This book has been written to encourage you to cook with armagnac, the

first spirit born in France. You'll discover that armagnac has an extraordinary

range of scents (hazelnut, vine peach, lime, vanilla, prune, pear,

quince, fig, crystallised orange, etc.) that will add flavour to both sweet

and savoury dishes. The recipes are an invitation to delve into the mysterious

alchemy of spices and flavours, the ones that stir up memories of

a seemingly endless childhood, because armagnac develops at its own

pace. This is why you'll take your time when making recipes or cocktails

with a dash of poetry among their ingredients.

Armagnac is best known as an after-dinner drink but these days it is also

used in cocktails or in cookery. It can be drunk with any course or sipped

with a cigar, with family or friends.