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Village life
Before refrigerators and because of the high summer temperatures it was impossible for villagers to keep meat, and vegetables were the staple diet. Every household had a garden to grow vegetables, and when we first came to live in France we were pressed to adopt a section of land to start our vegetable garden. We heard it said often, when planting flowers, that it was a waste of time. "If it can't be eaten what's the point in growing them"
To make flour and also provide feed for their few animals, large areas were set aside for the growing of corn. Several corn mills were built alongside fast flowing rivers, and it was waterpower that drove the millstones.
Ruins of these mills can be seen in various places, and some of the best are seen in the Orb Gorge between Roquebrun and Tarrasac. An area of outstanding natural beauty.
Whilst walking it is still possible to see the wild corn growing on the sides of the road, a relic of the past.
Until relatively, recently, every family kept a pig, also chickens and rabbits. Pigeons were another source of meat.
In the villages pigs were kept in small cellars below the houses. Chickens ran loose in the streets, but came home to roost each evening in structures that looked like large stone carbuncles on the sides of houses. The only clue in modern times to their former use are the small holes about the size of a dinner plate, through which the chickens entered or departed their home.
The slaughter of the family pig was a moment of fete, and the whole family and even the neighbours were involved.
Pigs were fed substantially with chestnuts, that grew in abundance on the sides of the mountains, this was to encourage the pig to put on as much fat as possible.
The time for the slaughter was carefully chosen, and normally took place at the start of the cold winter weather, when the butchering could be carried out over several hours without the meat going bad. It couldn't be windy as it was said that the salting process would be affected, and the new moon was was avoided as much as possible.
The necessary utensils such as cauldrons and preserving jars would be well sterilised in advance.
The slaughterer would be assisted by members of the family who would hold the pig whilst the slaughterer prepared to do his work. The farmer's wife would prepare a bowl to catch the blood, for all parts of the pig would be used, and provided a substantial portion of the meat eaten during the year.
When the pig had been slaughtered it was laid on a fire to remove the bristles and then scraped with knives and a pumice stone.
The slaughterer never stayed long after slaying the pig as he had several others to slaughter before the end of his day.
The family were involved in the butchering of the pig, and there were many bowls and piles of straw scattered around to receive the various portions of the pig.
One of the most urgent tasks was to open up the pig and remove the intestines, they would be reserved for the making of sausages which took up a substantial part of the day.
Many parts od the pig were reserved for smoking. They were hung in the chimney to be smoked over a period of time by the smoke from the living room fire.
Other parts were preserved by rubbing in salt or soaking in brine. The hams were dry cured by hanging them on special hooks from the wooden beams in the kitchen ceiling
In the southern regions of France it was difficult to keep animals for their meat because of the heat and lack of grazing ground. It was for that reason, that the slaughter of the pig became such an important fete. Country folk rarely moved beyond the next village and were unable to travel to the larger towns to purchase meat and had to be self sufficient. To this day pork is a substantial part of the diet of the southern regions of France
With the passing of laws in the EU the slaughter of private pigs is now illegal..
In addition most families kept ducks, who spent most of their day swimming and feeding in the nearby rivers, returning each evening to their respective cellars. With good imagination it is possible to see a procession of ducks wending their way from the river up the narrow village streets, peeling off in twos and threes to their respective abodes.
Ducks and geese were as important as the pig and were often fed forcefully, to increase the amount of fat they put on. This fat was used for cooking as well as preserving meat. The meat was submerged in the fat and placed in storage jars, and cooked slowly in a cauldron on the fire. Supermarkets of the south, still sell large quantities of duck and pork, to continue with traditions left over from an age gone by.
Next time you come to France, try to purchase a jar of Gras d'Oie (goose fat) and roast your potatoes with it. I promise you will never want your potatoes cooked in any other way.
A product of force feeding the geese and ducks is that the liver became enlarged and this is looked upon as a delicacy (Le Foie Gras). In the south and south west of France there are markets set up in November and December where nothing but the foie d'oie or fois de Canard are sold
Houses in the villages were normally built from the round stones dragged from the rivers. The walls were thick and only narrow roads separated the houses. This was done to preserve as much shade as possible during the summer and protect against fierce winds in the winter.
The chimney was large and often had boxes built on either side of the hearth, that allowed people to sit within the chimney. These boxes were used to store salt, that had to be kept dry. Often there was a bed next to the fire for the older members of the family or those that were sick.
The fire was also used for cooking and cauldrons hung over the fire from hooks. Often the family lived on the first floor, the ground floor being reserved for their animals. The warmth from the animals rose through the floor to assist in heating the house.
The kitchen was often no more than a small alcove with a sink carved from granite.
The loft of the house was often used for the drying of chestnuts and olives. Pigeons also roosted there. The chestnut harvest was celebrated in the same way as the grape harvest (le vendange) and this tradition is kept alive with the Fete de Chataignes at St Pons.
29th/30th October 2005
Hunting
La Chasse was another form of food source for the farmers. This was conducted with a traps, or guns. The hunt in France is regarded as of right. The hunt is normally carried out on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from mid September to the beginning of January. The most sought after in the Languedoc is the Sanglier (wild boar). Despite extensive hunting over the years the Sanglier is holding its own and even increasing in population.
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