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Women pour small fortunes into collagen powders, peptides, capsules, serums, injections, and “beauty from within” supplements in pursuit of plump skin, bouncy joints, and that elusive youthful glow. Yet few have a clue that a single generous plate of tête de veau is basically the unfiltered equivalent: pure, slow-cooked collagen delivered straight from the source. One sitting and cheeks get the full spa treatment for free - radiating that same “I just spent $300 on fillers” sheen, only this time accompanied by a sauce gribiche (or ravigote) and preferably a full-bodied grease-cutting red wine, and the quiet satisfaction of knowing you just ate your way through a collagen motherlode.
Not for vegetarians, vegans or the easily startled, tête de veau - literally “calf’s head" - exemplifies French nose-to-tail cooking also found in German, Belgian, Italian (testina di vitello), Swiss and other European cuisines. A cold-weather bistro classic, its gelatinous mouthfeel can hit like a culinary ambush.
As it's not usually a regular on the printed carte, finding it on a menu today is the ultimate sign of a dedicated old-school kitchen. Or, as in our case, above, it can suddenly appear among the blackboard "Plats du jour" choices without fanfare, so you have to watch for it.
Notoriously a favorite of Jacques Chirac, or so the story goes, tête de veau was presented to him everywhere he went - until one day he politely clarified that yes, while he did love it, he wouldn’t mind an occasional other dish from the traditional French repertoire. - BPJ
