The hunt begins

[Louisa Chu]

A note on the window of one of the better local butchers: Dear Clients, we cannot pluck, skin, or gut your wild game - please go to a qualified veterinarian.

And in France, if you need wild mushrooms identified - take them to the pharmacist.

God, I love this country sometimes.

[Schneier]

Someday I'll move there for a year.

Bruce

[tighe]

What window of time is typically considered "the season" for game in France? Before my trip I read descriptions of several restaurants that noted "features game in season."

Edited September 26, 2003 by tighe (log)

[vserna]

It's not a window - it's a legal period of the year when hunting is allowed. We're talking real wild animals hear, not farm versions. Every 'département' has its legal period for every type of animal. But in general terms, September through January is it.

[Bux]

I'd say that November-December is better than October and October is better than September, but it really might vary according to the animal and the department. I wonder how much of the game in bistros is wild game and if one is better off in the provinces, expecially an area such as the Solonge.

[pirate]

In France one finds "saumon sauvage" listed to distinguish it from the farm-raised salmon. Also line caught as opposed to netted. With respect to animals wouldn't there be some designation? Perhaps there are regulations. Hard information, please.

[tighe]

It's not a window - it's a legal period of the year when hunting is allowed.

Just a little brush-up on the English language, according to Websters, one definition of 'window' is:

An interval of time during which an activity can or must take place

Sounds awful similar to a "legal period".

Edited September 27, 2003 by tighe (log)

[Louisa Chu]

Bruce, what are you waiting for?

tighe, vserna's right - typically when you talk about game season here it's fall/winter. But you can pretty much hunt something, somewhere all year round in France - except spring/mating/breeding season. Every year around this time it comes up in the news - and amongst us hunting/dog people at the Champ de Mars - France has one of the longest - if not the longest - hunting seasons in Europe - lots of pro and con groups hit the media right now. You'd be surprised - or maybe you wouldn't - about how many little old ladies go hunting - with their dogs - on the weekends. Right now, you'll start seeing the wild boar - season started last month - on restaurant menus - and then with the rolling opening dates - wild hare and all kinds of birds.

vserna, not farmed - but the old schoolers I know - and the protesters - talk about how especially some of the deer hunts are like shooting fish in a barrel. It's like anywhere else in the world, humans encroach, create preserves, then have to control the animal population - but luckily that's not to say all.

Bux, for full effect, come back to Rue Cler around Christmas - you will not believe the kinds and numbers of whole animals on display - they hang rows of whole pheasants practically like garland. And you know how much I love La Sologne, but it's like everything here - the best stuff gets sent to Paris. It's like with seafood on the coast - it usually gets sent to Rungis - before it gets sent back to their very own local markets on the coast.

pirate, if you're asking if provenance is designated in butcher shops - yes - they usually deal directly with the hunters.

A few things I always think about during game season in France: lievre a la royale - a deboned wild hare - which can hang from hind leg to long ears almost as long as I stand tall - stuffed with foie gras and truffles in a red wine sauce made with its own blood; Tarte Tatin - supposedly accidently invented during the rush of a hunters' meal; and to beware of fake sanglier - beef long-marinated in red-wine - served up by unscrupulous cooks.

[pirate]

loufood: Thanks but I meant restaurants. I will be in Paris for 8 days in the middle of October and I wondered about restaurants.

[Bux]

Bux, for full effect, come back to Rue Cler around Christmas - you will not believe the kinds and numbers of whole animals on display - they hang rows of whole pheasants practically like garland. And you know how much I love La Sologne, but it's like everything here - the best stuff gets sent to Paris. It's like with seafood on the coast - it usually gets sent to Rungis - before it gets sent back to their very own local markets on the coast.

A few things I always think about during game season in France:  lievre a la royale - a deboned wild hare - which can hang from hind leg to long ears almost as long as I stand tall - stuffed with foie gras and truffles in a red wine sauce made with its own blood; Tarte Tatin - supposedly accidently invented during the rush of a hunters' meal; and to beware of fake sanglier - beef long-marinated in red-wine - served up by unscrupulous cooks.

La Boqueria market in Barcelona is truly one of the world's great markets, but I often wonder if I don't have a tendency to overrate it as I think it's the only market I've seen in late December. There's a kaleidoscope of riotous plumage and lots of furred creatures as well.

Late last October, we both had lièvre à la royale in Parisian bistros--au Dauphin, in the 1st for me and at Au C'Amelot in the 11th for Mrs. B. Both were enjoyable and the kind of dish that's not uncommon in Paris, but not likely to be found in NY, especially at that price range. The star of the trip however, was the cuisse de lievre en civet au cacao at Lion d'Or in Romorantin, capital of the Solonge. Map.