Andouillette

[Oaky]

I have now, "been there, done that".

Never again.

That is all.

[hatler]

Snap. Some years ago. Still brings a shudder.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Had it once (just recently), which is probably enough for me. YMMV

[LEE]

This is us at Cherbourg, heading for the ferry home, about an hour after a set meal, comprising a main course of Andouillette.  I still felt a bit ill at this point.


I assume "Andouillette" is French for "Even the dog won't eat it".

I hate fussy eaters and give most things a go, I love strong, "gamey", food, but this defeated me (although I found it tasted better if I held my nose).

[Wowbagger]

We had some. Once we had come to terms with the fact that it is rolled-up pigs' intestines, it was OK. A bit chewey, but I don't remember any unpleasant tastes.

[Oaky]

The best thing that can be said about Andouillette is that it doesn't taste quite as bad as it smells.

[Efrogwr]

One of my mates, who knew no French, ordered it; his MO was to choose something with a long name. He coped bravely... then decided to learn the French names for all meat dishes.

[Bledlow]

I had it once in Normandy. Tasty, but a bit chewy. Mrs B tried it once, in Lille. She was doing fine (tasted good, apparently), until the topic of odour came up, & I used the word 'farmyard'. She thought about that for a moment, then asked me what her dinner was made of. She then lost her appetite.

[caerau]

Ah yes, andouilette.  Being an unusually adventurous soul even as a young lad I once went for the 'Breton sausage' whilst on a camping holiday in Carnac, Brittany when I was in my teens.  An unusual texture as I recall - it is rather burned on my brain that my teeth literally bounced off something while I was chewing and upon removing the inedible lump discovered it was a clump of (presumably) blood vessels.  I haven't been tempted since.  I'm all for traditional food but... really? And the french complain about some of our culinary fare...

I have a lurking feeling that if and when I try PBP in a couple of years, all the controls along the way will be offering mountains of andouillette. 

[Tigerrr]

I recall having it for lunch and then spending the rest of the day tasting that awful smell. It is truly disgusting and only actual cooked poo would be worse. I expect the french have a speciality of that too.

[Regulator]

I like andouilette - but it has to be properly made and cooked.

[geraldc]

I had it, but didnt' notice anything wrong with it, so I'm not sure if I had a "good" one or not.  That being said, I can eat natto, and don't notice the smell, which had the rest of my table retching.

I do eat pretty much everything.

[Arch]

I had it once in Normandy. Tasty, but a bit chewy. Mrs B tried it once, in Lille. She was doing fine (tasted good, apparently), until the topic of odour came up, & I used the word 'farmyard'. She thought about that for a moment, then asked me what her dinner was made of. She then lost her appetite.

Digressing a tad:

At the Eccles Farmers Market is a cheese stall - all sorts of Lancashire with stuff in. And a cheese called "Cheese for the Brave".

When I queried it, the lady behind stall said "It's just a very mature one. It tastes like lickin' a farmyard"

She was right too.

Once you'd got past the manure-y taste, it was just very strong cheese. I took some to work, where most of us will eat anything, and only two people could stomach it.

And I've never had Andouillette. I wouldn't be put off by knowing what it was, but I've heard enough reports of the taste to decide I don't think I want to order it.

[Oaky]

I had seen Andouillette in French supermarkets.  That variant looks nothing more than a fat sausage - with quite a well minced/blitzed filling.

I was aware before I ordered it that it was something offal.  I just hadn't realised how offal. (I had it in a decent restaurant (in France) so I reckon it was a "good" one, possibly chef's own concoction.) 

It looked nothing like the supermarket ones.  The filling was very coarsely cut, with recognisably frilly, chewy bits, and I remember thinking at one point that "the best case scenario here is that this is tripe sausage".  The smell was, err.... , farmyardy in the extreme.

Thank ${DEITY} for the really good tomatoes that were also on on the plate.

[LEE]

I like andouilette - but it has to be properly made and cooked.

Yes, it needs to be cooked at 400degC for about 12 hours, until it's a shrivelled piece of charcoal.  Allow to cool and place in bin.

I assume ours was made and cooked properly, the locals were tucking in happily.

"Farmyard" is a perfect way to describe the smell.  Like I said, it tasted OK if I held my nose but the French have a million other things to eat before I eat Andouilette again.

MY favourite french meal is Salade de Geziers (offal, basically Duck's gizzards).  Bloody lovely and totally lacking in "Farmyard" aroma.

[Clare]

Vernon ate unidentified tubes in China, it didn't have a posh name and was a bit chewy.

[Psychler]

I've had andouillette twice.  First time was in Armentierres in 2008 and it was quite tasty if a bit chewy and grainy.  Nice enough to make me decide to have it again the following year in St Aubin-sur-Mer.

Never, never, never again!!

I'm still gagging at the thought of the smell!!

[DrMekon]

It took less than is reported here to turn me veggie. I applaud the culinary audacity shown here, but half suspect you all lack a disgust reflex.

I'm half tempted to set up an experiment with one of the food psychologists in my dept to investigate these French practises.

[rafletcher]

It's not to my taste - but then nether is white tripe in milk and onions.  Each to their own.  I like chicken gizzard though (gesiers)

[pcolbeck]

It's not to my taste - but then nether is white tripe in milk and onions.  Each to their own.  I like chicken gizzard though (gesiers)

I tried the duck gizzard salad in the Dordogne once, it was on the menu of every restaurant so obviously popular. It was like eating rubber bands.
Tried the dreaded Andouilloette once and as the rest of you say never again, it's a sausage too far.

[bikenrrd]

I've never had Andouillette, and never will due to it's formidable reputation.

The most "acquired" taste I've tried is whole belly deep fried clams on Cape Cod.  The first batch I had was pretty good - supremely fishy but not overpoweringly so.  The second batch was like licking the side of a working dock.  Gritty, unbelievably fishy in a slightly fermented way.  Not good.

[robgul]

What's all the fuss about? ... excellent, especially with the traditional mustard sauce and chips (best are around Troyes where the delicacy is a regional speciality).  If it's on the menu, I'll have it 

That said - if you order it the waiter will usually check that you know what it is (in the same way as they do with the pile of raw mince that they call steak tartare ... now that I can't get to grips with)

Rob

[citoyen]

I tried the duck gizzard salad in the Dordogne once, it was on the menu of every restaurant so obviously popular. It was like eating rubber bands.

This goes back to the point about proper preparation. I've had tender, delicious gesiers, and I've had gesiers that were like strips of old boot...

Andouillette presumably needs even more careful preparation. I've yet to sample an andouillette that was prepared in such a way that I was able to eat it. And I'm in no great hurry to find one either.

[Julian]

When I was a small and on holibobs, my family would often go to the local restaurant near where we stayed a lot in Normandy, which had English translations on the menu.  Unfortunately some wit had translated "andouillette" as "speciality French sausage" which meant that the pickiest English eaters invariably went for it.  Watching the English tourists enthusiastically ordering sausage and chips and then getting andouillette was the perfect accompaniment to a plate of gesiers.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

By "farmyard" I take it you mean "tastes of poo"?