flipTarn Millas Golden with Sugar
Tarn Millas Golden with Sugar
Why this dish? Millas is THE treat of village festivals and fairs in the Tarn, where Jaurès, a child of Castres and later a tribune close to the people, so often mingled at markets and popular gatherings. A simple sweet, costing a penny, just as he liked them.
A cornmeal porridge cooked, cooled into firm cakes, cut, then browned in fat and dusted with sugar. Crispy outside, soft inside: the sticky-fingered pleasure of fair days.
Ah, millas! As a child, at the Tarn fairs, I would watch for the smell of hot fat where the cornmeal cake was browning; they'd hand it to you all sugary, burning hot, and you'd smear your fingers without shame. Believe me, first you made a big porridge in the cauldron, let it set on the board, then cut it with a thread. It's next to nothing, and yet it's the whole happiness of a village feast day.
- •Cornmeal — by the ladle (porridge base)
- •Water and milk — as needed (cooking liquid)
- •Goose or duck fat — a good spoonful (browning fat)
- •Sugar — a generous handful (final sweetness)
- •Lemon zest or orange flower water — a hint (flavoring)
Tarn Millas Golden with Sugar
A cornmeal porridge cooked, cooled into firm cakes, cut, then browned in fat and dusted with sugar. Crispy outside, soft inside: the sticky-fingered pleasure of fair days.
Why this dish? Millas is THE treat of village festivals and fairs in the Tarn, where Jaurès, a child of Castres and later a tribune close to the people, so often mingled at markets and popular gatherings. A simple sweet, costing a penny, just as he liked them.
Ah, millas! As a child, at the Tarn fairs, I would watch for the smell of hot fat where the cornmeal cake was browning; they'd hand it to you all sugary, burning hot, and you'd smear your fingers without shame. Believe me, first you made a big porridge in the cauldron, let it set on the board, then cut it with a thread. It's next to nothing, and yet it's the whole happiness of a village feast day.
Ingredients (period version)
- Cornmeal — by the ladle (porridge base)
- Water and milk — as needed (cooking liquid)
- Goose or duck fat — a good spoonful (browning fat)
- Sugar — a generous handful (final sweetness)
- Lemon zest or orange flower water — a hint (flavoring)
Ingredients
- Fine cornmeal — 250 g (base)
- Water — 75 cl (cooking liquid)
- Milk — 25 cl (softness)
- Duck fat (or butter) — 40 g for frying (browning)
- Sugar — 4 tbsp (finish)
- Lemon zest — 1 (flavoring)
- Salt — 1 pinch (balance)
Method
- Bring water and milk to a boil with salt and zest, then rain in the cornmeal while stirring constantly.
- Cook over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring, until a thick porridge pulls away from the sides.
- Spread on an oiled board or dish to 1.5 cm thickness and let cool and firm up for several hours.
- Cut into diamonds or rectangles, brown in hot fat on both sides, then generously dust with sugar and serve warm.
How it was made : Millas (or "milhàs" in Occitan) was a cornmeal porridge widespread in the Southwest since the introduction of corn in the 16th century. Cooked in a large cauldron, it was eaten savory as a side dish, or cooled, fried, and sweetened as a treat at fairs and votive festivals.
The contemporary twist : A hint of orange flower water in the porridge and a presentation as golden sticks "Tarn churros style."
Jean Jaurès · Charactorium
