Guys chill out please, life’s too short for bickering on line! 
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This is just banter Tory, I don’t think either of us are in the least bit angry.
Why are you still here ? I am genuinely bemused?
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As long as I stay within the politeness boundaries I don’t see why I shouldn’t challenge or question Cat even if that means I’m critical of SF at times, surely you don’t just want members who toe the ‘party line’ as that would make for a sterile forum?
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Of course. I actually meant I honestly don’t see what you get out of it ?
Come on Cat, we don’t all read the Gardian and or in that mind set, we have Geof, that gives us the juicy parts.
Personally I rather enjoy the sparing twitx Tim, Geof & John. « You’re at again Tim » 
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I second that. It wouldn’t be the same without Tim. I know I’m guilty of it too but all moaning isn’t fun.
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I didn’t know that there wasn’t any food poverty in France.
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They dealt with that issue a long time ago, hence snails, frogs and andouillette are now part of the menu. 
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Absolutely… let nothing be wasted !
and, incidentally, if you come across andouillette de canard … it is absolutely delicious (whereas all other andouilletes are ghastly, in my opinion)
We had the duck ones in a little restaurant way down south. thought I was going to have to put on a brave-face as we were guests, but we eat the lot and congratulated the chef.
. It’s ok, there’s always lots of cake here!
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This was the other comment I was considering.
I think you can get an idea of the relative wealth and food availability of populations over the last couple of hundred years from the kinds of delicacies a country or region has.
Traveling back from Biarritz about 30 years ago, we stopped in Bordeaux for dinner. The bistro had had one less steak than we needed, but they did have andouillette - looked fine, like a fat sausage.
Arrived on my plate all nicely browned and crispy. Then I cut it open and all these bits of the insides of animals fell out. As long as I didn’t think about what I shovelled into my mouth it was fine.
On our last visit in February someone offered to cook us snails, but we had nothing to prove and politely declined. I hope they weren’t offended.
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And also hold your nose! The stuff is just disgusting.
I am hoping to try frogs legs soon - just need to find it on a menu.
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We stayed in an auberge at Étampes in the 70’s. It had a huge (stone) snail over the doorway, so that should have warned us.
My first French Experience… glass of red wine, while relaxing in the bath after the long journey… and snails as a starter for dinner that evening…
We tried not to look horrified and forced ourselves to try just one. Mmm… not bad if you don’t think about it. Enough garlic to kill a legion of vampires… and… mmm… where’s the wine !
Years later at an Angoulême racing weekend, Les Halles was stuffed full of Fabulous Food and Drink. The place was packed and perhaps I got carried away by the excitement of it all.
Snails were presented in every imaginable way… sautéed, baked, boiled… I thoroughly enjoyed myself on this voyage of discovery… OH was less enthusiastic.
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We eat them (just the once) as we were with French friends… but decided we would not choose them in future. Pained me to think of little legless frogs… and the “meat” is just like chicken as far as I’m concerned. (mmm… doesn’t worry me to eat chicken, but frogs… oh no.)
Incidentally, I’ve seen packets of frozen frogs legs in the supermarkets…
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I don’t think I’ve ever seen them on a menu round here! I’m sure in Bordeaux you’d find them! Weird, mustn’t be a thing in this region as much as elsewhere. Never thought about it before as not been looking for them!
The appalling George Eustace has said that poor people should by cheaper food.
Just what does think that they have been doing for ages?
He should be put in the stocks for rotten tomatoes to find a home.