Byrrh tonic wine: big business from a bygone era

In addition to the once fashionable fortified wines of Banyuls and Rivesaltes, hot, fertile Roussillon is also home to what was one of the biggest ever French wine companies, Byrrh.

In France during the late 19th and early 20th century, in stark contrast to the fragmented production we see today, there were wine businesses large enough to dominate their markets. Only Champagne currently succeeds in this way due to grandes marques investing heavily in branding and the region aggressively protecting its name legally if they think anyone is using it inappropriately.

During this period large companies across Europe sourced grapes from countless small growers, feeding them into fortified wines, vermouths and other wine products such as 'tonic' wines. Many of the labels remain, but production has been radically scaled back due to changes in fashion and taste. In France, in the Mediterranean port of Marseillan Noilly Prat has produced highly regarded vermouth from local grapes Clairette and Picpoul de Pinet since 1855. Further along the coast in Roussillon Thuir is home to Byrrh established by the Violet brothers in 1866.

The name Byrrh (pronounced 'beer') might be vaguely familiar, particularly from eye-catching vintage posters, but you probably haven't drunk it. Byrrh is a 'tonic' wine – in this case, local red wine, fortified then aromatised with botanicals like gin, but heavy on quinine. Winemaking is similar to Rivesaltes and Banyuls – partially fermented and then fortified to 17 degrees by the addition of spirit. Orange peel, cinnamon, coffee and cocoa, as well as the quinine were use to flavour the wine. The result is aromatic, sweet and spicy and distinctly bitter. Rather like Campari, but richer and smoother and very old fashioned tasting; the bitterness gives it a medicinal quality, making it feel as though it's doing you good. What's more, it certainly tastes stable enough to withstand lengthy storage and shipping to far flung French colonies in the days before refrigeration.

After several decades of magnificent marketing, by the time of its heyday in the 1930s annual sales were in excess of 35 million litres and Byrrh had 50 percent of the aperitif market. The company sourced grapes from Corbières, Tautavel, Espira de l'Agly and Cases de Pene and employed 700 at its factory in Thuir, and the company boasted the world's largest oak vat with a capacity of 1,000,200 litres.

The factory in Thuir has recently been renovated by current owners, Pernod-Ricard who also use it for Dubonnet. Regular guided tours take place (in French, but a written translation is available) that give a fascinating glimpse of another age and a different approach to business; like the Cadbury family, the Violets always tried to maintain certain principles and an appreciation of their staff. A visit is also worthwhile just to experience the impressive scale of the operation. It's a pleasure strolling around this handsome little town and there are several good lunch options nearby, making it a decent day out if you're in the area.

Byrrh might be making its presence felt again in export markets, benefitting from the renewed interest in cocktails and vintage ingredients. Keep an eye out as it could be finding its way behind a bar near you soon. However, as our tastebuds are being reintroduced to bitter flavours via Aperol Spritz and Negronis, it's a logical step. Mind you, in the Italian Alps recently I had a glass of Fernet Branca, but that's another story.

Caves Byrrh
Boulevard Violet
66300 Thuir
France
Tel + 33 (0)4 68 53 45 86

A walk around Banyuls sur Mer

On holiday in France in the summer we took some time out for a leisurely stroll around Banyuls. Banyuls sur Mer is overshadowed by its neighbour Collioure, but this makes it much more enjoyable to visit. Parking is less of a problem (or you can take the bus that runs along the coast during the season) and you don't have to negotiate gawping tourists wherever you go.

Banyuls has oodles of character and a charming sedate elegance. It has the gently buzzy vibe of a small beach resort, but you're always aware of the dramatic terraced vineyards and olive groves in the near distance. Here in deepest Catalan France, you never forget that Spain is only a few kilometres down the coast. However, strolling around the town is not as relaxing as it sounds as you'll see from the pictures – there are a lot of stairs involved. It's well worth it, though, as the views are so spectacular and there'll always be something delicious to sip afterwards.

Banyuls Sangria and the Côte Vermeille

I've been visiting Roussillon regularly for maybe 15 years now, but I'm amazed that this summer was my first taste of a certain, rather potent local speciality – Banyuls Sangria. The effect it has on you is rather like an expertly mixed gin and tonic. It takes hold of you and presents the world as a better place. When you're already in a rather lovely place, the effect is all the more powerful.

We were driving south along the coast to Banyuls and just before getting there we stopped at an attractive little bay, the Plage des Elmes, for lunch. The beach bar here (Le Sun) is known for its Banyuls Sangria, so the non-drivers settled in happily. You have to remember how close you are to Spain in this Catalan corner of France, so this interpretation the drink makes a lot of sense. Basically, it's local red wine (ideally Collioure) with Banyuls and (for good measure) brandy. It's sweetened to taste with sugar and flavoured with orange. Either you can slice oranges and leave them to macerate in the boozy red wine concoction or add some orange juice. Some recipes suggest doing this the day before and allowing it all to macerate. When you're ready to serve add some lemonade. To be honest, ours didn't taste diluted at all, so leave it out if you prefer!

It was a treat to enjoy this within sight of vines and in such a spectacular location. Banyuls is on the Côte Vermeille (the Vermillion Coast), the craggy, intricate stretch of coastline where the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean. Maybe it was the sangria, but it was amazing experiencing the landscape and the remarkable rock formations so intimately.

Ikea rhubarb cordial and other goodies

Apart from a naughty plate of meatballs and chips you don't tend to go looking for food and drink at Ikea. However, it's always worth having a nose around their food shop once you've passed through the main checkout. We've developed a taste for their rhubarb cordial since they offered it on tasting a few visits ago. It isn't too sweet, so makes a tasty adult soft drink, especially with soda or sparkling mineral water. Daughter Alice likes it too. Mind you, she prefers French sirops to our squashes, so no surprise there.

At the same time I picked up some encouraging looking little pots of herring and seaweed caviar. With some cream cheese and biscuits, they're excellent for instant nibbles for drinks. The seaweed 'caviar' is particularly good in a tasty saline way.

Easy does it on Valentine's Day

It's Valentine's Day, so we'll be staying at home with something easy to assemble and a bit special and, of course, something decent to drink. This year our 7-year-old will be enjoying some of it with us before she heads up to bed.

It has not always been this way. One year I cooked this a rather elaborate spread for an old boyfriend using recipes from the rather fabulous Cordon Bleu and Constance Spry Entertaining. It's well worth getting hold of a second-hand copy as it's a splendid period piece. Margot Leadbetter probably had a well-used copy on her kitchen shelf – handy for when Jerry's boss came round for dinner. Our meal was delicious, but very rich, and after lining dariole moulds with spinach, whipping up choux pastry hearts and cooking a live lobster, I wasn't up for much romance that evening. Lesson learned.

Another year, I recall being on a student trip to Paris which coincided with Valentine's Day and having to try to find our large group somewhere to eat in the Latin Quarter. The evening was dominated by trawling up and down Rue Mouffetard inquiring at candle-lit restaurants full of whispering couples whether they could accommodate 20 of us. Amazingly, we did find a large bistro happy to have us and we ended up having a jolly noisy time. Much more fun than the hushed tones along the street.

Anyway, back to this year. On the menu tonight will be brown shrimps to nibble before we three settle down to Chinese duck and pancakes (a kit from Waitrose). Then, once young miss has retired upstairs, N and I will be having veal chops, followed by mont blanc. Winewise, some youngish red Burgundy or cru Beaujolais should see us nicely through the meal, then maybe a drop of Samos Muscat.

Whatever you're doing, Happy Valentine's Day.

The Atlanta Food and Wine Festival comes to London

I was recently invited to experience southern American cuisine at an event hosted by the US Embassy in London to promote the upcoming Atlanta Food and Wine Festival. The large and enthusiastic crowd got the chance to fight over sample some Southern specialities prepared by several notable chefs who'd been flown over specially. 

I particularly enjoyed Kelly English's crudo of scallop and malt vinegar and Ashley Christensen's cornmeal-fried Carolina catfish with pickled collard remoulade. My glass of Virginian Viognier was a tasty and appropriate partner. Josh Besh's peppered beef tenderloin, fingerling potato ravigote and wild mushroom tea was also good, as was Duane Nutter's sausages with creole mash with creole cabbage.

Drink-wise, as well as Virginian wines, Sazerac cocktails were also served made with rye whiskey, Peychaud's bitters and the distinctive Legendre Herbsaint – a pastis named after the French/Creole term for wormwood. It was originally labelled Absinthe (traditionally used in this cocktail), but in the 1930s the US authorities objected to Legendre's use of the word and the company had to revise the name. I haven't yet been to this part of the States, but I can only imagine how good it must taste in the hot and sticky deep South. Anyway, if I can get my hands on a bottle of Herbsaint, I'd be happy to give it a go in north London on a warm summer evening with some Bessie Smith playing in the background. For now it'll the closest I'll be getting to New Orleans.

The Goods Shed, Canterbury

Heading to the Kent coast for Easter, we stopped off at The Goods Shed in Canterbury for lunch and, as we were self-catering, to stock up on some food. The Goods Shed, situated next to Canterbury West station (and helpfully the high speed link to St Pancras), is a comprehensive farmers market featuring an array of local produce. It also houses Clive Barlow MW's Press Wine Services and beer specialist, The Bottle Shop. As it was Easter, there was also an eye-catching and groovy selection from local chocolate maker Kate-Beth March, but there were goodies at every turn. We stocked up on local vegetables and some excellent steak, and on our return journey picked up some beautifully fresh fish for supper back home in London.

You can also eat well at The Goods Shed Restaurant or at Patrick's Kitchen where we had our lunch, encouraging us to buy our drinks elsewhere to bring back to the table. All very communal. A generous glass of Cherverny for just £3 (from Press Wine Services) was delicious with my fish soup and its gutsy rouille sauce (plenty of garlic and saffron). And it was here that daughter Alice discovered her favourite Kentish tipple, Biddenden pear juice. Apparently, only food available at The Goods Shed is cooked here. Forget disappointing department store food halls, this is what food shopping should be all about and makes Canterbury and this corner of Kent an even more tempting day trip from London.

The Goods Shed
Station Road West
Canterbury
CT2 8AN
01227 459153
Open Tuesday to Saturday 9am–7pm; Sunday 10am–4pm