Carp Fishing in France

There is little doubt that French cuisine is amongst the finest in the world. However, sometimes a French menu can be a bit confusing. 

It's easy to confuse tourteau (crab) with tortue (turtle) or ail (garlic) with alie (a poultry wing). So to avoid too much confusion, we've put together a few terms that you might want to check up on before you give your order.  

A 
Abat(s) - offal.  
Abati(s) - giblet(s) of poultry or game foul.  
Achatine - land snail.  
Amourette(s) - spinal bone marrow of calf or ox.  
Anguille - eel.  

B 
Baille - 'titbit', dish combining various offal.  
Bigorneau - periwinkle, tiny sea snail.  
Bouilliture - eel stew with red wine and prunes.   
Bulot - large sea snail or whelk, also called buccin.  

C 
Cargolade - a copious mixed grill of snails, lamb, pork sausage, and sometimes blood sausage cooked over vine clippings.  
Cervelle(s) - brain(s), of calf or lamb.  
Civet de tripes d'oies - a stew of goose innards, shallots, and garlic, cooked in wine vinegar and thickened with goose blood.  
Coeur - heart.  
Colère, en - 'in anger'; when, in the presentation of fish, its tail is inserted into its mouth to make it appear 'angry'.  
Cornichon - gherkin, tiny bitter cucumber pickle.  

D 
Demoiselle de canard - marinated raw duck tenderloin; not to be confused with Demoiselles de Cherbourg - small lobsters cooked in court bouillon and served in their cooking juices.  
Dodine - cold, stuffed poultry which has already been boned.  

E 
Ecornet - small illex squid, also known as calamar.   
Escargot petit-gris - small land snail.  

F 
Foie de veau - calf's liver.   
Foie gras d'oie (de canard) - liver of fattened goose(duck).   
Foudjou - strong smelling goat's cheese blending pepper, garlic, salt and brand with fresh and aged grated cheese.   
Frémi - literally meaning 'trembling' and often applied to barely cooked oysters.   
Fritons - coarse pork rillettes or minced spread which includes organ meats.   
Fritot - small organ meat fritter.  

G 
Gésier - gizzard   
Gibelotte - fricassee of rabbit in red or white wine.   
Goret - young pig.   
Gousse d'ail - clove of garlic.  
Gras - fatty.   

H 
Hareng - herring, "...baltique" - marinated; "...bouffi" - salted; "..pec" - freshly salted; "saur" - smoked.   
Hure de porc - head of pig.   

L 
Langouste - clawless spiny lobster or rock lobster; sometimes called crawfish and, mistakenly, crayfish.   
Langoustine - clawed crustacean, smaller than langouste with very delicate meat. Known in British waters as Dublin Bay prawn.   
Langue (de chat) - "cat's tongue"; thin, narrow, delicate biscuit (often served with sorbet or ice cream).   

M 
Magret de canard - breast of fattened duck.   
Mi-cru - half raw.   
Mi-cuit - half cooked.   
Museau de porc - snout of pork, vinegared.   

N 
Non compris - service charge has not been included on listed menu prices; however, check the bill - it's not unusual to find that it's been added anyway.   

O 
Oreille de porc - cooked pigs ear, served grilled, with a coating of egg and breadcrumbs.   

P 
Perce-pierre - samphire, edible seaweed.   
Piech - poached veal brisket stuffed with vegetables and herbs.   
Pied de cheval - "horses foot"; giant Atlantic coast oyster.   
Porchetta - young pig stuffed with offal, herbs and garlic and roasted.  
Poulpe - octopus.   

R 
Ris d'agneau (de veau) - lamb (veal) sweetbreads.   
Rognonnade - veal loin with kidneys attached.   

S 
Salicorne - edible seaweed.   
Sangue - Corsican black pudding, usually with grapes or herbs.   

T 
Tapenade - a blend of black olives, anchovies, capers, olive oil and lemon juice.   
Tripoux - mutton tripe.   

V 
Vessie, en - cooked in a pig's bladder (usually chicken)