The most well-known specialties in the Centre are mineral waters and cheeses. It is also a wine producing region with the eastern part of the Loire Valley.

The Food Specialties

The Centre is a great region for cheese, especially for blue cheeses. Among the most famous are:

- Bleu d’Auvergne (cow’s milk blue cheese) - Fourme d’Ambert (cow’s milk blue cheese) - Valencay cheese (goat’s milk cheese) - Cantal cheese (cow’s milk cheese) - Crottin de Chavignol (goat’s milk cheese) Centre’s mineral waters: - Volvic mineral water (has its spring in Volvic in Auvergne) - Vichy St Yorre and mineral water (has its spring in St Yorre in Auvergne)

Many desserts also originate from the Centre:

- The “Tarte Tatin” (apple pie)
- The “Creusois” (cake with nuts and almonds)
- The “Clafoutis aux cerises” (cherry cake)

Other food specialties from the center of France:

- Fish fillet with morels
- The Limousine soup (a very famous soup made with bread, bacon and vegetables)
- The “Boudin noir aux chataignes” (Black saussage with chestnuts)
- Pastille de Vichy (mint candy)

The Wines

Located in the Centre region, the eastern part of the Loire Valley produces mostly white wines made out of Chenin blanc, Sauvignon blanc and / or Chasselas grapes.

2 of them, in particular, are very reputable: The Pouilly Fume AOC and      The Sancerre AOC (both dry whites). AOC or « Appellation d'origine      controlée » or « Controlled term of origin » are governed by laws which      dictate the composition of their vineyards, time of harvest and      appropriate yields as well as various winemaking techniques.      Let us mention that other very good dry whites are produced in the      region such as the Menetou-salon AOC or the Quincy AOC.      A sweet white wine, the Vouvray AOC is also worth discovering.      Besides, the region has also great quality reds, produced mainly      in Touraine. The red wines from Touraine are predominantly made      from Gamay grapes.

As other wines from the Loire Valley, they are fruity and rather light. The most well known are:

Bourgueil AOC and Chinon AOC.

How to pair Wines from the Centre and food?

Here is how we see it:

- Pair Chinon red wine with rabbit or ham
- Try Sancerre with trout or eel, or goat cheese
- Quincy wine can be served with Duck breast with shallots.

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