LETTERS
LETTER OF THE WEEK
Do you fancy a taste of coypu pâté?
I was interested to read the article regarding coypu (Coypu kick up a stink, 6 July). Living as I do in south Devon, coypu were extremely rare and may now be extinct in this area. I have never seen one and have never spoken to anyone who has claimed to have done so.
Some years ago my wife and I were driving in France, in the Vendée as I recall, when we stopped for fuel. The adjoining boutique sold local foodstuffs, including jars of pâté de ragondin. Not knowing what it was but always ready to try something new, we bought some. The dictionary did not help nor could friends, despite their command of the language.
Several days later, while, so then we knew what it was. We took the jar home but later decided that it was not for us so we gave it to the cat. After one sniff he came to the same conclusion and went to catch something more to his taste.
