Terroir & Canigou, Biscuiterie Artisanale, Vernet les Bains

Here is probably my favourite producer in Roussillon – everything Mr. Mach makes is literally to die for!! And once again this is a third generation business,  which is proud of its traditional production methods.

Starting with the handmade nougat – oozing with  honey, almonds and nuts –  which makes all the commercial  makes seem bland and uninteresting. It comes in 180 gram bars but is very easy to eat in one go….   Not good for the figure though!

Then there are the rousquilles for which Catalonia is so well known:  light icing-coated little cakes, tasting of lemon and anis, which literally melt in your mouth .  Or you can go for the bunyettes – puffs of pastry dusted in icing sugar and again tasting of anis, which are an Easter speciality.

As this is a biscuit shop, you mustn’t miss the Carquinyoles, crunchy biscuts,  either  lemon, nut or chocolate flavoured, with a shiny egg-finish glaze.

Lastly there are the grilled almonds – either salted, with garlic,  or vanilla flavoured – and almonds are good for you!

Mr. Mach is at the Vernet les Bains market every Thursday and Saturday mornings but you can order by post on his website http// terroir.canigou.free.fr or by phone.  When once I told him that Vernet les Bains was quite far to get to, he said “No problem, I’ll bring them down to one of my wine-producer friends who lives near you! ” When in reality I was trying to find an excuse to stay on my diet…