
Last Updated: December 07, 2023, 10:43 IST

Ortolan Bunting is a tiny Eurasian songbird.
While eating the dish, diners prefer to follow this peculiar tradition of covering their heads with napkins to hide their sin from God.
Every region in the world has different types of dishes that are relished by many. At some places, they serve bird’s nest soup, while in other places you can order Sannakji- wriggling octopus tentacles. However, have you ever heard of a French delicacy that is considered to be “sinful” and people cover their heads with napkins? The reason will leave you intrigued.
In France, a dish with a bird named Ortolan Bunting is eaten. It is called the sin plate. While devouring the ortolan, diners prefer to follow this peculiar tradition of covering their heads with napkins to hide their sin from God. While it is indeed one of the most controversial dishes in the world, Ortolan Bunting is a tiny Eurasian songbird.
What Makes This Dish Sinful?
These tiny songbirds are captured with nets right before they prepare to migrate to Africa during the autumn season. These nocturnal birds are then caged in covered cages or boxes for about three weeks and are given excessive food to disrupt their body clock. This force-fed action leads to the birds ballooning up in size and excessive weight gain. The next step is to submerge them in Armagnac brandy in a vessel. This not only drowns them but also begins the marinating process.
After this, they are plucked and roasted for under ten minutes before being served to the diners. As per the tradition, Ortolan Bunting must be eaten in one single bite to experience its delicious, savoury and juicy taste. Ortolan is a small, brown finch-like bird which is approximately six inches. It has a greenish-brown head and its body structure is similar to that of a sparrow. Due to such a disturbing way of preparing it, people consider it to be a sinful food.
This dish was once a pride of the rich and would grace their dining tables in Northern Europe. From Roman emperors to French kings, important and elite ones were served with this dish. Eating this bird was considered to be a symbol of pride for the royal families. Due to its exclusivity, it was only available to the wealthy and the clergy.