Soup was made from any vegetables that were to hand, which was nearly always turnips, potatoes, cabbages and leeks. The soup was cooked for several hours in a giant pot or “marmite” which was suspended from the trammel above the fire. From one area of Limousin to another the, soups were different: they could be “fricasser “ where onions fried in bacon fat were added, or "bréjaude" by adding salty bacon and crushing into the soup with a fork.

Bread All the farmers produced some cereal which was made into dough to cook pies and rye breads. The bread was often the base of the meal. Soup was poured over chunks of bread and was only eaten once the bread had completely absorbed the soup. This was known as “bougné”. Wine would be added to the remainder of the soup to make “chabrol”.

Chestnuts When the cereal supplies were scarce, the sweet chestnut tree "breadfruit tree" or "orange tree of Limousin " supplied its fruits to replace the flour. Sweet chestnuts were consumed boiled , or cooked in the charcoals of the fire. To boil, one threw them into boiling water to blanche and then removed the skin. They were added to a bowl of potatoes and turnips and eaten with warm milk. In the Corrèze, they made a sort of purée of sweet chestnuts, which was believed to have digestive qualities. In the Creuse, they prepared the "châtagna", on a base of bread with raw sweet chestnuts which they ate in thin slices between the meals to stave off hunger.

Around Tulle and around Limoges, they prepared a porridge, on a base of flour sweet chestnuts. Today, they are most commonly eaten with white meats, in minced meat in poultry and sausage. They are also popular made into a liqueur, or as the cream of chestnuts in cakes etc.