Boudin noir. Ever heard of it? Its a type of sausage and I had heard that it was a delicacy in these parts - especially aroundabout Paris. Now when one says "delicacy", immediately warning lights should be going off in your mind. "Delicacy" really is a positive adjective describing a semi-edible food made desireable by those with the economic means, and if it were really that tasty or desireable, would be on everone's dinner table. This sausage was one food that was still on my list of French things to try and the opportunity approached me today at lunch.
Normally there are associated risks with dining at the company cafeteria, so why I continue to approach the tight wire of "Strange Cafeteria Foods", I will never understand. But nonetheless, there really wasn't anything else intriguing on the menu today...Allez! I waited my turn and said, "Bonjour Monsieur, the 'boo-don' please." "You mean the 'booo-dahhhhhn," he responded almost painfully, making me wish the mis-placed sylables had never left my lips. He pushed aside the beef, digging into a dark tray below (at this point those warning lights felt more like flashing strobes than simply indicators) and pulled out something resembling a black bratwurst with onions on it.
I found the usual crew and sat down asking them what I had gotten myself into.
"Oooh, I don't really like those," someone responded.
"Great, here we go! By the way, what is this thing?" I ask.
"Oh, its just congeled pig's blood in sausage casing."
...
...
(Do any of those last 6 words sound appetizing in the slightest?)
We'll just fast forward past the meal and suffice it to say that I managed to finish 2/3 of it but had to turn my focus on other things as I ate. For those of you who are wondering, it tastes a little as I expected: organ meat-ish, crumbly-ish texture, but with a flavor that is pretty unique and lingers on the pallete - as such, I am immediately popping an American wintergreen Lifesaver after I hit "publish post" on the blog
They tell me however that they make a white boudin that is made with milk instead. Now there is something I could go for - probably even "does the body good" in the process...
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3 comments:
mmm, I think I've tasted that before. They call it 'black pudding' in Ireland. And I can just picture the chef correcting your pronunciation... gotta love that Poclain cafeteria!
They have that in Sweden too, but they come right out call it what it is blodpudding.
O Jamie! I found this so funny. You are a brave soul indeed.
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