Ortolan
“There is a dish so aromatic, so indulgent, so cruel, that it is meant to be eaten with a towel draped over the diner’s head – both to keep in the smells and, perhaps, to hide one’s face from God.”
So says a Gastro Obscura article about an illegal French delicacy involving a tiny songbird, Armagnac brandy and a cast iron stomach. Not to mention a black-market fee approaching €150.
Eating lunch? We suggest you come back later… Otherwise, gird your loins for an interesting read about ortolan.
*cast iron stomach