National Cassoulet Day

National Cassoulet Day:

People can enjoy this hearty dish on January 9, which is the day of this holiday. In response to the dish’s recent spike in popularity, a holiday called National Cassoulet Day was established.

Twitter Hashtags:

#NationalCassouletDay

#CassouletDay

Why Cassoulet Day?

In the French region of the Languedoc, cassoulet is a well-liked dish. The meal is frequently prepared with meat, hog skin, and white beans, though each chef has their own special variety. It is occasionally cooked slowly over a long period of time with tomatoes, chicken stock, garlic, duck fat, and local white wine.

It is a traditional peasant dish created using ingredients that farm kitchens typically have on hand, such as beans from the farm garden and preserved meats from nearby hunters, despite the dish’s unusual-sounding ingredients to American chefs. At the moment, cassoulet is consumed by people everywhere. White beans can be used in any kind to prepare the dish; however, Cannellini or Great Northern beans are the most frequently used white beans. According to individual desire or regional custom, the meats and vegetables may also change.

The original cassoulet was prepared in a bread oven or possibly a fireplace. Low heat softened the beans, which then absorbed much of the flavour and fat from the steak. We celebrate the origins of this delectable stew that has warmed our hearts for ages on this day. You can join in the celebration by throwing one at home or by going out to eat at your favourite place today. We can get together, have some hearty food, and learn all there is to know about cassoulet thanks to the occasion this gathering provides.

How Can We Observe National Cassoulet Day:

• Participate in celebration

 During an annual celebration, diners in New York City can choose from a range of cassoulet dishes at dozens of eateries. If you reside there, you might wish to take into account one or more of these.

• Cook a variety of foods

One of casseroles’ most astonishing features is the enormous variety of ingredients available. Even though white beans and sausages are the only ingredients required, there are infinite ways to make cassoulet.

• Share in social media

Invite your friend over and make your own different cassoulet meal as an alternative way to celebrate this day. We invite everyone to utilise the hashtag #NationalCassouletDay to promote this holiday, regardless of the type of cassoulet they choose to make on this day.

Interesting Facts About Cassoulet Day:

• The name of the dish comes from the customary round, deep clay baking dish called a “cassole,” which is used to create the dish.
• Every August, a cassoulet festival is held in the village of Castelnaudary.
• 90% of the best cassoulet produced worldwide, according to the neighbourhood report, comes from Castelnaudary.
• Although this meal has been around for hundreds of years, the word “cassoulet” didn’t start to be used until the 1920s.
• The festival honouring the local delicacy, Fete du Cassoulet, celebrated its 20th year in 2019. In anticipation of the late summer festival, around 60,000 excited people arrive in the town.
• Correct preparation and cooking of this dish might take up to two days when done in the French peasant style.

The dish is served in many local eateries, and more than 10 local cassoulet businesses export canned versions of the dish to France.

History Of Cassoulet Day:

Around 1355, while the town of Castelnaudary was under English siege as part of the Hundred Years’ War, it is thought that the first cassoulet was made. Estouffet was the name given to the dish during the Middle Ages. According to legend, the first cassoulet was made in the 1300s in Castelnaudary, which Edward the Prince of Wales, sometimes known as the Black Prince, had besieged.

To feed and support their warriors, the locals, who had been overpowered, gathered what little they could find and cooked a stew. Due to how strong and fortifying the outcome was, the soldiers were able to immediately drive the assailants away and save the city. The real history of the meal is less interesting because the stew’s etymology suggests more exotic antecedents for the food, such as cross-border influences from the Arab and Catalan cultures.

In order to feed and strengthen their defenders, the distressed villagers gathered all the materials they could find and prepared a sizable stew. The soldiers easily chased the attackers away, saving the city from occupation because the supper was so filling and satisfying. Contrary to the Castelnaudary mythology, however, cassoulet most likely originated as a result of more broad international trade.

In France’s Languedoc region, cassoulet is a hearty dish. Various different cuisines use white beans, sausages, and confited duck or geese. Columbus brought white beans to France on his voyage from the New World. Queen Catherine de Medici began importing the beans, which led to a considerable growth in the production of white beans in southwest France. Spanish, American, and Middle Eastern cuisines have all had an impact on cassoulet.

The 19th century saw the introduction of cassoulet into elite Parisian bistros after it was initially seen as a meal for peasants and not a component of haute cuisine. Three brothers from Marseille built the Restaurant des Frères Provençaux, which was the first restaurant to serve Parisians bouillabaisse and cassoulet, two of the finest southern French dishes, which are exclusive to Marseille.  The early 20th-century French restaurant guide “Le Tour Gastronomique de France,” which served as an inspiration for the Michelin Guide of today, singled out the cassoulet at the Castelnaudary restaurant for acclaim.