THE 1906 edition of Petit Larousse, the concise version of the French food bible, contains a recipe for sauce de claporte, which, the author assures us, is an excellent accompaniment to fried flatfish. It is said that the French language can make any foodstuff appear appetising and this is a case in point. Claporte is the French word for woodlouse. Although this may seem an extreme example of French culinary thriftiness, it does make vague gastronomic sense. The woodlouse is not an insect, after all, but a land-based crustacean, a relative of the langoustine and the lobster.
Despite the best efforts of the French and of Victorian eccentric Vincent Holt (the author of 1885 cookery book Why Not Eat Insects?, who thought woodlice tasted like ‘superior shrimps’ and recommended serving them in an omelette, possibly as a starter before a main course of curried cockchafers), eating woodlice has never caught on. Not even in the animal kingdom. Hedgehogs turn their noses up at woodlice and birds spit them out. This is because, unlike the crayfish and the crab, the woodlouse secretes ammonia through its shell, which gives it the scent of a public convenience.
Yet, despite this unfortunate habit, there is something endearing about the woodlouse. It is small and vulnerable, quiet and unassuming (novelist Victor Hugo likened the critters to socially awkward hermits). As it scurries from its hidey-holes beneath stones and rotting wood, jointed antennae blindly tapping the air, it appears nervous and as incapable of travelling in a straight line as a donkey that has feasted on fermented apples. Even its appearance in our homes is harmless —it carries no diseases and does not burrow into healthy wood. Indeed, it may even give us an early warning of encroaching damp or signal the need to have our gutters cleared.
Denne historien er fra September 27, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra September 27, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
