Five weird foods from around France

Everywhere has weird food and cuisine, and we’re picking southern France for no particular reason, but they have their fair share of oddities. After all, it is France.

Black Truffles

While they may sounds like a fairly accepted food type, it’s the traditions and culture in the truffle regions of Provence that are particularly interesting.

There is a…group, called The Fraternal Order of the Black Diamond and of Gastronomy, who in short are a caped bunch of truffle worshippers who wander the French town of Richerences, blessing truffles and replacing church incense with them.

Other things of note around truffles:

The best truffle hunters are pigs.

There have been murders surrounding the truffle industry.

Read more about black truffles in Provence

Fromage de Tête

This dish is essentially jellied cows head, although you are occasionally subjected other parts such as the tongue and heart.

If you’re still wondering why this is weird then that’s fine, but you have a stronger stomach than I.

Oursin

Not to be confused with the 2006 one hit wonder Orson, this is the sea urchin. They’re popular in southern France and can generally be found on top of some toast, which is to be eaten with them.

After various reviews, the general consensus is that they’re a bit spongy, and a bit salty. Hangover food then, obviously.

Andouillette

Like a sausage for the adventurous, andouillette involves intestine, stomach and a host of other delightful meat products.

Although this is often shunned by outsiders, there is reportedly a pretty large following for this around France.

Steak Tartare

There is surely an argumnent to be had on whether you can call raw meat a meal. Surely there has to be some more human input than simply killing a cow, hacking a piece of it and serving it? Not if you’re French, clearly.

Perhaps the human input is considered in the garnish, which is nearly always a raw egg, sometimes with extras such as capers. I believe that, if you’re lucky, it even comes on a plate. What a truly luxurious dish this is.

We’ve changed our perspective on French Food

Remember when you thought frog legs and snails were weird? Maybe you still do, but the fact is that a lot more people are now getting used to what we originally thought of as strange things to eat.

Thankfully the French have enough peculiar foods to keep us occupied, so we’ll not be getting bored anytime soon, and there are still new French restaurants popping up around Christmas all the time.