Ajoie is known beyond its borders for its Damassine AOP, but it is also famous for many other products, including the IGP Ajoie sausage, Toétché and the Pâté des Princes-Evêques. The region invites you on a culinary journey through its territory.
For more information on the region’s products and good addresses for discovering the region, you can read the brochure “Terroir à savourer” from Jura & Trois-Lacs.
Ajoie sausage IGP
The Ajoie sausage is a lightly smoked pork sausage with caraway that is eaten cooked. It has been entered in the federal register of protected geographical indications (PGI) since 2002.
The IGP Ajoie sausage is made only in the district of Porrentruy, but it is found throughout the canton of Jura under other names, such as “household sausage”, “caraway sausage”, “cooking sausage” or “Saint-Martin sausage”. These sausages are eaten throughout the year, with a peak at the time of Saint-Martin, a festival dedicated to the pig which is celebrated around 11.
Recipe idea
To enjoy Ajoie sausage, it must be cooked in simmering water. It is usually served with cabbage, beans, potato salad or sauerkraut, depending on the season. For a modern version, you can choose the IGP Ajoie sausage to make delicious local hot dogs!
Where can I buy some?
The IGP Ajoie sausage is made exclusively by butchers in Ajoie, near Porrentruy. It can be found directly in their shops, or in most of the shops in the Jura Arc.
Toétché
Toétché is a cream cake with a tangy, salty taste that originated in Ajoie. Its name means “cake” in Jura dialect. It is considered to be the representative of Jura bakery beyond the cantonal borders.
Even though it can be eaten at any time, it is part of the popular Jura celebrations – especially St. Martin’s Day.
Recipe idea
This cake appeared as early as the 19th century. Its recipe was developed by the local women – and even today, it is the women of the region who make it. At Ô Vergers d’Ajoie, it is the recipe of Monique Gigon from Fontenais that is used to make Toétché.
Where can I buy some?
A typical Jura bakery product, Toétché can be found in all good bakeries in the region. It is served during the popular Jura festivals, particularly Saint Martin’s Day.
Pâté des Princes-Evêques
The Pâté des Princes-Evêques is a rectangular pie, always wider than it is high and weighing several kilos. Its filling consists of offal, soaked bread, eggs, onions and possibly some steamed leeks. It is considered to be one of the jewels of the Ajoulte gastronomy.
For a long time, its recipe remained out of reach to ordinary people, kept by a few notable families of Porrentruy. But being prepared for certain fairs, Pâté des Princes-Evêques nevertheless acquired a great reputation. It was only in 1973 that the original recipe was revealed by Gilberte Vallet.
Despite its name, the pâté was not born in the Château de Porrentruy, which was the main residence of the Prince-Bishops of Basel after the Reformation; the oldest known recipe dates back to 1840.
As the recipe remained a secret for a long time and required a lot of time and know-how, many counterfeits of the pâté have been made. To this day, none of the versions presented in the region’s cookbooks hold a candle to that of the bourgeois families of Porrentruy.
Today, this princely delicacy is still often eaten on holidays such as Easter or Christmas and is an integral part of Jura traditions.
Recipe
For those who are not afraid to spend hours in the kitchen, you can make your own Pâté des Princes-Evêques.
Where can I buy some?
Several butcher’s shops offer a version of the Pâté des Princes-Evêques in the canton of Jura.
Wines and spirits
In Buix, the Fleury-Monnat family cultivates 7 hectares of vines and produces the wine “Clos des Cantons”, which is available in white, rosé, red and sparkling. The wine is then stored in Alle, where the family opened a wine tasting and sales cellar in 2008.
The cellar can accommodate up to 40 people for a wine tasting, accompanied by delicious local Jura products.
In addition to wine, the Fleury-Monnats make their own brandies from the fruit of their orchards – including Damassine AOP.
What to drink it with?
The diversity of the “Clos des Cantons” wines makes it possible to create magnificent food and wine combinations. The white wines are perfect with sauerkraut and typical Jura dishes such as Toétché, Pâté des Princes-Evêques or Tête de Moine AOP. The red wines are sure to brighten your meat meals, be it pork, beef, lamb or poultry. Not forgetting the “Bulles d’Ajoie” which will surely add spice to your aperitifs.
Where to find it?
Directly at the producer! The Fleury-Monnat family welcomes you to Alle, where they offer tastings and the sale of wines and local products.
Some bottles are also available in various grocery stores and local stores in the region.
Craft beers
Several craft breweries thrive in Ajoie.
The Brasserie Tonnebière in Saint-Ursanne is a family brewery founded in 2014. Originally brewed in a cellar, it is now produced in a century-old building in the medieval town.
Eight different beers are offered in the standard range, from a classic blonde to a dark IPA. Other beers are added to the collection according to the seasons and the desires of its creators.
In 2018, the Blackwood Brewery was born under the creative impulse of two buddies: Maël and Alexandre. Based in Porrentruy, the brewery offers several lines of local beers… with American-style recipes!
These two breweries have the “Jura l’original” trademark, because some of their beers are brewed with Jura malt, supplied by the Malticulture Cooperative (Delémont) and Swiss hops.
Where to drink them?
On the spot! The two breweries welcomes visitors for a tour or a tasting.
The beers of the Brasserie Tonnebière and the Blackwood Brewery can also be found in many bars and hotels in the Ajoie region and the wider Jura.
Where to buy them?
These beers are sold in several specialist shops and supermarkets. It is also possible to order directly from the brewery.
Regional actors
