“Journeys, like artists, are born and not made. A thousand different circumstances contribute to them, few of them willed or determined by the will.” –Lawrence Durrell

Okay, now, I have been secretly quite proud of myself for eating all sorts of different foodstuffs while I have been overseas. This includes smoked salmon, various spreads made from fish eggs, foie gras, raw miniature crawfish (complete with heads and antennae; oh yes, we just pop them in our mouths whole like popcorn), duck parts, oysters, beets (also known as slimy tasteless disgustingness), a vaguely fishy-tasting doughy thing in an unidentifiable white sauce, and an assortment of smelly cheeses from every animal imaginable including Roquefort, which I will eternally detest and yet choke down almost every night. Tonight’s meal, however, takes the cake. Oh yes, folks, 20 minutes ago I was eating boudin, which is, wait for it – a “sausage” made out of congealed pig’s blood, chestnuts (or sometimes onions, as I was informed, as if that would make it better), and oats. YUM. The taste was, well, bloody, and the texture was pasty and…bloody. Aaaahhh! I can’t think about it being in my body. It is quite the delicacy apparently, and oh, lucky me, it’s the season for it right now! If you are ever in France and hear the word boudin, run. Fast.
Okay, now I feel bad for complaining. Tasting regional specialties is all part of the experience, right? And it is cute how Madame wants me to explore les goûts de France. As far as I’m concerned, though, I’ve done my duty, tasted the tastes, and I’m ready for my good old-fashioned peanut butter and jelly, or pretty much any dish that doesn’t involve the eyeballs, organs, or the blood of an organism.
On a slightly less vomit-inducing note, Neuilly, my town, has a Christmas market coming up! It’s so cute – all around the church across the street there are these little wooden huts and starting December 2nd they will be selling all sorts of goodies for Christmas and yummy food like hot spiced wine and roasted chestnuts. I can’t wait. Hopefully they don’t sell boudin.