Bar-le-duc jelly
Encyclopedia
Bar-le-duc jelly is a highly regarded preparation of jelly
originally composed of select whole seeded currants
, typically white currant
s or alternatively red currants
. The name Bar-le-duc refers to the geographical origin of the preparation in the French
town of Bar-le-duc
. Since the jelly's first documented reference in 1344, the culinary name
"Lorraine Jelly" is occasionally used, as the city
of Bar-le-duc lies within the boundaries of the former province of Lorraine
.
Commonly served as an accompaniment to game, spread on bread, or with foie gras, it is considered a culinary luxury item sharing an elite status akin to Beluga caviar
and is colloquially referred to as Bar Caviar. The typical product is a jam, with the berries remaining intact in a thin syrup
. About 200 currants go into one 85 gram jar (approximately 3 ounces), which cost approximately €15 a jar in Bar-le-Duc and $40 in the US (2008). Notable references exist in the historical record about the spread being enjoyed by celebrities such as Alfred Hitchcock
, Victor Hugo
, and Mary, Queen of Scots.
House of Dutriez's Bar-le-Duc provides one of the very few hand-made preparations still on the market, La confiture de Groseilles de Bar le Duc (Currant Preserve) . The traditionally hand-made creation involves epepineuses (seed extractors) de-seeding the currants with goose quills to flick out the tiny seeds without disturbing flesh of the small fruit. Sometimes sweetened jellies, consisting of mashed and sieved currants of a significantly lower cost and quality, may be found on the market under the same name.
Fruit preserves
Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits and sugar, often canned or sealed for long-term storage. The preparation of fruit preserves today often involves adding commercial or natural pectin as a gelling agent, although sugar or honey may be used, as well. Prior to World War II, fruit preserve...
originally composed of select whole seeded currants
Ribes
Ribes is a genus of about 150 species of flowering plants native throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is usually treated as the only genus in the family Grossulariaceae. Seven subgenera are recognized....
, typically white currant
White currant
The white currant , sometimes called the pink or yellow currant, is a member of the genus Ribes. The flowers are a pale yellow-green, maturing into translucent berries with a pink to white hue.- White and red :...
s or alternatively red currants
Redcurrant
The redcurrant , Ribes rubrum, is a member of the genus Ribes in the gooseberry family Grossulariaceae, native to parts of western Europe...
. The name Bar-le-duc refers to the geographical origin of the preparation in the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
town of Bar-le-duc
Bar-le-Duc
Bar-le-Duc, formerly known as Bar, is a commune in the Meuse département, of which it is the préfecture . The department is in Lorraine in north-eastern France-Geography:...
. Since the jelly's first documented reference in 1344, the culinary name
Culinary name
Culinary names, menu names, or kitchen names are names of foods used in the preparation or selling of food, as opposed to their names in agriculture or in scientific nomenclature. The menu name may even be different from the kitchen name...
"Lorraine Jelly" is occasionally used, as the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of Bar-le-duc lies within the boundaries of the former province of Lorraine
Lorraine (province)
The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....
.
Commonly served as an accompaniment to game, spread on bread, or with foie gras, it is considered a culinary luxury item sharing an elite status akin to Beluga caviar
Beluga caviar
Beluga caviar is caviar consisting of the roe of the beluga sturgeon Huso huso. It is found primarily in the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest salt-water lake, which is bordered by Iran and the former Soviet socialist republics of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan. It can also be...
and is colloquially referred to as Bar Caviar. The typical product is a jam, with the berries remaining intact in a thin syrup
Syrup
In cooking, a syrup is a thick, viscous liquid consisting primarily of a solution of sugar in water, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars but showing little tendency to deposit crystals...
. About 200 currants go into one 85 gram jar (approximately 3 ounces), which cost approximately €15 a jar in Bar-le-Duc and $40 in the US (2008). Notable references exist in the historical record about the spread being enjoyed by celebrities such as Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
, Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
, and Mary, Queen of Scots.
House of Dutriez's Bar-le-Duc provides one of the very few hand-made preparations still on the market, La confiture de Groseilles de Bar le Duc (Currant Preserve) . The traditionally hand-made creation involves epepineuses (seed extractors) de-seeding the currants with goose quills to flick out the tiny seeds without disturbing flesh of the small fruit. Sometimes sweetened jellies, consisting of mashed and sieved currants of a significantly lower cost and quality, may be found on the market under the same name.
External links
- House of Dutriez Confitures à la Lorraine (House of Dutriez).
- Homepage of the City of Bar-le-duc, France, in French.