Gastronomy: pig's trotters, a French institution

In the pig, everything is good. Reputed to be dirty and a child eater, the brave and pink animal is above all a source of happiness for the gourmet connoisseur.

From the ears to the tail, there is not a piece, noble or low, which is not used in the kitchen. Of course, there is no shortage of discerning diners who shy away from these dishes, such as the feet, which are so excellent and - not insignificant advantage - at a low price.

The famous pig's trotters à la Sainte-Menehould (pronounced "Sainte-Menou") are the most famous recipe, which according to legend is the hostess of the Auberge du Soleil d'or, in the former capital of the Argonne, which, around 1730, invented it.

But porcine memory is not sure, any more than the rumor spread by Camille Desmoulins, according to which Louis XVI was arrested in Varennes because he had wasted time tasting it in the famous city.

Anyway, the feet are flamed, shaved, washed, split in two, swaddled in linen and cooked for a very long time in a flavored broth.

They are then coated in lard, rolled in breadcrumbs, grilled then served without sauce, according to the purists, or with a béarnaise sauce, like Au pied de poche, in Paris , which, since 1946, has perpetuated the tradition day and night.

It was also the owners of the famous restaurant in Les Halles who had the idea of organizing the European competition for the best pig's trotter at home.

Because, if the amateur prefers it according to this traditional recipe, there are many others, original or even bizarre, executed with flying colors by delicatessens and restaurateurs.

Boneless and delicious, like at Lipp , whole and even better for the rodent, like Au petit boeuf , the crowned beef bistro, at La Villette, it does not necessarily call for truffles or exotic fruits...

Traditional dish par excellence, obviously cheap, it belongs to this bistro cuisine so popular today by necessity and perhaps by taste.

With pig's trotters - 2nd prize in the competition - grilled or stuffed, it is a star: 28,000 people each year order it à la carte.