"The Taste of Death" by Kit de Waal Flash Fiction

Today I am very honored that Kit de Waal is allowing me to share with my readers a story of her's first published in the 2011 Fish Anthology.  It was short listed for the story of the year award.

You can learn more about Kit here 

http://thewhitepagedotorg.wordpress.com/

Author Bio

Kit de Waal was born in Birmingham of Irish and French Caribbean parents.  She worked in criminal and family law for fifteen years and now writes flash fiction, short stories and longer form prose. She is published in various anthologies (Fish Prize 2011 & 2012; ‘The Sea in Birmingham’ 2013; ‘Final Chapters’ 2013’) and works as an editor of non-fiction.  She came second in the Costa Short Story Prize 2014 with ‘The Old Man & The Suit’.  She is currently working on a novel ‘The Scarlet Emperor’. 

I have previously posted on her wonderful short story, "The Old Man and the Suit"

My post on the story contains a link to to it

http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2014/03/old-man-and-suit-by-kit-de-waal-2013.html

Be sure to take a look at Kit's highly interesting responses to my Q and A

http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2014/03/kit-de-waal-question-and-answer-session_11.html

"A Taste of Death"

By Kit de Waal

Emile Boucher chef proprietor, Les Gourmets, Toulouse.   

That I should die of cancer of the stomach is entirely appropriate.   I eat with my stomach.  My stomach eats me.  My wife brings me my tray,  Boudin sausage, a glass of burgundy, some bread..  I enjoy my final meal alone with pen and paper 

The recipe for Le Boudin goes thus.  

The pigs blood must be fresh.  Underline fresh.  Fresh blood will keep Les Gourmets open for another two years. Strain for clots.  It is spring, the season of sudden change. My wife will contemplate the black linen dress or the woollen skirt. She wants certainties.   

Cover and set aside.  Chop garlic and onion, sauté in pig fat.  After two years, Jean Luc will steal the recipe, as I did and grow rich.  Add double cream, cooked rice, wild thyme, rosemary.  My wife will be tired by then and will not care.  Simmer.  The restaurant will close for the funeral, the menu is planned.   

Add the blood, stir well, force into hogs casings, poach gently. I ease the tablets deep into the sausage and add by way of a reminder.  ‘Monique, darling, remember, fresh blood.’ 

Remove from the heat.  Allow to cool.

End of Guest Post

This story is protected under international copyright law and cannot be published in any fashion without the permission of the author.

My great thanks to Kit for sharing this story with us.  I look forward to reading much more of her work, especially her novel in process, The Scarlet Emperor.

    "Kit, thanks for this, so much more interesting than Mel's posts,

      I hope to meet you one day" - Carmilla