Colin Duncan Taylor

Colin has been living in the south of France for 20 years, and through his books he shares his passion for the region's culture, gastronomy, history and language. In Lauragais: Steeped in History, Soaked in Blood, he explores a thousand years of a history that has been shaped by characters including Simon de Montfort, the Black Prince, Thomas Jefferson and the Duke of Wellington. On a more peaceful note, the book also investigates the construction and operation of the Canal du Midi, and the rise and fall of pastel, or woad, an industry which brought fame and fortune to Toulouse in the 15th and 16th centuries. His latest book, Menu from the Midi, draws on two decades of intensive personal gastronomic research during which he has discovered first-hand the history and legends, the festivals and fairs, and the cultural background surrounding the Midi's most iconic culinary specialities, including the oldest sparkling wine in the world, le Rolls-Royce of olives, pink garlic soup, meats of the black Gascon pig, the legendary cassoulet, and cheese from the caves of Roquefort.. Visit his website and blog to find out more about the Lauragais and the Midi. www.colinduncantaylor.com/blog www.colinduncantaylor.com