Shellfish

Shellfish and crustaceans On an abandoned beach... © Datacraft - age fotostock

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A place of maritime tradition, Brittany is the leading French fishing region. The abundance of sea produce here allows for a rich and varied gastronomy, and deciding on a seafood dish can be difficult with such a wide choice: there are scampi and lobsters from Finistère, scallop and cuttlefish from Saint-Brieuc and Saint-Malo, spider crabs from Paimpol, crabs from Morlaix, and even clams, whelks and winkles.
Of these products, the two local stars which must not be overlooked are oysters and mussels.
Oysters: There are 12 prestigious 'Grand Crus' in Brittany (the most well-known are the delicate flesh of the ?morlaisienne', the iodised and fleshy ?paimpolaise', the ?creuse' from Cancale, the hazelnut flavoured ?plate' from Bélon and the ?fine de claire' oyster). As for mussels, the main type of farming used in Brittany is the ?bouchot' (mussel beds), rows of oak wood stakes measuring between 13 ft and 19 ft high. The mussel farming centres are located in Saint-Brieuc Bay, Paimpol Bay and Saint-Cast-Le-Guildo.
This abundance enables restaurant owners to offer a host of delicious recipes, such as Brittany spider crabs, Armorican lobster and seafood omelette.