Pieds-et-paquets

If the thought of escargots or foie gras makes you squeamish, look away now. For all its glorious cheeses, tender meats and vibrant veggies, France is also home to some gastronomic ghastlies too, which will certainly have you hiding under the dining table! Remember, we warned you – here’s what not to order on a French menu. (Though this being France, if you’re brave enough to try them, we reckon they’re probably delicious!). 

a stew of stuffed sheep’s feet and offal, originally from Marseille but now found all over south-eastern France.
IMAGE © MARIANNE CASAMANCE

Manouls – the lining of a lamb’s stomach, stewed in white wine with tomatoes and ham. A speciality of Lozère in Languedoc-Roussillon. 

Fromage-de-tête – jellied pig’s head. 

Pieds-et-paquets – a stew of stuffed sheep’s feet and offal, originally from Marseille but now found all over south-eastern France. 

Pouteille – another specialty stew from Lozère, which consists of pig’s trotters, lard, beef and potatoes. 

Grive – a small songbird, usually served in a pâté. 

5 COMMENTS

  1. I actually have tried all of your delicacies. The ones I had issue with were the ones with pigs trotters. I don’t like them. But I will throw a couple of them in almost any stew to release their collegen and thicken the stew up. Like marrow in a sauce, they add this incredible mouth feel and . My friend will eat them though. But she makes them dance on the table first, she is very good at making them do the Can-Can. And if I have had enough wine, very funny also:)

    • I don’t know about pig trotters doing the Can-Can and the like, I was far more discombobulated by the thought of ‘pieds-et-paquets’, which I misread initially as ‘pieds-et-parakeets’. Oink-oink vs. Squawk-squawk….

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