STEPHEN LYLE

In early April I traveled to Paris and then took the train down South with my sister to visit my father, who still lives there.

In Salernes, a village near where I grew up down south, a very nice butcher made some more merguez to order for us because he had run out. He then gave a long disquisition on head cheese. He is one of two butchers in town -- there used to be six, but the rest were put out of business by the new supermarkets and dwindling populations. His was less beefy than the Parisian prize winner, and had a larger variety of parts. Ears could be distinguished, along with large pink rounds of tongue.

See video "head cheese disquisition"

We were assured that his was “Provencal” though he allowed as how head cheese comes to us from Germany, and sweetly offered to let me come over when he makes it next Tuesday.