Jessica Scott

5 Lesser-Known Foods to Eat in France (Written for TravelTrivia.com) France is one of the culinary capitals of the world, and for good reason. One could happily spend an entire vacation (or lifetime) just strolling up and down the streets, munching on baguettes and beignets and bowls of beef bourguignon. Some people travel to France exclusively for the purpose of eating French food - up to and including its famous snails. There are more foods to be found off the beaten path, though, and many of them have been being served in this country for centuries. Here is a list of five lesser-known foods to sample on your next trip to France. 1. Tripe The first food on our list is most likely an acquired taste. Tripe is essentially the innards (usually the stomach) of a cow, cooked slow on a low heat along with a whole mess of white wine and herbs. As grotesque as it may sound, this dish is actually very healthy for you thanks to its high levels of protein collagen, and after a long decline (thanks in part to the "mad cow" disease scare in the early 2000s), it has seen a big comeback in France over the past ten years. 2. Oursins The French are known for eating just about every part of a land animal (more on that later), and they are equally opportunistic when it comes to eating seafood. Everything in the ocean is up for grabs, up to and including these spiny black sea urchins. With a consistency that ranges from creamy to slimy, oursins are a salty treat similar to oysters. 3. Chausson aux Pommes I sense that you are probably needing a break from the more "adventurous" dishes, so here is a lovely French dessert to follow them up. Chausson aux Pommes are basically a French version of an apple turnover. They were invented in 1630, when there was an epidemic in Saint Calis in the Sarthe region of the country, and a woman began distributing apples and flour to the poor and hungry. They used these things to make delicious pastries, and Chausson aux Pommes were born. 4. Ris de veau We're about to get a bit weird again, but don't knock this next dish until you've tried it. Ris de veau, also known as "sweetbread," is the pancreas of a calf. Most recipes require the chef to coat the meat in flour and sear it in a pan of butter, then add mushrooms. While it might sound strange to an American palate, this dish is very well-loved in France and is surely worth a try (if only to say that you were brave enough to try it). 5. Galette Complète While some of the foods on this list might not be for the faint of heart, this final dish is one that anyone could love. A "galette" is a flat or round cake such as a tart or a crepe, usually made with a sweet creamy or fruity filling. A galette complète is a savory version of this, with a crepe made of buckwheat flour for the base. This base is stuffed or topped with things like ham and cheese and/or an egg, as well as tasty add-ins like mushrooms, spinach, onions and herbs. About the Author: Jessica A. Scott has been a novelist and freelance writer for over 10 years. She loves travel and divides her time between her original hometown of Louisville, Kentucky and her adopted hometown of Saronno, Italy.