RIB-IT

The frogs have arrived! The 41st annual Fair to the Frogs (Foire aux Grenouilles) was held this weekend in Vittel and from what we can guess, this event places Vittel "on the map". It is estimated that the city swells to seven times its size and several tons of frog legs are consumed during this event. People travel from Germany and Belgium to feast on the frogs. It was larger than we imagined.

Frog legs ready for consumption

If we had to compare this fair to something in the US, we would say it was similar to a carnival, but not quite. You most likely wouldn't find champagne or wine tasting on any American carnival street in the US. But there were plenty of kiddie rides and games to win prizes which do reflect our American carnival. A multitude of vendors lined the main streets in Vittel selling everything under the sun; clothing, watches, olives, sausages, vegetables, fruits, furniture, shoes, a veg-a-matic demonstrator (yes it lives on, a different version, a different name, but still slices and dices, just like we saw on TV as a kid), purses, wallets, computers, cellphones, insulation, windows, on and on! And plenty of food vendors selling non-frog cuisine.

A veg-a-matic clone

But of course frogs being the main event, you could find them, any way you like em! Quiche grenouilles, pizza grenouilles, tourte grenouilles, omelette grenouilles, gratin grenouilles. Restaurants and other groups constructed large tents to raise money and serve the frogs. We were told the best frogs could be found at the Vittel Rugby tent which had live music, frogs served several different ways, french fries, beer, and wine. From what I was told these tents were celebrating to the wee hours of the morning.

Window display

 These tasty chocolate frogs can be found all year long at this confectioner.

Rugby tent

Local patisserie selling delectable frog pastries

By Friday night, our curiosity waning, we hit the local pizza place for pizza grenouille. It is a very mild flavor, somewhat difficult to describe. Maybe a cross between chicken and fish would be my closest description of the taste. Texture like chicken. We would eat it again. Most surprising was the size of the frog legs. I expected, larger pieces of meat. The pieces of frog on our pizza were about the size of chick peas.

But it is our understanding that all these frogs are not French frogs, but are shipped from Asia since the beloved frog in the wild is a protected species in France. One is still allowed to hunt, capture and consume for your own gastronomic enjoyment, however. Back when this celebration began, the frogs came from a nearby frog rancher. (Okay, my imagination is running upon reading this...I envision rounding up those amphibians with my trusted steed. Stampeding them from the ranch to Vittel every year...Get along little froggy.)