Trique: large casing: 120 to 180 days of ageing
Saucisson: medium casing, 60 days of ageing
Saucisse: small casing, 20 days of ageing

Our philosophy: genetic selection, rearing methods with specific standards, and the transformation process.

We see our work not as pork butchers, but as masters of ageing, who allow natural processes to unfold over time.

Genetics

We exclusively use the Gascon pig, a slow-growing animal that produces the intramuscular fat we seek for our cured meats. A relative of the Iberian pig, it is a hardy breed whose origins date back to prehistoric times.

At present, (falsely) artisanal pork is often labeled 'black' to sound rustic, or given village or regional names to suggest tradition. Most of the time, these pigs are crossbred with white pigs and raised confined in buildings.

The Gascon pig is a pure breed, clearly identified by the IFIP (Institut du porc), and its purity is controlled by LIGERAL (Livre Généalogique Collectif des Races Locales de porcs). It is a pig we know well, having raised them for 15 years on the estate at a time when they were near extinction.

I discovered this breed in the late 80s; its culinary qualities literally captivated me, and I immediately began raising them to craft saucissons, hams, and more... we focused right away on the transformation.
In 1996, we played a modest part in founding the National Association for the Preservation of the Gascon Pig (ANSPG).

Highly advanced rearing methods

For millennia, pigs were raised outdoors. A productivity-driven industry confined them to produce faster but at the expense of quality, selecting breeds suited to this confinement; the Gascon pig does not adapt to it.
We have opted for a sophisticated farming method in the woods, always seeking to respect the animal's natural life cycle, both in its way of life and its duration: long rearing periods of 20 to 25 months (three to four times longer than industrial farming and twice as long as artisanal farming). Factory farming is excluded in favour of free-roaming in nature, making use of woodland areas neglected by industrial agriculture. The pigs live a true pig's life, rooting in the soil for their food (grass, leaves, roots, mushrooms, berries, earthworms, field mice, chestnuts, and acorns in season). It is thanks to this diverse diet that we obtain meat with the distinct intramuscular fat that defines the quality of our cured meats.

The transformation process

In 1995, we developed the first certified organic sausage, free from saltpeter and nitrites, in partnership with the CRITT and Anvar.

A fermented product

Our cured meats are the culmination of slow ageing in the cellar. They are the result of indigenous yeasts working on our meats, in contrast to the chemical yeasts used by the food industry.
Indigenous yeasts are those naturally present in the surrounding air.

The cellars – one on the ground floor and three for ageing – all have different atmospheres. As a result, the cured meats that move from one cellar to another during their maturation will develop different aromas in each. This creates the aromatic complexity and length on the palate of our products.

Bespoke ingredients

Each ingredient is selected to contribute to the aromatic development.

Without saltpeter, without nitrites

Tasting advice

Open the packs 48 hours in advance (at least 24 hours), and leave them hanging in a well-ventilated, temperate place.

To be enjoyed as an aperitif in thin slices, or whenever the fancy takes you...