pauchouse, occasionally
pochouze) is a chunky, soup-like, freshwater fish stew, eaten with a spoon from a soup plate and made from the fish that were plentiful in Burgundy’s rivers. The name may derive from
la poche, the fisherman’s bag; if so, it would explain the absence of a circumflex.
That
pochouse is less common on menus today than in the past is a reflection of the state of fish stocks, consequent fishing restrictions, and hesitation to eat freshwater fish. But it’s perfectly possible to make it with fish from sustainable sources, although not with the
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