Pork and Snail

Going grocery shopping in France can

be an adventure. Escargot is EVERYWHERE and in MANY things.

I tried it once a long time ago. It was served in the shell and was chewy and garlicky, but I could not get over the fact that it was a snail. I spent many childhood days having to pick slimy snails out of our California garden to keep them from eating it up, so thinking of eating one of those snails is something that I would rather not do.

Recently, I had a run in with escargot again. I found out the hard way that you have to be careful that the sausage you are buying is not pork and

snail. I made that mistake recently, but never again. Paul, Laura and I ate the sausage not knowing that it was full of snail. The next time I went to buy sausage I looked

at the package closer and found that the cute little pig on the wrapper was being followed by a slimy little snail. I asked the Butcher what that meant this time and he said in French, "Escargot et porc tres-bien ensemble." I almost turned green on the spot. I don't dare tell my family.

My new French Phrase this week to use is, "Est-ce avec escargot?" (is this with snail?) ...because if it is...I pass.