I was in Paris, France with coworkers on a business trip. Prior to dinner, my coworkers and I had been talking about how adventurous/conservative we were with meal choices when traveling. Me? I have always liked to try new things. Besides, I had been to France before and had never received any real surprises during a meal.
I saw that sausage was on the menu, so I ordered it. The waiter was quick to interject “But monsieur, French sausage is not like American sausage!” I looked at the menu, saw what I thought was “Andouille sausage” and confirmed my choice with the waiter, who tried to again to help me out of my decision. I had lived in the American south and knew exactly what I was doing. I asked that my dish be served with mustard.
Those of you who are familiar with French cuisine know where this is going…
The sausage arrives. I cut into it, and it was like that scene in “The Empire Strikes Back” when Han slices open the Tauntaun. Bits and pieces started falling out of this sausage. And there was a smell which I will never forget. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it was not an appetizing odor. Even worse, I had just had this conversation with my coworkers where I clearly stated that I could eat just about anything. SO I HAD TO EAT THIS THING. My very honor was at stake.
I took the first bite and had to suppress my gag reflex. I put mustard on the next bite with nearly the same results.
It took a while, but I managed to finish most of the sausage. I bid adieu to my coworkers and picked up a baguette on the way back to my flat, hoping it would calm my stomach.
At the flat, I tried to figure out what it was that I just ate. Wikipedia quickly pointed out that I had consumed an Andouillette Sausage, which is a very different thing than what I had been expecting. It’s made from the lower intestine of a pig, which explains the scent and the taste. Further, it is stuffed with other parts of the pig that would be considered “non-traditional” in America. In some regions of France though, it is a delicacy, and prized by the locals.
At the time, the Wikipedia page contained a quote attributed to Edouard Herriot, Mayor of Lyon : "Politics is like an andouillette – it should smell a little like shit, but not too much."
The moral of this story is this: you should trust a Parisian waiter before you trust yourself.