Bon appetit!

I know that I’ve not been writing much about food in recent weeks. This post aims to rectify that, but a word of warning: if you are hungry, then close this window immediately, and do not look at this post again until you’ve had something to eat. Otherwise, I cannot be responsible for anything which might happen!! 😀

Over the years I’ve been to La Cave Saint-Martin in Roquebrun numerous times, and I’ve written about one of my meals there a few years ago. I thought it was time that I shared another visit to that restaurant with you! La Cave Saint-Martin is a wine and tapas bar, which serves a selection of more substantial food along with the tapas. The wine selection is heavy on vins naturels, wines which have not had sulphites added.

I went there last week with a group of people, two of whom were on their first visit to Saint-Chinian. Those two were also enthusiastic “foodies” and they were looking forward to trying as many different items on the menu as possible! We looked at the menu and debated, and finally Raymond, the proprietor of the restaurant, put an end to our agony of choice by suggesting a kind of tasting selection – thank you Raymond!

We started with some wonderful saucisson:

You see the bread basket by the side of the plate – the bread comes from the bakery in Azillanet, run by Stephane. I wrote about the bakery in 2013 – Stephane is still making wonderful bread!

Just when we got settled with a glass of red wine and the saucisson, another lot of treats arrived at the table! Here is some tuna belly:

I’m not sure why the fish is served in the tins, with the wrappers by the side, but perhaps it’s to show the authenticity of the product? Moving the fish to a serving plate could also make it break up, so that could be another reason?

The smoked anchovies were divine!!

Then there were some tiny sardines, which were lovely!

Raymond stocks a large selection of canned fish from a Portuguese brand called Tricana. The products I have tasted have all been very delicious! Do give them a try if you ever come across them.

We also had some very tasty meats! The restaurant always keeps some amazing Spanish Iberico hams in stock, and we had a plate with two different kinds: lomo and lomito.

We also had some cecina, wafer thin slices of air-dried beef…

…and also the home-made pate de tete, which translates to “head cheese” or brawn. Forget about the name, it tasted very good, and the pickles were the perfect accompaniment!

Instead of manchego we ate a Dutch cheese, whose name I cannot remember, I’m sorry! It was a cheese to remember though, the mouth-feel (awful word, but describes it well) started off like a good parmesan, slightly crunchy with salt crystals, and then turned to meltingly soft, like a really good comte! Just fabulous!

Have a look at the table! We really were not short of food, but we took it easy and did eat up everything 😀!!

So far so good – all the above was really one huge appetizer!! No, I am not kidding!! Raymond had had a delivery of entrecote steak from his supplier. Beef from the Aubrac region of France, which had been aged for 30 days. Here’s Raymond showing us the steak – it’s one big piece for all four of us, just in case you are wondering!