A beautiful Aude with truffle for the 30th anniversary of Ampélofolies de Moussoulens

Black suits it wonderfully, and the thirty years of the Ampélofolies du Cabardès which are being held in Moussoulens this January 26 from 10:00 a.m., are the showcase of choice. Inexhaustible, they are on the truffle phenomenon which brings us to the lands of Moussoulens. Marie-Cécile Micouleau and her husband Gérard breathe and live through the black gold of Aude. This year, they are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the association which carries the event. Originally Bacchanal, and therefore centered on Cabardès wines, it was the former mayor of Moussoulens Michel Escande, now deceased, who launched the event of this wine festival. In 2000, he was appointed president of the Aude truffle growers and truffles then took over the noble grape varieties. Moussoulens therefore had the heavy responsibility of being the first truffle market emerging from the Aude lands. Since then, there have been a lot of people at the weigh-in.

Why this success?

So why this success? Never denied as we can see in the opening photo before the gunshot announcing the sales. Literally the shot, let's not forget it. This is for those who would like to scam or instigate unclear actions on Melanosporum. They have been warned, here, we don't joke with the sacred mushroom. Moreover, in Aude all the truffles are sorted and checked by volunteers from the Aude truffle growers' association, put in fabric bags, and sealed before the kick-off which smells of gunpowder. In 2009, it was Marie-Cécile Micouleau who accepted the presidency of Ampélofolies and the marriage finally returned to truffle and wine, to the great joy of the consenting people. Marie-Cécile swears by her village, the truffle activity and the respect for the work of volunteers. She deploys crazy energy, so that the Ampélofolis shine in the heart of Cabardès. But, sharing, she opened the festivities from her presidency to three other neighboring villages.

The reactor core remains Moussoulens

Montolieu participates on January 24 at 7:45 p.m. with the Literary Ampélofolies, in readings and songs at the Jean Guéhenno foyer and, in Ventenac-Cabardès, on Saturday January 25, tastings will take place at 10:00 a.m. around the truffle, room of the distillery. Also on the 25th, an Occitan recital given by Laurent Cavalié at the Na Loba Theater will be held at 7:00 p.m. in Pennautier. The truffle madness is spreading and nothing seems to stop it. The reactor core remains Moussoulens. It all starts from there. The Micouleau house is also on the main square where the market is held. It serves as a base for the culinary preparations that punctuate the fiesta. You shouldn't be cautious. The wait, the friendly melee, the weighing, the discovery of the jet-black mushroom, its aroma unknown to burger eaters, its fossil texture must be earned in the frost of late January. From 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the program concocted by the Ampélofolies association warmly vacillates between tasting of Cabardès wines (this year, it is the Maury vintage which is invited, not the chauvinistic Audois) and prepared truffle entrepains by the team and managed by Carole Rodriguez, responsible for the restoration of Ampélofolies.

Jérôme Ryon will be present

Big deal this one. More than 2000 entrepains devoured in two hours, with duck breast grilled on the plancha and thinly sliced, then coated with truffle oil, or that with truffled foie gras to be enjoyed with a good Cabardès. If you go to Place de l'Église, it's the chef, Jérôme Ryon from the Hôtel de la Cité de Carcassonne, who will treat your taste buds with his original appetizers in a gastronomic marquee. Nevertheless, as Marie-Cécile enthusiastically points out, the event remains an example of culinary democracy with dish tastings starting from 3.50 euros. The musical entertainment and the 80 exhibitors present will frame the climax of the opening of the large truffle market at 2:30 p.m. There, where sales soar and hearts are set aflame.