when served chilled as an accompaniment to almost any meal.
Cheese from Lorraine
France is the cheese capital of the world and you can find unique, quirky and unusual cheese in almost every region. And Lorraine is no different. Head to the region to sample Mossa Cheese (made in the Fromagerie Abbaye de Vergaville, this cheese is waxy, best served fresh and not dissimilar from mozzarella.), Petit Gris (an unpasteurized goat’s milk cheese made in the Vosges.), and Munster (this soft cheese is made from a recipe that dates all the way back to the time of Charlemagne and is made from unpasteurized cow’s milk).
While in Lorraine, make sure to also check out some Brie de Meaux AOC. Although this cheese actually originated from Meaux, a small commune just outside Paris, much of the production of this popular cheese now takes place in the Meuse area of France.
Quiche Lorraine
If you’re a meat eater, then there is no better place to enjoy a Quiche Lorraine than in the area of France it’s named after, Lorraine. However, if you head to the region in search of a bacon and cheese concoction, then be prepared to be disappointed! Instead, an authentic Quiche Lorraine is typically made with lardons, cream and no cheese!
Bouchée à la Reine
Again, if you’re a meat eater, then this savoury main is a shell of puff pastry with cream sauce and chicken. I’m told that it’s delicious if you enjoy rich dishes that are full of flavour and traditional ingredients…
Dragées de Verdun
The sweet treat, otherwise known as ‘Dragée’ was actually invented in Meuse, Verdun in the 13th Century. An apothecary was looking for a way to preserve almonds in a way which would allow them to keep good for longer, all the while preserving the flavour.
The result was a hard crunchy shell made of sugar and an interior of almonds or similar products. Today, Dragées are a special French delicacy, typically reserved for weddings, christenings and communions.
Although they were originally made with just an almond core, now dragées are produced with a variety of centres, including sweets, chocolates and other confectionery pieces. If you’re even more interested in this Lorraine food, then you can even head to the Dragées Braquier Factory to sample and purchase more sweets for yourself.
Macarons de Nancy
Of course, you can’t visit France and not try (at least one or two) macarons. And a visit to the Lorraine, in the Grand-Est region of France, is no different. The best spot to find macarons in Lorraine can be found in Nancy, though they’re pretty good in almost any patisserie in the area!
Madeleine
These sweet treats are a small traditional cake from Commercy, a tiny town in the North of Lorraine. This smooth, soft cake is typically baked with orange blossom and is often taken as an afternoon ‘goûter’ with coffee or tea.
Charmoy Blonde Beer
Beer is a local speciality of the Lorraine region and at the turn of the 20th Century, Lorraine was the third largest beer producing region in France (after Alsace and Nord-Pas-de-Calais).
Sadly, many of the local breweries in Lorraine were shut down, closed or destroyed during the First and Second World Wars. Although the region has just one major brewery left, that of Champigneulles, there are now plenty of microbreweries and brewpubs springing up all over the region.
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