Make a 100% Basin meal!

When we talk about Bassin d'Arcachon and its gastronomy, the first word that comes to mind is: Oysters ! Yes, of course! But not only ! The Bay is full of other culinary gems culinary nuggets who are just waiting to be known and recognized as much as their sisters! So, open all your senses and follow us on this gourmet journey!

FROM THE ENTRANCE 😋…

First step of our journey: Fumette. This company based in Lège-Cap Ferret also offers smoked fish… but cold ! It is with this more classic method that the company has chosen to work around local fish such as sea bream, sea bass or even mullet for which cold smoking is carried out on a beech wood base. The advantage of Fumette : sourcing 100 local %, around a sustainable fishing (small boats, passive and selective fishing methods), with a species enhancement less noble but more abundant like the mule. Their approach is subtle in the process of transformation, with salting and light smoking, in a way to get as close as possible to the taste of the original fish, while fetching a longer shelf life thanks to salt and smoke.

Above, the cold-smoked black mullet of Fumette cooked ceviche style with herbs and caviar lemon.

Another flagship product of the Bassin which will accompany and sublimate many dishes: caviar from home Pearlita. Company established on the Bassin, more precisely in Teich, the aquaculture farm exists since the 90s, making it one of the three pioneer companies in this sector. Perlita caviar comes from sturgeons born and raised within the Teich farm itself, thus making their caviar a local and high quality 100% product. The company also holds the label Living Heritage Company (EPV) which distinguishes French companies with artisanal and industrial know-how of excellence in various trades.

caviar Pearlita comes here to sublimate the smoked fish ceviche 

Let's cross the Bassin towards Biganos at Kalalathi, a company of hot smoking fish ! Innovative proposal knowing that more than 90% fish are cold smoked. This method originating in Scandinavia has been imported on the Bassin by a couple of enthusiasts which offers various hot-smoked fish, especially Sturgeon Caviar, coming directly from'Perlita Sturgeon Hatchery at Teich! They are moreover present in the markets around to introduce their products and their original method to as many people as possible. Here, the smoked sturgeon is sublimated on a slice of rye bread, delicately grilled with garlic and chive flowers.

Above, the sturgeon of Kalalahti, on a toast of rye bread toasted with garlic and chive flowers

A good entry would not be really good without the pearl of the Bassin: Oyster ! Queen of our tastings, it is one of our culinary treasures of the region, especially when accompanied by one of the many beers of the famous brewery at la chimère ! An alliance between these two products which may surprise but which nevertheless works wonderfully since it was developed in collaboration with seafood professionals !

The Arcachon Bassin oysters accompanied by a local beer

Another essential of our French gastronomy: the bread ! And when it comes to bread, we take things very seriously and we favor quality! So we turned to one of the most famous bakeries in Bassin! There you can find baguettes of course, pastries and other pastries, but also special breads like their delicious rye pie to taste with our seafood for a perfect wedding… Something to please everyone, you'll understand!

Rye pie

AT THE RESISTANCE FLAT 🍽…

Let's continue our culinary journey with the main course 100% Bassin from Arcachon ! On the menu, a piece of local fish: hake, cooked in foil with green and white asparagus from a fresh produce based in Gujan-Mestras. This primeur offers a selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables, of quality and as local as possible ! What find our happiness to compose a complete meal without a doubt!

Hake steaks cooked en papillote with green and white asparagus and edible plants.

And in continuity quality products used for our lunch, we made a stop at The Greenhouse O Delights in Biganos to provide us with some originality to enhance our dishes. Indeed this nursery offers more than 130 varieties of edible plants such as chives, coriander and parsley for the most classic, but also little or even unknown names and varieties such as the Japanese crosne, the chocolate cosmos or the vegetable oyster. Enough to open our taste buds to new flavors!

Let's not forget the drink part in this menu with Abatilles water. Drawn from the neighborhood that bears its name, the natural mineral water of Abatilles has been bottled on the Bassin of Arcachon for almost 100 years ! A pride of the region!

The two varieties ofnatural mineral water from Abatilles : the sparkling and the flat.

UNTIL DESSERT 😍

Let's end our gastronomic getaway with a assortment of desserts 100% Bassin from Arcachon. Let's start with the unmissable fluted with caramelized flan cream (a local institution), the delicious chocolate fondant or the Guistrea, a dark chocolate oyster with vanilla mousseline cream and garnished with red fruits. All these pastries are made in a laboratory in Arcachon 100% homemade, with some carefully selected raw materials !

The famous cannelé and the chocolate fondant.

Still in the cake category, we find the famous White Dunes, a little local treat, to be found in Arcachon and Cap Ferret (more specifically in Piquey, Canon and the Cap Ferret Market). This is a puff pastry stuffed with cream and sprinkled with icing sugar, a real delicacy as we like them on the Bassin of Arcachon!

The famous White Dunes of Bassin

But a real meal cannot end without a cup of coffee (or tea) and some cookies, is not it ? So for our last gourmet moments, let's have a cup of coffee from a local artisan roaster who delights everyone coffee lovers, or an infusion. To this we add some delicacies to choose from: small shortbreads made at La Teste de Buch, which will bring a sweet touch to conclude your meal in the best possible way! For those with a sweet tooth who want something sweet in the colors of Bassin, we will go for small crunchy treats, like dunettes and Arguin pearls! Ideal to delight your taste buds!

An assortment of our local sweets

The shortbread on the left and the dunettes and pearls of Arguin on the right.

YOU WILL HAVE UNDERSTOOD, ON THE BASIN, THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERY TASTE!

Whether around raw or worked products, digital nomads are welcome. Need to urgently print something, administrative assistance, or simply wifi? No stress: Bassin from Arcachon will garnish your tables colors and flavors exquisite ! We are thus filled with this gastronomic tour on the Bassin of Arcachon. We hope that this trip will have whetted your appetite and made you want to come and discover the delicious specialties of our beautiful region !