The Mont St Michel sits in the Manche - at the mouth of the Couesnon River which separates Bretagne from Normandie. As such, it was long disputed over. Which region could rightly claim it? But it is not the only thing that Normandie and Bretagne fight over. Galettes et Crèpes is another; although its agreed that they must be served with cider (and cider definitely comes from Normandie)
Another, maybe less well known to those outside is the fight between the Andouilles.
Andouille de Vire is from Normandie.
Andouille de Guéméné is from Bretagne.
The first is from Calvados and is made of strips of tripe (intestine and stomach) which are stuffed into the large intestine and smoked in a chimney to get its colour and flavour, using beech wood. It is then cooked in water and achieves its colour upon contact with the air after cooking.
The second is from the Golf du Morbihan and is made uniquely of strips of tripe (30 to be precise), salted and seasoned, which are rolled around the intestine, into the casing, giving it is familiar look of concentric circles. It is then smoked using beech or oak and left to dry for a minimum of a month before being cooked in broth.
Actually, I got carried away. I meant to post about Andouillette - which is completely different. Ok, so it's still a tripe sausage, but it uses other parts besides the large intestine, it's roughly chopped and never smoked. It's mainly served hot with onions and mustard sauce. The most famous is the Andouillette de Troyes, and as such is served with Champagne, but I'm a fan of eating it accompanied by cider.
Cooked in a pan with some onions, white wine and mustard, with some baby sautéed potatoes on the side...delicious. There's not even really a recipe here, just make sure to buy them fresh from your butcher and cook them all the way through. If you want to taste them, but are afraid of what they look like, cook them, cut them up and serve inside a galette au sarrasin with potatoes and cream.
I know some people have an aversion to the idea of tripes, and I won't lie and tell you I love all of them. For example, the Vietnamese put it in their Pho - but that texture doesn't appeal to me. I don't love the chewy, jelliness. Sheep's stomach is another one of those things I can't stomach (ha! Pun intended). The grainy texture and the hexagonal pattern kind of freak me out. Same goes for the Tripes de Caen...in a glass container, it doesn't look super appealing. But Andouille and Andouillette? Boudin blanc et noir? Even liver (veal especially, but I'm not picky), rognons (kidneys), or sweetbreads (the throat glands)...I'm good with all of those. And if you don't want them, it means more for me!!
(Which I will share with my father, in honor of Father's day. Je t'aime Papa)
