In Normandy, there's a dessert that everyone loves: teurgoule. This sweet rice pudding with cinnamon is a staple in the region, and every family has its own recipe. It owes its name to the expression "se tordre la goule" (meaning "to have a hard time") because it took a number of attemptsto achieve a texture that was not too hard.
Cinnamon, which is not a Norman product, arrived in the region in the 18th century, as part of the booty seized by pirates from Spanish ships sailing from the New World. This spice is a bit expensive so is sometimes replaced by vanilla, caramel, citrus zest or bay leaf. The flavour of the teurgoule is mainly due to its very long cooking time. Indeed, the dishis baked at a very low heat for a minimum of five hours. It is then eaten with a delicious fallue, a kind of regional brioche.
The teurgoule and fallue brotherhood of Normandy organises a national contest every October. It holds its annual meeting in June and gives awards in Dozulé in November.