Tartine en Languedoc – SALE

Tartine en Languedoc with red onion and red wine

These jars have had a rough journey: the lids are dented, and tomato has left its red trail on the back label. The vacuum seal held, and every jar has been cleaned and individually inspected before we labeled them. The flaw is in the tin; the onion confit inside is as well-preserved as ever.

The Tartine en Languedoc from Rue Traversette is a vegan spread made with 51 percent red onions, plus red wine, toasted almonds, and raisins. Sweet and savory like an onion confit, and named after the region where Stéphane has his cannery.

Tartine en Languedoc from Rue Traversette is a vegan spread made from sweet red onions, tomato, and beet, refined with 10 percent red wine, toasted almonds, raisins, and herbs. "En Languedoc" means "in the Languedoc," the region between the sea and the mountains where Rue Traversette is based. A sweet-and-savory confit that is reminiscent of onion jam, only heartier, with red wine as its deep base note.

Sweet onion, red wine, and toasted almond

Tartine en Languedoc smells of braised onion and red wine, accompanied by the warm note of toasted almonds and the sweetness of raisins. The color is a deep wine red, the texture soft with a few pieces of almond providing a bit of crunch.

On bread, you first taste the soft sweetness of the red onion, then the red wine arrives with its depth, before tarragon, thyme, and bay leaf provide a savory counterpoint. Sweet, savory, and velvety, with the crunch of toasted almonds as a contrast. The raisins provide a subtle fruit sweetness underneath, and the whole remains hearty, never sticky. A confit that leaves you wanting more.

For cheese, meat, and bread

As a vegan spread, Tartine en Languedoc joins our vegetable spreads and creams and is a classic companion to cheese, whether on a board, in a sandwich, or on a raclette platter.

The confit plays out its sweetness against a strong mountain cheese or aged goat cheese; on a burger, it replaces ketchup and fried onions in one go. A spoonful added to roasted meat, pasta, or a sauce brings depth. Alongside the aubergine cream, it serves as the sweet counterpart on the board.

When you have guests, add a spoonful to a cheese plate or alongside a terrine, and a little something becomes a small feast. It also pairs perfectly with roasted pumpkin or fried mushrooms, and it is magnificent on a tarte flambée with goat cheese—savory, fruity, and hearty all at once.

A spread from the local region

Unlike its sisters, Tartine en Languedoc stays close to home: Rue Traversette is located in Saint-André-de-Sangonis in the heart of the Languedoc, where Stéphane Strobl has been preserving food since 2005, just a few kilometers from the vineyards whose grapes end up in the spread.

Everything that makes up the spread—onions, grapes for the wine, and herbs of the garrigue—grows here between the sea near Marseillan and the castle town of Carcassonne. "En Languedoc" is Stéphane’s small declaration of love to his home, one of several tartines intended as small journeys through France. For a good 20 years, the former cork merchant has been translating regions and classics into jars.

We met Stéphane over 15 years ago, back then in a tiny garage. Today, there is a cannery built in 2015 where a small team continues to cook in kettles, with the same attention to detail as on the first day.

The circle is complete with the region's red wine

Tartine en Languedoc tastes rounder at room temperature than straight from the cold, so take the jar out of the fridge in good time. Once opened, keep it refrigerated and finish it within a few days. With a glass of red wine from the Languedoc, the circle is complete, and with good cheese and fresh baguette, it becomes a little southern breakfast. Those who want to travel further will find the other tartines from Rue Traversette, from en Provence to au Pays Basque.