Description
The Volailles de Janzé PGI include winged animals belonging to a slow-raising selected breed from rustic origin.
Production Area
The production area of Volailles de Janzé PGI is located in the departments of Ile-et-Vilaine and its neighbouring cantons in the departments of Morbidhan, Côtes d'Armor, Manche, Mayenne, Maine et Loire and Atlantic Loire.
Production Method
The Volailles de Janzé PGI breeding takes place in the open air. The nutrition of chickens, pullets and capons consists above all of cereals and vegetable proteins. The chickens become adults after minimum 81 days with a weight of about 2 kg, whilst the capons, neuter male chicken, achieve a final weight of 4.5 kg. The capons are raised for a period of 6 months, and once adults their diet is completed by whole milk, which gives their fowl a rich and generous flavour. This product is sold only from 15th December to 15th January. The guinea hen is raised for a minimum period of 94 days. Its fowl is firm and coloured and features a taste similar to the one of game.
Appearance and Flavour
The fowl of Volailles de Janzé PGI is white, except of guinea hen which is darker. Generally, fowl is soft, tender and well-tied to bones, whilst capon presents some fat veins.
History
Volailles de Janze belongs to the history of French gastronomy. Already in the 19th century, chickens, chicks and pullets of Janzé were mentioned in different documents, in particular, on the menus of the famous and prestigious France steamers. At the beginning of the 20th century, the weekly market of Janzé was famous for its animals and represented the most important mercantile site in the department of Ille-et-Vilaine. The transatlantic companies from the beginning of the 20th century proposed their healthy customers the Volailles de Janzé PGI, due to its very good quality.
Gastronomy
Volailles de Janzé PGI can be conserved for a few days in the refrigerator, wrapped into their purchasing paper and stored in the coldest compartment. It can be cooked in different ways depending on the cut chosen and is useful to prepare a lot of dishes. It can be roasted, stuffed or not, or roasted in slices in oven. For example, the fillets can be combined with a curry sauce. The capon is a traditional Christmas dish, roasted in oven and served with chestnuts roasted in the cooking sauce. An unusual combination much appreciated by chefs is the capons with foie gras.
Marketing
Volailles de Janzé PGI include different types of product depending on the different breeds of the denomination which are individually written on the package. Amongst these, there are dinde fermière de Noël, chapon fermier, poulet fermier (blanc ou jaune), pintade fermière, chapon fermier jaune (Christmas farm turkey, white or yellow farm chicken, farm guinea hen, farm yellow capon). The product is marketed fresh, whole without head or in slices packed in trays with protected atmosphere which guarantee a longer conservation of fowl and keep its organoleptic features.
Distinctive Features
The fame of Volailles de Lanzé PGI is due to its quality and to the consistency of the tender and tasteful fowl.
