Once shunned because of its small size and twisted shape, the Ratte du Touquet is now appreciated by a community of faithful gourmets. Cooked in all its forms, this potato seduces by its firm flesh and its good taste of chestnut. It acquired its letters of nobility in the 80s, thanks to the chef Joël Robuchon and his famous Ratte du Touquet purée.

This variety is a true standard of the Hauts-de-France region and is sold in one out of two sales outlets throughout France.

In less than a decade, the Pays d’Artois will have reconquered the value chain(s) and the know-how that contribute to produce the best beers, in the spirit of the aldermen of Arras in the 14th century.

The book, published on November 18, 2022 by Éditions Arras Pays d’Artois Éditions, takes us on a journey through the history of this beverage in Arras and leads us to meet the figures and places that have revived a whole ecosystem of original taste, drawing up a portrait of these connoisseurs, brewers, wine merchants and restaurateurs who “brew” their experiences and their manufacturing secrets to make people love beer in all its forms. Address book to savor ? A cookbook (with twenty or so recipes suggested by the author and a few Artésian chefs and food and beer pairings)? The book gathers all this at the same time, as an essential companion for this journey.

The potato is a widely popular product, synonymous with conviviality and greed. Original by its shape and delicious by its taste, the Ratte du Touquet deserves to be (re)discovered by all potato lovers, from the finest gourmets to the greatest chefs.