(the misadventures of an expatriate corporate dropout)

Thursday, July 16, 2009

my date for Friday ...


oh.my.god.

When Jean-Yves suggested we make a porc paté de campagne using tête de cochon ... I'm not sure what I imagined.

But ... being me, I retorted "I'm game" and made my way to the boucherie and placed an order for un tête de cochon, entier.

Eyeing me dubiously, they told me it would be a few days ... but dutifully inscribed my name in a journal and told me jeudi matin.

well now. just got back from the boucherie and off the phone from an uproarious Jean-Yves... when I arrived at the butcher and reminded them who I was, le monsieur disappeared with an ever so slight smirk and returned with the fellow above. I guess I was thinking someone would have kindly removed all of the various aspects that certify Yes, this is the head of a pig. But no, Wilbur's cousin was there staring back at me ... and now he's in a box in my fridge.

When I saw the item in question, I had to excuse myself and call JY to confirm that yes indeed, I should be receiving one head, complet! he was in the shower and Etienne could be heard shouting to him through the spray. I went back in the shop and said, yes that's for me. We had a bit of a laugh as I explained that my friend and I would be making a paté, that I was a silly american and had no clue what I was getting into.

When I asked if I would be able to get a bag, a really good laugh was had at my expense. "Mais oui, bien sur Madame. Did you think you'd walk down the street with a pig's head under your arm?" lol.

So, now I have him. After I got home, I took this photo and sent it to JY with a big OMG! seconds later, my phone rang and I believe monsiur laughed till he cried. Given the fact that this has been a hard week for him with Etienne visiting grandma and a bit of the blues ... I was actually happy to be the butt of the joke ... it was very good to hear his laughter.

I now have some marching orders to begin boiling the beast. with lots of onion and garlic and parsley and such. I was able to beg off of cutting of parts (ergggh!!) ... hopefully, he will handle all of that tomorrow. I just need to kick off the witch's brew pot! I also found out there is something of a movement around eating the entire beast that is slaughtered for our whims. Read a very entertaining and useful article on cooking a pig's head and why ... Here.

I recently picked up a big pot for canning at a vide-grenier so I'm all set!

double, double ... toil and trouble ... fire burn and cauldron bubble ...

10 comments:

Utah Savage said...

Well... at the moment I'm not envying you quite so much as usual. But still you get to learn and do all this great exotic stuff and with a Frenchman. Oh, now I'm envious again.

La Framéricaine said...

OH. MY. GAWD. is right!

The photo is oddly powerful and the cultural experience is priceless so, you could do worse.

I bet the paté is going to be fantastic and you will have added one more feather to your "American-integrating-into-French-culture" cap that is now absolutely brimming with them!

Bon appetit!

Randal Graves said...

Better you than me. I'd be so pig-headed about consuming such a beast.

Kathleen said...

And I thought I had a daunting task ahead of me to just put up a few jars of apricot preserves (our apricot tree in the gorge came through this year, yummy, yummy!). But, this???

well, i think you can justifiably say a good riddance to all the male chauvinists you ever ran into in your banking career by boiling up this piggy and doing a few lamentations over his fine looking head as it boils away in your eye of newt and dragon entails!!

Travel app reviewer said...

At first I was horrified. But then I noticed the incision on piggy's forehead. Seems they gave him a lobotomy before beheading him - how considerate and kind:)

Non Je Ne Regrette Rien said...

laughing at everyone's comments! Utah, plus the fact that he is going to do the majority of the cutting up...
laF, I know - I thought the picture was rather hypnotizing myself ... the pig looks kind of peaceful! and yes, this is one experience I won't soon forget...randal, you have slayed the pig-slayer, yet again! kathleen ... apricots?! mmm, save me some. the peach tree here is loaded, bless its heart. so far i've done plum and strawberry preserves, but rather inelegantly. gPops...what can I say, I am a benevolent carnivore!

Stacey said...

Bwahahahaha!!! OMG! I'll bet that "new experience" was never on your radar when you were a corporate lackey! Awesome!

Eli said...

Pigs cheeks are the latest 'in thing' in London! And a recent BBC TV show 'The Victorian Farm' featured brawn made from a whole pigs head.

Non Je Ne Regrette Rien said...

Stacey-can you believe it?! who'd a thunk?! lol

Eli~ well, at least I'm in fashion! ha! and thanks for visiting, I appreciate that and the comment...

Santa Clara Sandblasting said...

Interesting read thanks for sharing