In France, everyone associates the southern town of Montelimar with nougat, that delicious confection of honey, sugar, egg whites, and roasted almonds.
Nougat has long been produced in Montelimar, but fame arrived in the 19th century when both train travel and vacation time for workers became de rigueur in France. When trains en route to Mediterranean beaches stopped at Montelimar, the travel-weary passengers bought French nougat for a pick-me-up snack.
Since 1837, the artisanal Arnaud Soubeyran company has produced authentic Montelimar nougat there, using straightforward, pure ingredients and old-fashioned techniques. Today, the small factory still uses copper caldrons to cook the nougat. When it's ready, it's laid out and cut on marble slabs into the nougat candy bar we all know and love.
To earn the designation "nougat de Montelimar," French nougat must follow certain specifications regarding proportions of ingredients, including a certain amount of "miel toutes fleurs" - mixed-flower honey. At Arnaud Soubeyran, this "toutes fleurs" honey comes locally from Provence, as does the lavender honey also used.
If you ever find yourself in Montelimar, stop by for a visit! Arnaud Soubeyran offers a terrific little museum where you can watch nougat-making in progress, as well as learn about the process - starting with entering a walk-in model of a beehive to learn about honey! - and check out all sorts of antique nougat-making gadgets.
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