Francophile foodies in Singapore can go “c’est délicieux” at So France, a multi-concept epicerie that combines a gourmet grocer, wine bar and bistro under one roof in DUO Galleria in Bugis.
From snacks to pastries, charcuterie to seafood, wines to cheeses, gourmands can stock up on more than 500 products in the 5,000-square-foot epicurean space. Out of every 10 products, six are imported from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in south-west France. A considerable number of the stockists are making their Singapore debut.
More than 60 percent of the products stocked at So France are from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in South-west France.
So France is a joint partnership between France’s top agricultural cooperative group InVivo and the French government-linked AANA Nouvelle-Aquitaine Food Agency.
The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, which is known as the first farming region in France, is a major agricultural hub in France. The lush region is home to oyster-rich waters, cattle-grazing pastures, orchard farms and cheese houses. Wine connoisseurs might be more familiar with Bordeaux, which is a major city in the region and one of wine capitals of the world.
We suss out five unusual French products at So France.
Flacons
Cannot finish a bottle of wine by yourself? Try a flacon instead. Each nifty 30ml test tube stores wines that fill up a wine glass nicely. Choose from more than 10 types of flacons, ranging from Chateau Coulet Saint-Emilion Grand Gru, Thompson’s Vodka to Cognac. The cellar has about 20 varieties of wines that can be re-packaged into flacons upon request.
Price: From $14.50
Bayonne Ham
One of the major pig farms in the Basque Country in south-west France, Pierre Oteiza is the go-to name for charcuterie. One of its star products is the Bayonne ham, also known as the French prosciutto. The ham comes from Celtic pigs that have been cured in Salies-de-Bearn salt for a year, air-dried and lightly smoked. Most Bayonne hams are also rubbed with a paste of lard and flour to keep the meat moist throughout the dry and warm months of spring and summer.
Price available upon request
Le P’tit Fume
One of the many specialty cheeses from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, the snow-hued dome-shaped cheese, which means “little smoke” in French, is made from pasteurised goat milk, salt, lactic ferments and rennet. The thick, creamy cheese is aged in containers that have been smoked with wood fire.
Price: From $9
Pates De Fruits Artisanales
These sugar-coated fruit pastilles make a perfect pick-me-up after a meal. The cubes come in a delightful assortment of all-natural flavours such as strawberry, peach, blueberries and orange. The pastilles are made by Confiserie Limousine, an established confectionery from Limoges.
Price: From $19
Peach Tartlets
Feeling peckish and craving something sweet? These nugget-sized peach tarts from Lou Cocal are filled with sweet and sticky peach and cheese, or honey and pistachio before being glazed with Monbazillac wine.
Price: $13.20
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Written by
Kenneth Goh
Kenneth is a former newspaper journalist who relishes uncovering stories in eateries and kitchens as much as hunting for new chomping grounds. With more than five years of content production experiences on print, online and video platforms, he enjoys his min chiang kueh as much as moussaka. From chefs, restaurateurs to hawkers, he is intrigued by the blend of ingenuity and hard work behind their food.