Climat

The term used especially in Burgundy to mean a specific field or plot. Each climat is distinguished by its own soil, climate, orientation to the sun, slope, drainage capacity, and so on.

The Romans fattened which of the following, raising them in special airy boxes, until they were ready to be cooked in wine then eaten:

A. Finches

B. Frogs

C. Shrews

D. Snails

The Romans fattened snails on choice tidbits of food and housed them in special snail boxes, before they were cooked. Today, the French, and especially the Alsatians, have raised the eating of escargots to a fine art. The drizzling of snails with garlic butter is merely the tip of the iceberg. There are dozens of ways of preparing snails, including a famous one in which the mollusks are simmered with wild chanterelle mushrooms, garlic, and shallots in a wine and whipped cream stock, then served with a chilled riesling.

“I wouldn’t have minded school if they taught you important things like how to have good sex and what brand of wine is best, but for some reason, they were hell bent on teaching me algebra.”

—Ben Mitchell, author, Without One Plea

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