For two hundred years or more, a steady trickle of young Auvergnats have made their way to Paris to train as restaurant chefs. A few years ago about twenty founded an association: l’Amicale des Cuisiniers et Pâtissiers Auvergnats de Paris. Their book Cuisine d’Auvergne was written to record and honour the good country cooking of their family homes. Some of the dishes show signs of being altered to suit Parisian clients, in the way that Jane Grigson has called ‘la cuisine pastorale’. Others reflect their rustic origins more faithfully. This recipe is one such – I have been served cèpes in this fashion in the high plateau region of the Ardèche where it touches the Auvergne.

In the Auvergne the bolet à pied rouge (Erythropus) is common; in Britain field mushrooms replace them quite well.