Ah! France and its gastronomy renowned throughout the world. Our culinary art attracts millions of tourists every year who dream of good wines and good ratatouilles. Except that France is also full of typical dishes that can give you nausea at first sight. So, let me list you some Weird French food and delicacies you should try!
It must be admitted, here is a very special food in French gastronomy. The snail is the only creepy little bug we eat. Its unpleasant appearance does little to whet the appetite. The main receipt is buried with a dose of garlic butter in their shell! But you can also find them “à la Provençale” so with “aioli” (garlic mayonnaise) or tomato sauce.
Like the snail, the aspect of the animal is particularly repulsive. It also comes from the fact that the frog is often confused with the toad which is a real ball of microbes. As with snails, avoid leaving the legs and peel the flesh by promising them that it is chicken. The common receipt is to fried them in butter with parsley and garlic. But let’s discover the receipt of a great defunct chef in Burgundy Bernard Loiseau: his signature dish at the restaurant La Côte d’Or in Saulieu.
No need to draw a picture to understand the repellent side of this food. To make matters worse, this one is usually served in its original form. Simple cook it in boiled water with vinegar and then just fried it with lots of butter and parsley. YUMMY!
Foie Gras, a French culinary specificity, is a local product. Anchored in regional traditions, it symbolizes a whole art of living and, over the centuries, it has become an essential ambassador of French culture. … Foie Gras is the symbol of exceptional meals.
The basic principle for obtaining “foie gras” is to breed geese or ducks, then to force-feed them during the period before slaughter (generally a dozen days) in order to fatten the animal, which allows in particular to make the liver fat until the stage of hepatic steatosis, and thus obtain raw fatty liver. Many French people have a passion for foie gras, alone on bread, accompanied by fig jam or onion confit. This practice is however much controversial for obvious animal welfare reasons.
The most repellent of our food for many tourists! The non-native will not be able to approach it within two meters. It is possible to vary the pleasures with munster, maroilles, goat cheese or Roquefort: a very runny cheese covered in mold, as we like them, full of taste!
Boudin noir (blood sausage), is one of France’s oldest charcuterie preparations. It’s part of a sausage making tradition in France that has lasted well over 2000 years. No need to play it on you by explaining its Dracula conception which could disgust any man from other than France.
You’ll find pigeon on many fine restaurants’ menus. The pigeon can be eaten simply rosé, roasted or grilled. You can also stuff it, marinate it and prepare it in a sauce. As for the accompaniments, the pigeon goes wonderfully with garlic and peas but also with apples or even cherries.
If you’re a fan of pig parts, you need to go for offal, often referred to globally as a triperie, is a set of food products which contain all the edible viscera of animals. These are the glands and internal organs (such as the liver, kidneys, thymus, intestine), but also the foot, paw, heart, or cheek. They are generally considered as accessory, non-noble parts of slaughter animals intended for human consumption. They are opposed to red or white meat, which is muscle, whether it is poultry, cattle, sheep, etc. They correspond to the consumable part of the fifth quarter1 as opposed to the four quarters made up of the two shoulders and two thighs of slaughter animals.
A typical dish from the city of Lyon is called: “tablier de sapeur”, breaded sapper apron.
Breaded sapper apron: the fat-double rectangle, which has been marinated in white wine and which is then breaded and fried, sliced and served with a “gribiche sauce” (more specifically flavored with chives), often accompanied by potatoes steamed. The sapper apron is on the menu of many Lyon corks, and was originally considered as an entry.
Look at this itinerary where you will have a great exemple of itinerary including a food tour of Lyon and all those great “bouchon”: An Epicurean Adventure from Champagne to Lyon through the Mountains of Jura and Alps.
Now you can start looking for a wonderful gourmet tour discovering all those great weird dishes!
But the best experience would be to explore regions of France and taste not only those food, but also the other numerous local specialties, from all kind of bread to very fine pastries. See for instance this article on how to make the perfect kouign amann. Also if you travel with us, you will find some other addresses in the roadbook we’ll provide you before your departure.
Do not hesitate to visit our website and see many suggestions of itineraries!
