Top French Products for Autumn Recipes

🌿 Fruits & Veggies – French Pears, Limousin Apples, & French Carrots 

In the realm of raw ingredients, seasonality is most often felt in the produce sector, with specific varieties of year-round products surfacing for their annual debut. Take French Pears, for example. While available year-round, fall brings the arrival of refreshing autumnal varieties, including Beurré Hardy, Alexandrine, Comice. Enjoy solo, slice into salads, or pop into your favorite dessert recipes—just be sure to cold store them after picking or purchase.  

Similarly, Limousin Apples PDO are a beautiful addition to fall produce options. Grown in southwest-central France, these Golden Delicious apples are known for their prominent balance between sweetness and tangy acidity. PDO Limousin apples are generally picked between late September and early October, then packaged to withstand longer periods of time. Simply look for the terms AOP and Pomme du Limousin and you’ll be good to go.  

Like pears, French Carrots are also available year-round, but are particularly ideal for utilizing in fall recipes, as their innate balance between richness and sweetness adds a layer of seasonal complexity to gratins, casseroles, and more. French carrots are known for their tough skin, fibrous centers, and various colors, ranging from yellow to orange to purple. Fun fact: carrots are actually the most popular vegetable in France, right behind the tomato! 

🧀 Dairy Products – Comté PDO & Bleu d'Auvergne 

While cheese is a year-round staple in French cuisine, there’s a reason why certain dairies taste better in the fall—and it all comes down to the quality of milk. During the fall season, cows transition to stored feeds, which create a stable fat content and increase in protein concentration, which in turn, results in concentrated flavor.  

Take Comté PDO, for example. This staple cheese is enjoyed all 12 months of the year—after all, it is the number one French cheese in terms of annual production. However, there’s something extra delicious about its nuttiness that comes to life in fall recipes. Produced in the Jura Mountains, this versatile cheese is ideal for melting into gratins and pot pies (as well as munching on solo, of course!) Similarly, Bleu d'Auvergne is a match made in heaven for pairing with sweet fall produce. Beloved for its buttery texture and slightly sweeter flavor, this creamy-meets-tangy blue is a less pungent alternative to Roquefort, and is also a solid pick for adding to autumnal salads, seasonal cheeseboards, and more. 

🦪 Meats & Fish – Limousin Farm Veal, Oysters 

In addition to produce and cheeses, the arrival of seasonal fall proteins from France is just as exciting. One such protein is Limousin Farm Veal PGI Label Rouge. Like the Golden Delicious apples above, this special meat also hails from the same region of southwest-central France. raised ‘under its mother,’ a traditional method that incorporates letting the offspring obtain milk directly from its parent, this labor-intensive process demands much time in patience, though in turn, results in flavor-packed, melt-in-your-mouth meat perfect for using in a variety of fall recipes.  

Additionally, fall brings the long anticipated arrival of French oyster season, and those from Marennes-Oléron Oysters PGI are not to be missed. Cultivated in the Nouvelle Aquitaine area of France, these uniquely green-hued oysters achieve their color by spending time growing in claires, which are essentially phytoplankton-rich clay ponds created from old salt mashes. Shuck them open and enjoy with a cold glass of French white wine for maximum enjoyment. Fu fact: Green fines de claires oysters were the first seafood in all of France to receive the coveted Red Label designation in 1989.  

🌰 Nuts & Sweets – Grenoble Walnuts, Périgord Walnuts, & Chestnut Cream 

Seeking to add an extra crunch to your next salad, dessert, or cheese plate? Look no further than Grenoble Walnuts and Périgord Walnuts PDO. Grown in the southeast and southwest parts of France respectively, these high-quality notes are sold dry and in their original shell, making them as easy to store as they are enjoyable to eat. When freshly hulled, these bite-sized additions are perfect for adding texture to dishes or snacking on solo, and best of all, they’re naturally rich in vitamins and minerals.  

For those seeking a sweet way to celebrate the season, the answer is found in Chestnut Cream. Frequently referred to as chestnut spread, this sweet delight has been a staple in French recipes over a century. Originally crafted in 1885, this tasty cream came as the result of an Ardèche-based manufacturer looking for a means to repurpose broken chestnut pieces from candied chestnut production. Today, the spread (known as crème de marrons in French) is made from fresh, peeled chestnuts reduced to a purée and mixed with sugar, candied syrup, and vanilla. Add it to your favorite dessert recipes, slather it on toast, or simply enjoy a spoonful to satisfy your sweet tooth! 

🍽️ 5 French Recipes to Discover This Fall 

Roasted Pears with Bleu d'Auvergne and Mâche Salad  

Looking to add a punch of flavor to your lunchtime salad? This tangy twist featuring roasted pears and blue d’Auvergne utilizes two of France’s signature fall ingredients—and also doubles as a perfect starter dish pre-dinner. Throw in some Grenoble or Périgord walnuts for an extra touch of seasonal flavor! 

Savory Butternut Squash and Comté Cheese Crumble  

Root veggies and melty Comté cheese are a match made in heaven. The signature nuttiness of the cheese beautifully complements the sweetness found in the squash (and best of all, the dish tastes even better when enjoyed as leftovers).   

Puy Lentils and Seasonal Veg Curry 

Puy lentils and seasonal vegetarian curry is the perfect way to usher in fall. This belly-warming dish strikes the perfect balance between savory and spice, and the touch of sweetness added by the addition of French carrots and Cévennes Sweet Onion PDO harmoniously bring the dish together.  

Veal Scallops with Creamy Porcini Mushroom Sauce 

Meat lovers, worry not—we’ve got the perfect fall dish for you. These satisfying veal scallops with creamy porcini mushrooms are as delicious as they are easy to make. In the words of our kitchen team, it’s like a taste of fall in every mouthful! 

Apple and Chestnut Cream Crumble 

Don’t forget to save room for dessert! This apple and chestnut cream crumble highlights a number of our favorite fall flavors. The zesty acidity in the apples cut through the richness of the chestnut cream, rendering the dish lively yet comforting. Serve with a generous dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to take the dish to the next level! 

🍷 Top French Wine Pairings for Fall  

Last but not least, don’t forget the wine! White wine enthusiasts can delight in bottles from the Vouvray PDO, which are produced from Chenin Blanc across the flavor profile spectrum—and are perfect matches for rich root vegetables and tangy orchard fruit, like those found in the Savory Butternut Squash and Comté Cheese Crumble and Apple and Chestnut Cream Crumble above. For red wine lovers, the bright acidity and soft tannins found in Beaujolais AOC wines bring out the best in a variety of seasonal fall flavors, from mushroom-based sauces and salads to hearty vegetable gratins, cheese boards, and more. Grab a bottle from your local wine store and enjoy it slightly chilled with the Veal Scallops with Creamy Porcini Mushroom Sauce.