![](http://www.tumblr.com/share/photo?source=http%3A%2F%2Flibbymurphy.com%2Fhumancomedy%2Fstorage%2Fcache%2Fimages%2F000%2F107%2F1954163%2Clarge.jpg%3F1382211788&caption=%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Ca href="http%3A%2F%2Flibbymurphy.com%2Fhumancomedy%2Falbums%2Fkeeping-up-with-the-leisure-class%2Fcontent%2Fquest-ce%2F" title="Qu'est-ce ça ?"%3EQu'est-ce ça ?%3C/a%3E%3C/strong%3E%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHonoré Daumier
(French, 1808–1879)
Qu'est-ce ça?... (What is this?...), 1855
Lithograph
Gift of Eugene L. Garbaty, 1954.163
This customer may have thought he was ordering a special type of oyster, known for its horse-hoof shape. Instead, a waiter has brought him actual horse hooves, served in a sauce of eggs, lemon juice, and parsley. At mid-century horsemeat was touted as a new culinary delicacy. Scientists and restaurateurs extolled its nutritional and gusta-tory benefits, and great banquets were organized to promote the new practice. Butcher shops specializing in horsemeat opened in Paris and the provinces, and restaurants like the one in this print put horsemeat dishes on their menus.
Many French people still appreciate horsemeat, and others have recently tried it for the first time. When, in 2013, some European frozen food makers were caught putting horsemeat in their lasagna, Parisian horsemeat butchers and restaurants serving horsemeat saw a marked increase in business, with new clients curious to see what all the fuss was about.
—Qu'est-ce que ça ? …
—Mais monsieur, c'est du pied de cheval, le cuisinier a pensé que vous l'aimeriez à la poulette …
—What is this?...
—Well, Sir, it is horse-hoof...the cook thought you might like it with poulette sauce.
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The Human Comedy: Chronicles of 19th-Century France
Qu'est-ce ça ?
Honoré Daumier (French, 1808–1879) Qu'est-ce ça?... (What is this?...), 1855 Lithograph Gift of Eugene L. Garbaty, 1954.163
This customer may have thought he was ordering a special type of oyster, known for its horse-hoof shape. Instead, a waiter has brought him actual horse hooves, served in a sauce of eggs, lemon juice, and parsley. At mid-century horsemeat was touted as a new culinary delicacy. Scientists and restaurateurs extolled its nutritional and gusta-tory benefits, and great banquets were organized to promote the new practice. Butcher shops specializing in horsemeat opened in Paris and the provinces, and restaurants like the one in this print put horsemeat dishes on their menus.
Many French people still appreciate horsemeat, and others have recently tried it for the first time. When, in 2013, some European frozen food makers were caught putting horsemeat in their lasagna, Parisian horsemeat butchers and restaurants serving horsemeat saw a marked increase in business, with new clients curious to see what all the fuss was about. —Qu'est-ce que ça ? … —Mais monsieur, c'est du pied de cheval, le cuisinier a pensé que vous l'aimeriez à la poulette …
—What is this?... —Well, Sir, it is horse-hoof...the cook thought you might like it with poulette sauce.