The Meat Show's tour through the Big Easy would not be complete without a trip to Galatoire's, the French-Creole institution on Bourbon Street that is over 100 years old. Host and professional carnivore Nick Solares dons a jacket and strides over the establishment's iconic tile entryway to chat with Galatoire's president Melvin Rodrigue and sample a bowl of the restaurant's fabled turtle soup.
Turtle soup is an exemplar of Cajun cuisine — created using traditional French culinary techniques, but with the added twist of local ingredients. The soup is made from a beef stock base with the meat from the American snapping turtle, which live in abundance in Louisiana's many swamps. Finished with hard boiled egg, parley, lemon, and sherry — and served with a bit of extra sherry on the side for the diner to do with as he or she wishes — it is one dish Solares knew not to miss while in New Orleans. Watch the video above for a look into Galatoire's historic dining room, and to learn more about how its turtle soup is made.
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FAQs
In the United States, the common snapping turtle has long been the principal species used for turtle soup. In this case the soup is also referred to as bookbinder soup, snapper turtle soup, or simply snapper soup (not to be confused with red snapper soup, which is made from the fish red snapper).
Is turtle soup made with real turtles? ›
In the United States, the common snapping turtle has long been the principal species used for turtle soup. In this case the soup is also referred to as bookbinder soup, snapper turtle soup, or simply snapper soup (not to be confused with red snapper soup, which is made from the fish red snapper).
When did Campbell's stop making turtle soup? ›
Cincinnati food historian Dann Woellert calls the soup one of the "holy trinity" of local specialties, along with Cincinnati chili and goetta. Campbell Soup Company once produced canned condensed version made of calf's head but discontinued it before 1960.
Is turtle soup legal in the US? ›
They cannot be legally consumed. Turtles can bioaccumulate contaminants at levels that could be a potential human health concern. Turtles accumulate contaminants in their fat, organs, and skin.
Why do people not eat turtle soup anymore? ›
Today green sea turtles, like all other species of sea turtles, are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act. If you ate one in the United States, you would be committing a felony. Turtles are one of the most imperiled groups of animals on the planet.
Do Mexicans eat turtle soup? ›
Mexico outlawed sea turtle consumption in 1990 and launched a variety of environmental campaigns aimed at protecting sea turtles, yet many coastal residents continue to eat them, despite reporting that they support wildlife conservation.
What kind of turtles do they eat in New Orleans? ›
Early pioneers of Creole cooking — who were looking to re-create decadent, hearty soups rooted in Francophone traditions — found that, while traditionally rich ingredients like veal weren't as common in Louisiana, the swamps were full of turtles — from snappers to red ears and everything in between.
Is turtle soup good to eat? ›
One cup of cooked turtle meat contains 33 g of protein—more than half of what an average sedentary person needs on a daily basis. Apart from that, it is also packed with calcium, with 20% of an average person's recommended daily total. Other nutrients found in turtles are vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, phosphorus, and zinc.
Where is turtle soup popular in the US? ›
Over the years, turtle soup emerged as a Philadelphia speciality and came to represent some of the best cuisine the city had to offer.
What is another name for turtle soup? ›
Then Prohibition Saved Them : The Salt By the turn of the 20th century, America's love affair with diamondback terrapin soup — a subsistence food turned gourmet fare — had left the turtle's population teetering.
A large snapping turtle is said to contain seven distinct types of meat, each reminiscent of pork, chicken, beef, shrimp, veal, fish or goat. (Those less enamored of the protein might describe its flavor as muddy, dirty, mushy and chewy, however.) ...
What soup is Campbell's discontinuing? ›
Campbell's Chunky Philly-Style Cheesesteak soup
Campbell's officially discontinued its Philly-style cheesecake soup in 2021 to very little pushback.
Is snapper soup made from turtles? ›
It's a rich, creamy, and silky soup made with hearty vegetables, pieces of snapper turtle meat, aromatic spices, and a dash of sherry, and it has a long history in the Delaware Valley.
Does turtle soup have turtle in it New Orleans? ›
For decades, Commander's Palace has used as much veal shoulder as it does turtle meat in its highly-acclaimed soup. The Bon Ton and Mandina's, two restaurants rightly famous for their turtle soup, use no turtle meat at all.
Is turtle food safe for humans? ›
The Bottom Line. Chelonitoxism is a rare and potentially life-threatening disease that occurs due to consumption of contaminated sea turtle meat. There is no known antidote for chelonitoxism, but the disease can be prevented by avoiding the consumption of raw or cooked sea turtles.
Why is turtle flavor called turtle? ›
DeMet's caramel nut clusters claim to be the original turtles, which got their name from their shape: the curve of the chocolate over the mound of caramel resembles a turtle shell while the bits of pecan sticking out look like a turtle's feet and head.
What is turtle food made of? ›
Animal-based food sources for turtles can include processed pet foods like drained sardines, turtle pellets, and trout chow. You can also feed them cooked chicken, beef, and turkey. Live prey can include moths, crickets, shrimp, krill, feeder fish, and worms.
Are mock turtles real? ›
The Mock Turtle is a fictional character devised by Lewis Carroll from his popular 1865 book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
