Eating My Way Though Europe

Unusual Foods

The unusual foods of France reflect the country’s appreciation for quality ingredients and adventurous tasting in pursuit of excellence.
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One of the most famous delicacies, foie gras, is also one of the most controversial.  Foie gras is made from duck or goose liver, which undergoes a long, complicated procedure. The dish is controversial because the current method of production often involves force-feeding ducks or geese through a tube stuck down their throat until their livers are engorged to 5 or 10 times their normal size. Foie gras has even been outlawed in some countries and parts of the U.S. The EU Committee Scientific Report on Animal Welfare reports that the force-feeding of the ducks occurs over a two-week time period, during which the mortality rate is 2-4%, as compared to a rate of 0.2% for regular ducks. Although there is no conclusive scientific evidence as to the harmful effects of the procedure, the report worries about the effects of being handled by humans and the potential damage or distress caused by the tube (Le Neindre et al., 1998, p. 62).
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Another food eaten in France that many Americans would consider immoral is horsemeat. In the U.S., people generally see horses as majestic, useful creatures that are too valuable to eat. The French don’t have the same inhibitions towards eating horsemeat.
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Another delicacy very popular in France is steak tartare, which is raw ground beef that is typically served with onions, capers, and parsley and then topped with a raw egg. In America, we’re told not to eat raw eggs because of the risk of salmonella, and most people consider raw beef too dangerous to eat too.  In the U.S., meat ranges from “raw to well done”. France takes raw meat to the extreme – “bleu” meat is just put in the pan long enough so that it is no longer cold. Only the very edges of the meat are cooked, and the inside is essentially raw (Gustafson, 2007, p. 30). However, it can’t all be chalked up to culinary bravery. The French are also more trusting that their food comes from a respected source because its more common for people to buy from local sources and to develop relationships with their food vendors.
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Other tasty delicacies:
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Escargot (Snails)
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Frog Legs
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Epoisses (Stinky Cheese)