Terroir is a French word meaning “a sense of place”. Most of us, if familiar with the word, think of terroir in the context of wine (e.g., a Bordeaux from the Bordeaux region of France). But this principle applies to other foods including cheese, honey, chocolate, coffee, spirits, beer, etc. If you ask an artisan cheesemaker what makes cheese good cheese, they’ll tell you that it is based on the quality of the milk and that the milk changes from season to season and year to year just as vintages do.
Starting with the best quality ingredients means sourcing them from a place where they grow best. Add on the unique talents and craftsmanship of an artisan maker and you get an extraordinary product. Here, I connect you with these farmers, food artisans and chefs that harvest or source the best ingredients from intentionally selected places and turn them into some of the best tasting foods and beverages while often preserving traditions and cultures from those places or their own heritage. Listen to their stories and travel, if only in your mind, to experience place and time.
If you would like to discuss terroir or be interviewed for the Terroir Taste and Travel podcast or if. you know of an interesting grower or artisan that should be recognized, contact me.