Andouillette facts for kids
- Andouillette (pronounced "ahn-doo-YET") is a special kind of French sausage. It's made from parts of pork (usually the intestine), along with pepper, wine, onions, and other seasonings.
Andouillettes are often made from the large intestine and are about 7 to 10 centimeters (3 to 4 inches) wide. Real andouillettes are mostly found in France. They have a very strong, unique smell that comes from the colon. While this smell might seem strange to people who haven't tried it before, many fans of andouillette really enjoy it!
Sometimes, they are made with the small intestine. These are plumper sausages, usually about 25 millimeters (1 inch) wide.
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What's in Andouillette?
The exact recipe for "andouillette sausages" from a long time ago isn't fully known. We don't have clear records of what was in them before the 1800s. Back then, dictionaries simply called them "small andouilles," which are another type of sausage.
Over the years, different sausage makers have created various kinds of andouillettes. The main difference was often whether they used pork, veal, or a mix of both. However, in the 2000s, using veal was stopped because of health concerns.
Some French regions, like Cambrésis (near Cambrai) and Lyonnais, used veal until it was banned. In other areas, like Troyes, andouillettes have been made only with pork for over a hundred years. The "andouillette of Troyes" is the most common type you'll find in supermarkets across France today. Still, local shops often have their own special recipes that can be quite different.
Some local andouillette specialties have changed or even disappeared over time. For example, the andouillettes from Villers-Cotterêts were even mentioned in a famous cooking book by Alexandre Dumas.
In 2021, actor Stanley Tucci wrote in his book Taste: My Life Through Food about a funny experience. He ordered an andouillette with actress Meryl Streep at a small French restaurant. He joked that neither of them could manage to eat the dish!
How to Eat Andouillette
Andouillettes can be served either hot or cold, but they are usually eaten hot. Like many unique foods, andouillettes are an "acquired taste." This means it might take a few tries to get used to their strong smell and flavor. The texture is a bit rougher than most sausages because the meat inside is cut into larger pieces.
You can cook andouillette in several ways:
- Most often, it's pan-fried (sometimes with breadcrumbs).
- It can also be boiled, barbecued, or grilled.
Andouillette is often served with vegetables, especially onions. It might also come with a mustard sauce or a red wine sauce.
Where is Andouillette Popular?
Andouillette is a common dish all over France. However, some regions are especially famous for their unique recipes. The most well-known ones come from Troyes, Lyon, Cambrai, and Chablis. These top-quality andouillettes are sometimes given a special "AAAAA" (5 As) grade.
Andouillette Clubs
There's a special club called the Association Amicale des Amateurs d'Andouillette Authentique (AAAAA). This name means 'The Friendly Club of Lovers of Authentic Andouillette'. It was started in 1970 by several food writers. This club gives out special certificates, called "diplôme," to makers of really good, high-quality andouillettes.
See also
In Spanish: Andouillette para niños
