Caught in the Gironde estuary and the Dordogne between mid-December and mid-May, the lamprey, once reserved for dignitaries and wealthy people, is a popular delicacy in the Bordeaux region.
To make the recipe for the traditional lamprey à la Bordelaise, one must first hang the lamprey by the head, while still alive, before cutting the tail to collect the blood. After being placed into boiled water and cut into sections, the lamprey is put to stew with leeks, red wine, onions, shallots, garlic, cured ham and mixed herbs. Before being served with garlic bread croutons and a glass of red wine from Bordeaux, the lamprey pieces are flambéed with Armagnac and wine sauce blended with the blood of the fish.
Every year in late April, a lamprey festival is held in Sainte-Terre, in Libournais. It's a chance to watch the lamprey brotherhood's induction ceremony, as well as cookery workshops, gourmet meals, a local produce market and many other activities.