Lamprey of King
At a Queen's
This vertebrate migrates up the rivers to reproduce and dies,
With its dorsal and caudal fin morphology,
His sucker mouth with horny tips makes it a sucking parasite,
This vampire feeds on the blood of cetaceans, swordfish, cod or alluvial fish.
The species is again abundant in Dordogne and Garonne,
True fossil alive, this cyclostome born in river, party to grow at sea,
After five years returns to his place of birth so dear,
The lamprey lays there and most often dies in stride in zone.
Abundant between March and April, the "Madeleine de Proust" of Bordeaux,
Tram fishing, driftnet with the boat,
Or to the "wolf", cattail net, tightened when the fish entered,
Poachers prefer fishing by night in the light of the lantern.
On the side of Pujols sur Ciron, a renowned professional fisherman,
Telling recently that he had captured half a quintal in a few nets,
But in ten years the price of the animal, from twenty to ten euros has tumbled,
For this fish of the ages with delicate flesh and marbled skin.
Beast serpentist, sometimes not able to cross a steep ramp,
Hidden under a stone or a branch, patient to be transported,
When a shad passes by its sucker it seizes its tail unfolded,
The frightened fish multiplied tenfold his effort to train the lamprey relieved.
In ancient Rome, this fish was called "an admirable food"
In the Norman Vexin, close to the Andelys, Lyons la Forêt
One remembers King Henry I of England who, after a memorable feast,
Died of a heavy indigestion of grilled lampreys.
If you pass Bordeaux in April, Sainte Terre plays musette and flons-flons
On the banks of the Dordogne, between Castillon la Bataille and St Émillion,
La Capitale de la lamproie is celebrating in songs,
The tasty and juicy emblem of its coat of arms is tasted here.
But go above all in medoc, between Pauillac famous by the Victory,
Gulet of the Marquis of La Fayette sailing for the Americas,
And Margaux at the "first grand cru classified" of old memory,
It is at Christine and Guy, in Beychevelle, that the lamprey is fantastic
In the old style, the lampreie à la bordelaise served on its bed of leeks,
With crusts of country bread rubbed with garlic and browned with fat,
Aux Beychevelloises, after buckling in Cognac and press wine marinade,
We wait two years to serve this delicious dish with a good Bordeaux.
No worries about blood alcohol, here we eat and sleep
Bed and breakfast star, after the evening meal the sleep is gold
For the next day at breakfast it is jam house and viennoiseries
Ready for the discovery of the great castles and the winery.
L’ARIÉ….JOIE