The story
Castelnaudary, a market town on the Canal du Midi, calls itself the world capital of cassoulet. Legend says the townspeople gathered beans, pork and sausages into one great pot to feed defenders during an English siege in 1355, in the Hundred Years' War; the Black Prince did sack the town that year, but the tale cannot be proven. Early versions were stews called estouffat, made with broad beans before New World haricots took over, and the name cassoulet, from the clay cassole pot, dates only from the 19th century. Prosper Montagné called Castelnaudary's version the Father, with Carcassonne and Toulouse as Son and Holy Ghost.
Rival claims
Carcassonne and Toulouse have their own versions and claims; the 1355 siege story is legend, but Castelnaudary is the usual birthplace ('the Father' in Prosper Montagné's trinity).
Also known as cassoulet de Castelnaudary, cassolada, estouffat.
On the Meridish menu
Cassoulet was the main course on menu No. 22 on October 22, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
White beans slow-baked with duck confit, sausage and pork. Legend says this small canal town fed it to its defenders during a siege in 1355; two bigger neighbours claim it too.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassoulet
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castelnaudary
- france.fr/en/article/cassoulet-french-food-for-the-soul
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
