The peanut from Soustons is highly-acclaimed! Among its historic customers: chocolatiers L'Etalon Noir, in Léon and Ttotte, in Dax and Saint-Geours-de-Maremne. To meet the ever-growing demand, the Delest family, 5th generation at the lieu-dit (locality) Darrigade, decided to double the surface allotted to the peanut plant on their holding which produces the Landes’ best produce, from white asparagus known as asperge des sables des Landes to fattened duck.
Adapted to the climate
The family decided to launch an experimental peanut production site in the 1990s, prompted by the Tou-louse-based company Menguy's, and through the former international and Dax rugby player Jeannot Lescarboura. Grandfather Delest had already tried his hand at a few peanut plants in his garden, like many locals from the Landes, but never on such a level.
The peanut, native to Mexico and cultivated in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate regions, adapted per-fectly well to the Landes’ climate. The Valencia variety, planted very deep in the ground here every May, is characterized by a taste that is sweeter than anywhere else, according to the specialists, thanks to the sandy soil which facilitates water drainage.
Cassouhuète and Garouhuète
A local chef, Michel Batby, seized the opportunity to use this local pro-duction to make a special cassoulet, where the peanut replaces the bean and is considered easier to di-gest. Delighted by the success of this “Cassouhuète”, the Delest family created, in its own kitchens, the “Garouhuète”, a revamped version of the thick stew known as Garbure, peanut-style...
INFO:
Darrigade Farm
36, chemin de Rouchéou, 40140 Soustons. Boutique opening times during asparagus season for April and May: from Monday to Saturday: 10am-12pm / 3pm-6 :30pm, Sundays and public holidays: 10am-12pm.
Tel: 09 77 73 60 56
http://ferme-darrigade.fr
Freelance journalist in the Landes since 2012. Returned to the country after a good ten years at Agence France-Presse in Paris.