I do understand that Black Pudding is not to everyone's taste; more for the thought of it than for the actual flavour.
I've had great difficulty finding decent Black Pudding here in the South of England. Even versions that claim to have been made in Bury (the home of English Black Pudding) have been extremely disappointing. I still occasionally buy it anyway.
Back in France I have no problem finding really good Boudin. My current favourite is the above; Boudin Landais from Leclerc. It has just the right amount of each ingredient. Delicious.
Being a Southern boy, I had never encountered Black Pudding; it simply didn't exist down here when I was young. My first introduction was on the Shropshire/Wales border, in a 'greasy spoon café'. I had ordered a 'Full English' and found amongst the delights were some strange looking black discs. I had to to ask what they were, which prompted some strange looks; as if I was some bizarre alien.
Anyway, I loved it, and so started my continued search for a better and better product. I need to visit more Black Pudding shops; if I can find any!
We have several excellent butcher's here. At least one makes a great black pudding.
ReplyDeleteThe only one's available here are commercial, mass produced, and stuffed into plastic casing. Not good.
DeleteI think it is all made from dehydrated blood now. I can't remember what it tasted like when pork butchers killed their own pigs and used fresh blood.
ReplyDeleteI had some very pleasant black pudding on Gran Canaria which was flavoured with cinnamon. I tried to make some at home but it wasn't as good as the Spanish stuff. I've not made any for years, I used to pop mine in a pudding basin then slice it when it was cooked.
The one in my photo is surprisingly good. I believe that Black Pudding was the very first form of Charcuterie, so maybe that's why the French are so good at it. There's always a huge selection at my local store.
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