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Introduction to French Food and Cooking

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French food and cooking are generally considered the backbone and underpinning of many cuisines across the Western world. The influence and recognition of classical French cooking techniques are legendary. This status is precisely why French cuisine can be intimidating for a beginner to learn to prepare in their own kitchen. 

French food leaves many cooks feeling as if they have to live up to a certain unattainable elegance and flair. Julia Child, the well-known writer and later television personality, brought French cooking to the American public. "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" (the title of Ms​. Child's famous book) is considered by many to be the pinnacle of her culinary achievement and helped make classic French cuisine more manageable for American home cooks.

Regional Specialities of France

The French will usually cook and prepare dishes local to their region. This no way means they are parochial; the French have a real sense of terroir which is why rural French cooking is alive and kicking in France. In metropolitan France, they are likely to sample a wide array of regional and national dishes. This is true in many cities around the world where the residents are multi-cultural or comprise different ethnicities.

Typical French foods rely heavily on local products. Fresh apples, berries, haricot verts, leeks, mushrooms, various squash, and stone fruits are among the most commonly used products. Poultry, beef, lamb, and veal are readily available year-round. Game meat is especially popular and abundant during the hunting season that runs from early autumn to February. No matter the region, France has an abundance of artisanal cheese and wine.

Southern France features the rich, sophisticated flavors of mushrooms and duck as well as the dramatic herbs, tomatoes, and olives borrowed from neighboring Mediterranean cuisines. Northern France also showcases a remarkable assortment of tastes, focusing heavily on farmhouse-style specialties using apples, dairy, pork, potatoes, sausage, and beer.

A History of French Cuisine

France hasn’t always been keen on garlic, mushrooms, and truffles. Before the fifteenth century, seasonings and decorations were used to disguise food that had spoiled. France had what many today consider peasant food; it was simple fare without extravagant adornment.

In the mid-fifteenth century, Catherine de Medici of Italy moved to France to marry the future King Henri II, bringing with her Florentine-educated cooks and a sense of creative drama and manners. In the coming years, French cuisine turned into a magical art of beautiful presentation and innovative flavors.

The twentieth century brought about dramatic changes in French cuisine as well. Traditional haute cuisine (high cooking) is the world-renowned food made famous for its elaborate preparation and exquisite presentation. French food was considered the model cuisine until food critics challenged it for being too inflexible.

Nouvelle cuisine was a 1970s backlash to classic heavy French cuisine. It lightened up cream sauces and focused on the true tastes using fewer ingredients. It is evident in today’s general French cooking through flexible preparation methods and more experimentation with non-traditional flavors .

Great Facts About French Food and Cooking

Some facts about French food and cuisine may surprise you:

• The French eat more cheese than any other country in the world. They average 45 pounds of cheese per person, per year.
• Vichyssoise, a pureed potato soup, was invented in New York City by a French chef.
• The croissant, a delicate, flaky French pastry, was actually invented in Vienna, Austria.
• Brazil’s coffee industry originated with an adulterous affair between French Guiana’s First Lady and Lieutenant Colonel Francisco de Melo Palheta. He came to settle a local border dispute and he left with smuggled coffee seeds she hid in a goodbye gift, bringing them back to Brazil.

French cuisine is a unique, cultural experience that melds flavorful, seasonal foods with beauty, leisure, and precise preparation. Making and savoring French food is an art that might take a lifetime to master, yet requires that time stands still to appreciate its splendor. Explore French cuisine and consider it an art, a tradition, and a way of life.

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French Cooking: How and Why French Cuisine Came to Rule the World

By providing a backbone of flavors and techniques, French cooking has supported many modern cuisines. However, exactly what is French cooking?

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French cooking is considered by many to be the most prestigious and respectable cuisine in the world. With its formal techniques, emphasis on fresh ingredients and simple flavors, pride in presentation, and rich and colorful history, French cuisine truly has come to rule the world, laying the foundations for many other styles and specialties.

To become a skilled chef, you must have extensive knowledge of French cooking fundamentals .

But how did French cuisine come to be so acclaimed? Let’s explore the many ways French cuisine has impacted food and culture around the world.

Medieval French Cooking

Some of the inspiration for French cuisine can be traced back to medieval times . Back then, nobility dined on multi-course meals composed of wild game, meat, fruit, and grains, while peasants ate diets high in vegetables and legumes. Expensive salt and imported spices were widely used in the kitchens of the elite and were considered a status symbol.

With few ways to preserve food, people in ancient times decided what ingredients to use based on what they had immediately available. Modern French cooking also utilizes fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Members of the upper class often utilized these seasonal ingredients to host banquets or feasts that showed off their wealth. These dishes were elaborately presented to impress guests, and this emphasis on presentation is maintained in modern French cooking.

How French Cuisine Spread

Over the years, as cultures shifted and transformed, so did French cooking . During the Middle Ages cooking began to lighten and dishes in France began to shape into a cuisine we would more readily recognize today. However, cookbooks and documented techniques weren’t published until the 1600s.

Francois Pierre La Varenne published the first French cookbook in 1651 titled Le Cuisinier Francois. This inspired many chefs to record their work. The French Revolution in 1789 further helped to spread the study of cooking since it shattered the occupational restrictions established by the government. Additionally, more and more French people began cooking for themselves.

Later, French cuisine expanded beyond France’s borders, and chefs from around the world studied these published guides.

As the French colonized other countries – including parts of Asia, Africa, North America, and the Caribbean – throughout the 1700s and 1800s, they spread their culinary knowledge and cooking techniques.

What Is Haute Cuisine?

If you’ve studied French cuisine at all, you’ve probably heard of something called haute cuisine.

Haute cuisine translates to “high cuisine” and refers to a shift in French cooking from an emphasis on abundance and quantity to an emphasis on moderation and quality. Marie-Antoine Carême is often credited with leading this charge in the 1800s. He taught French cooking as a sophisticated art form that required technique and precision, and his recipe manuals made French cuisine more accessible.

Georges Auguste Escoffier , known as the King of Chefs and Chef of Kings and our school’s namesake, brought haute cuisine to the modern world. He revolutionized the fundamentals of French cooking including how food is presented and how it’s served. With his publication of Le Guide Culinaire in 1903, Escoffier adapted haute cuisine to be more modern.

“The schools have a commitment to excellence which would make my great-grandfather very proud and happy.”* Michel Escoffier, great-grandson of Auguste Escoffier; President of Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Advisory Board

Additionally, Escoffier furthered the culinary profession through an organized and smoothly-running professional kitchen with his innovative brigade de cuisine system , which features a strong organizational system and hierarchy. This system modernized the culinary arts, giving kitchens a military-style ethic to deliver efficient and effective service under strong leadership. The brigade system is still used in kitchens around the world today.

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Nouvelle Cuisine

French cooking continued to evolve and in the 1900s, nouvelle cuisine was born. This style of cooking was defined by the use of high quality, fresh ingredients, lighter meals, and simpler yet breathtaking presentations. Modern French cooking draws inspiration from the many cooking concepts French chefs have developed and presented over centuries.

The Foundations of French Cooking

French cooking is incredibly complex and is built upon many years of history. Still most chefs would agree that technique, ingredients, and the dining experience are important components of this cuisine.

French cooking techniques require patience, skill, and attention to detail. These take years to master, but should be studied by all aspiring chefs.

Mise en Place

Mise en place means “everything in its place,” and it’s a key component of kitchen organization. Before cooking a dish, a chef organizes their tools and prepares, cuts, and measures their ingredients. Everything should be close at hand and ready to go when it’s time to cook. A chef must be mentally prepared to execute the techniques to create masterpieces!

Sauteeing is a technique of cooking ingredients in a pan coated with olive oil or butter over medium to high heat. To sauter means “to jump” in French, which is what ingredients do in a hot pan. One classic dish that relies on this technique is lamb chasseur.

Braising is a combination cooking method used to cook meat or vegetables in a covered pot over low heat until the products are tender. Chefs typically sear the surface of meat or vegetables at high temperatures then lower the heat. Next, the ingredients slowly cook in fat, stock, or wine to produce complex flavors along with soft and tender bites.

To confit an ingredient requires salting and cooking the product in fat. Traditionally, this technique was used to preserve meat. Duck confit is a classic French dish that uses this method. However, you can also confit many vegetables such as garlic or potatoes!

Flambe involves the use of flammable alcohol to make desserts such as cherries jubilee . When the alcohol is set on fire or flambeed, it burns the alcohol away in mere seconds while leaving the aroma of the liquor’s main flavor. For many years, restaurants would flambé various dishes tableside to highlight both the technique and enhance the dining experience for their guests!

Ingredients

Another marker of French cuisine that differentiates it from others is the use of high quality ingredients.

French dishes often use simple ingredients transformed by artful techniques. Fresh, naturally produced ingredients can always be found in French cuisine. Wine, cheese, olive oil, and seasonal vegetables are just a few staples.

Herbs and spices are also important to French cuisine and can contribute a depth of flavor to otherwise subtle dishes. A few commonly used in French dishes include herbs de Provence, tarragon, and nutmeg.

Students at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts can get plenty of practice connecting with local farmers and cooking with fresh ingredients in the French style during our Farm To Table® Experience . They may chat about production methods, see where their food comes from, and even taste ingredients straight from their source!

Dining Experience

Another foundation of French cuisine is the dining experience, which requires careful presentation, elegance, and community when eating. A version of this could be seen all the way back in the Middle Ages at the banquets held by the aristocracy, but French cooking underwent many changes to end up where it is today.

With the rise of haute cuisine, meals became smaller and presentations became more detailed and elegant. Nouvelle cuisine placed even greater emphasis on precision in presentation. Today, many chefs in fine dining restaurants are as talented at presenting their food as they are at preparing it!

A beautifully plated Chilean sea bass dish by Escoffier student William Raheem

A sense of community can still be felt in many classic French restaurants, which sometimes utilize banquet-style seating to bring guests together.

Master the Art of French Cooking and More

To become a great chef, one must be equipped with skills and techniques from different cultures and regions. However, French cooking inspires many types of cuisine and forms the foundation of fine dining.

“Escoffier School of Culinary Arts opened my eyes to all these techniques that make my food the best I’ve ever cooked in my life. The school provided the methodology behind the basic recipes of everything that I needed to know for production… and the proper tools and ability to work in any kitchen.”* Vanessa M House, Culinary Arts Graduate

At Escoffier, we honor the countless contributions of Auguste Escoffier by exploring French techniques, an appreciation for great ingredients. If you’d like to improve your culinary skills from some of the best Chef Instructors , learn more about our culinary and pastry degrees and diplomas .

Interested in reading more World of Food and Drink articles? Try these next:

• A Brief History of The Michelin Star Rating
• 7 French Cooking Techniques Chefs Need to Know
• A Brief History of The Chef’s Uniform

*Information may not reflect every student’s experience. Results and outcomes may be based on several factors, such as geographical region or previous experience.

This article was originally published on April 28, 2021 and has since been updated.

Additional Content

• The King of Chefs: Who Was Auguste Escoffier?
• Why Study at a French Culinary Institute?
• French Culinary Education: 7 French Cooking Techniques
• A Brief History Of The Chef’s Uniform
• A History of the Chef’s Hat
• A Brief Guide to Viennoiseries: History & Most Popular Types
• How Restaurants Get Michelin Stars: A Brief History of the Michelin Guide
• The History of Culinary Arts Education in the U.S.
• Escoffier & École Ducasse: Study Internationally at a French Culinary School

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The Art of French Food Presentation: A Feast for the Eyes

When it comes to French cuisine, presentation is considered an art form. French chefs take great care in creating visually stunning dishes that are not only delicious but also a feast for the eyes. The art of French food presentation adds an extra dimension to the dining experience, enhancing the overall pleasure and appreciation of the meal. Here are some key elements that contribute to the artistry of French food presentation:

• Plate Composition: French chefs pay meticulous attention to the composition of the plate. They consider the arrangement of each component, ensuring a balance of colors, textures, and shapes. The plate is seen as a canvas, and the chef carefully places each ingredient with precision and purpose.
• Color Palette: French cuisine embraces a wide spectrum of colors, and chefs leverage this diversity to create visually striking plates. They use vibrant fruits, vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers to add pops of color and create a visually appealing contrast. The goal is to make the dish visually enticing and inviting to the diner.
• Garnishes and Accents: French chefs employ various garnishes and accents to enhance the presentation. These may include delicate herb sprigs, edible microgreens, swirls of sauce, drizzles of flavored oils, or meticulously placed edible decorations. These details elevate the visual appeal of the dish and add finesse to its overall presentation.
• Artful Plating Techniques: French chefs employ a range of plating techniques to create visually stunning presentations. They may use methods such as stacking, layering, or arranging ingredients in intricate patterns. Additionally, they may use specialized tools like ring molds, quenelle spoons, or tweezers to create precise shapes and arrangements.
• Height and Dimension: French food presentation often incorporates height and dimension to add visual interest. Chefs may stack ingredients to create vertical structures or use edible elements such as tuiles or crispy garnishes to add height and texture. This technique adds depth and complexity to the visual composition.
• Use of Tableware: The choice of tableware plays a crucial role in French food presentation. Chefs select plates, bowls, and platters that complement the dish and enhance its aesthetics. The tableware is often minimalistic, allowing the focus to remain on the food itself.
• Attention to Detail: French chefs have a keen eye for detail and ensure that every element on the plate is executed flawlessly. They meticulously clean the plate's edges, wipe away smudges or drips, and carefully arrange ingredients to create a polished and refined presentation.
• Visual Storytelling: French food presentation often tells a visual story, reflecting the dish's inspiration, seasonality, or cultural context. Chefs aim to evoke emotions, memories, or a sense of place through their presentations. This storytelling aspect adds a layer of intrigue and engages diners beyond taste alone.
• Emphasis on Simplicity: While French food presentation can be visually stunning, there is also an emphasis on simplicity and elegance. The French believe in letting the natural beauty of the ingredients shine through, rather than overwhelming the plate with excessive garnishes or decorations. The focus is on clean lines and uncluttered compositions.
• Seasonal and Local Ingredients: French cuisine celebrates the use of seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. The art of food presentation is closely tied to the availability of fresh produce. Chefs take advantage of the vibrant colors and flavors of seasonal ingredients to create visually appealing dishes that reflect the time of year.
• Harmonious Flavor and Visual Pairings: French chefs pay attention to the harmony between flavors and visual elements on the plate. They consider how different colors, textures, and shapes complement or contrast with each other. For example, a delicate seafood dish may be paired with vibrant green asparagus spears to create a visually pleasing contrast.
• Playful Creativity: French food presentation can also be playful and whimsical. Chefs sometimes incorporate unexpected elements or techniques to surprise and delight diners. This may involve unique plating shapes, edible sculptures, or creative arrangements that evoke a sense of fun and imagination.
• Incorporation of Edible Art: French chefs often blur the line between food and art by incorporating edible components that resemble artistic creations. They may use sauces or purees to paint delicate brushstrokes on the plate, creating a visual representation of their culinary vision. This approach adds a touch of artistry and innovation to the presentation.
• Attention to Proportions: French food presentation involves a keen sense of proportion. Chefs consider the size and scale of each element on the plate to create a visually balanced and aesthetically pleasing composition. They ensure that no single ingredient dominates the plate and that the overall arrangement is visually appealing from every angle.
• Contrast and Texture: French chefs understand the importance of contrast and texture in food presentation. They play with different textures, such as creamy, crunchy, or velvety, to add visual interest and tactile appeal to the dish. This interplay of textures enhances the overall sensory experience of the meal.
• Continuity of Style: French food presentation often maintains a consistent style throughout the meal. This creates a cohesive visual experience for the diners and enhances the overall dining pleasure. Each dish may be presented with a similar attention to detail, plating techniques, or choice of tableware, reflecting the chef's signature style.

Overall, the art of French food presentation is about creating a visually captivating experience that complements the flavors and textures of the dish. It showcases the chef's creativity, skill, and attention to detail, elevating the overall enjoyment of the dining experience. Whether in a Michelin-starred restaurant or a local bistro, the visual presentation of French cuisine is a testament to the country's culinary mastery.

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French Cuisine | A guide for the most popular French recipes

A glass of red wine accompanied by cheese and baguette. Yes, that’s quintessentially French cuisine that has won the hearts of millions of people across the world. However, there is more to French food than wine and cheese. What makes French cuisine so special is the passion behind it. French people are proud of their culture, food, and heritage. They have preserved the authentic way of cooking food which makes the cuisine all the more appealing.

I decided to gather here some basic info about the traditional French cuisine any foodie should know. Discover the most popular French recipes and get your daily dose of food inspiration! 🙂 This month is the French month on the blog, so I will attempt to veganize some of the most popular French recipes mentioned below. Check out the vegan French recipes collection on my blog!

• How the world sees it
• The history and tradition

The most popular French recipes

French bread recipes.

• French soups and stews
• French salads
• French desserts
• Main ingredients of French recipes

French cooking – what makes the cuisine so delicious

• Vegetarian French recipes

I recommend this cookbook!

French cuisine – how the world sees it

French cuisine is associated with romanticism. Talk about candle-lit dinners, anniversary feasts and making any occasion special with drinks and food and what comes to your mind is French food . The world’s finest wines are from France, so are cheeses and soufflé. From soups to bread, from stews to cakes, there are so many dishes to satiate the global palette.

With so much to offer, no wonder French cuisine is the most loved cuisine of the world. From the alleys of Paris, Rennes, Bordeaux, and Nice, French cuisine has traveled far and wide. Today, you can find restaurants serving the most popular French food in New York, Taiwan, Shanghai and Sao Paolo.

Let us take a gastronomical journey and discover the subtlety of French cuisine and what makes it so popular.

Vegan French Toast

French cuisine – the history and tradition

It’s all about combining different ingredients that bring out the rich and natural flavor of each of them. French cuisine sounds fancy but in reality, it is simple. It involves using basic techniques to layer the flavors and savoring them in every bite.

A lot of history is associated with French dishes . Most of the popular French dishes are traditional and can be traced back to medieval times when banquets were common amongst the aristocracy. Pies were a common item like cheese and wine.

Fresh and local ingredients play a vital role in bringing out the authentic taste of the French dishes. Previously also the ingredients varied with the seasons. In summer, spring, and autumn, people enjoyed abundant meals prepared from the fresh produce while in winter the meals became sparse. Apart from taste, the presentation of the items was very important. Still today, you would find French chefs presenting their dishes exotically.

A French meal typically has three courses, a starter, main dish, and dessert. Soups are popular as starters while the main dish may vary with region and choice. Cheese and fruit are commonly served as the dessert. Thus, you get to enjoy a plethora of flavors with each one unfolding before yourself. What makes dining so memorable is the way food is served and people sit around a table and enjoy them.

Vegan Quiche Lorraine

There are several signature French dishes that require no introduction. Like the French cheese and wine , they are celebrated all over the world. Let me introduce you to these dishes so that next time when you feel like trying French cuisine, you know what to order. You will also find some suggestions for the best vegetarian french food recipes you can try. 

Let’s talk about cheese and wine a little more as France offers an incredible variety of them that you would love to try. If you happen to visit France, don’t forget to travel to Burgundy. Strong, mild, fresh or anything you have on your mind, you can taste it here. Pair the cheese with your favorite wine and you would know why French are known as foodies.

In the Alsace region , a dish called la choucroute is very popular which is made from cabbage and sausage. Other dishes popular in this region are Carpe frites , Knack, Spatzle, and Presskopf. Actually, the cuisine of Alsace is heavily influenced by Germany and hence depends on sausages. Over half of the French beer is produced in this region.

The baguette is the most common bread enjoyed in France. It is a thin loaf of crusty bread that is enjoyed in different forms like as sandwiches. Melted cheese over baguette is an integral part of the French meal. Ficelle , Fougasse , and croissant are other bread items that are popular in France.

Vegan French Onion Soup

French Soups and Stews

Soups are quite popular in France with l’Oignon Gratinee or onion soup taking away the prize. Coq Au Vin is perhaps the most popular French dish made with chicken and wine. The recipe varies with the region but the taste remains the same – tempting.

You must have heard about Ratatouille . It originated in French Riviera and is a type of stew with a lot of vegetables of which tomato is the main ingredient. Vegetables like zucchini , eggplant, bell peppers, garlic, onion and other herbs add their own flavor to make this stew very tasty.

French Salads

Salads. French love their salads too. Nicoise salad is from Provence region, which can be enjoyed as a side dish or as a meal. With lettuce, canned tuna, boiled eggs, and fresh tomatoes, it is filling and good for your taste buds too.

Vegan Crepes

French Desserts

Come to desserts and you are really spoilt for choice. Clafoutis , Éclair , Macarons , and Crème Brulee are a few dessert items that deserve special mention.

Tarte Tatin is one such dish that is made of apple and pastry base. It is a delicious dessert that you must try.

If you are already getting hungry, we would end here but not without mentioning chocolate soufflé . Today, it features in dessert menus all over the world but you must appreciate that it originated in France. It derives its name from the French word puff or breath. It is eaten as savory or sweet nowadays in France.

Pear Tarte Tatin

Main ingredients of French cuisine

French dishes look and taste amazing. You would be surprised that the secret behind the dishes is simple ingredients that are used in a variety of techniques to create the tasty dishes.

In French cooking, you would never find a lot of seasoning or salt. The dishes are prepared by combining complementary flavors . Thus, you would find seafood being paired with lemon, potato with cheese and so on and so forth.

One distinctive feature of French cooking is that it relies on local produce . You would find people buying fresh cheese and poultry from the market. Only locally produced vegetables are used in the dishes which make them so tasty. This is also the reason behind the cuisine varying between regions. Each part of France has its own vegetables and fruits and cheese that go into creating its own cuisine. However, there are a few items that are common across the country although the cooking method may differ a little along with the ingredients.

Vegan Crustless Quiche

Bread forms an integral part of the French meals . Butter is used in cooking and baking a lot. Next comes cheese . It is presented as a separate course and you need to know them to enjoy them.

The other ingredients that chefs swear by include Fleur de sel . This is a type of sea salt. It is used as a finishing salt to bring out the taste of the vegetables and fishes.

Olive oil, mustard, red wine vinegar and white wine vinegar are commonly used to dress salads. French chefs depend on wine to add taste to a number of dishes.

Another staple of French kitchen is leeks . The slightly oniony vegetable adds a distinctive taste to the French dishes. An herb, Tarragon is used mainly in chicken dishes.

Onions are typically used to prepare the famous onion soup. Shallot and turnip are also used generously.

When the whole world is going against fat, the French remain loyal to their butter and cheese . Most French dishes are cooked in butter and yet the rate of heart diseases and obesity is low here. The secret lies in using fresh produce and using fat in moderation.

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes – Pommes Dauphinoise

French cooking is something that every chef wants to learn. It involves logic, technique, and ingredients that combine together in the right amount to prepare delicious dishes. The French cooking involves a few unique methods that you may want to learn.

Braising is one such method which is used to cook tough cuts of meat by using dry and moist heat. In this method, high heat is applied to seal in the juices.

Flambéing , as the name suggests is the technique in which flames are used to cook the food. It involves adding alcohol to the pan to create flames that are immediately died down. Through this method, more flavors are added to the dishes. Coq au vin and banana foster are prepared through this technique.

Grilling is used a lot to prepare French delicacies. Apart from it, broiling, another technique in which heat is applied from above is also used. Barbecuing and smoking are two other variations that chefs resort to.

Poaching – who can forget poached eggs? We must thank the French people for gifting us with this delicacy. So, next time when you poach an egg, think yourself as an expert French chef.

Sautéing is another technique that originated in France. In this method, food is cooked over high heat by tossing and turning the ingredients. Sautéing is responsible for retaining the natural flavor texture of the ingredients which is a salient feature of French cuisine.

Vegan Beef Bourguignon

Vegetarian fare in the French cuisine

It is true that French love their chicken, duck, and beef. However, that doesn’t mean they ignore the veggies. In fact, there are a number of veggie dishes that you can die for. We have already mentioned Ratatouille . It is s veggie stew that was a staple of poor man but today has found its place in the menu of the top fine dining French restaurants. It is a simple dish made with a variety of veggies which are added to the caramelized onion. All the individual ingredients lend their flavor to make this dish one of the iconic dishes of French gastronomy.

Then come the classic Roquefort and caramelized onion tart . The dish is as tasty as the name sounds. It is a dish that exposes your taste buds to a medley of tastes that you would remember long.

Moreover, the dish is versatile and can be enjoyed for lunch, dinner or as a quick meal.

Cauliflower gratin is a simple dish that uses cauliflower and covers it in white sauce and grilled for the mouth-watering taste.

You must have heard about Bastille Day celebrations. Gougeres form a part of the special meal served on this day. These are cheese puffs, small and delicate. Generally eaten with Pastis aperitif , they taste too good.

Spinach soufflé – what an exotic way to enjoy spinach and give your body its goodness. In France, it is prepared to use up the fresh harvest of spinach that the farmers bring in the market.

Frites are actually French fries but with a twist. Seasoned with truffle oil and dusted with parmesan cheese, try stopping at one. No one can win this challenge, take my word.

Romantic, mystic, still immersed in history and culture, you may find France totally out-of-the-world. It is true. As a country, France stands apart and when it comes to its food, you really need to appreciate its spirit. When the entire world is eating on the go or grabbing a quick bite, the French would savor their food at leisure. The cities shut down for lunch as the clock hits noon. In France, every meal is a celebration, to be enjoyed slowly, savoring every bite along with good company.

So, next time when you order French dishes, don’t forget to get in the mood. Otherwise, you won’t be able to do justice to the most famous cuisine of the world.

Best French Foods & drinks: 42 Traditional dishes to enjoy

• Post category: French Food / Travel to France
• Post author: Nassie Angadi

French food is one of the most popular cuisines in the whole world. People from all over the world have been attracted to this incredible style of cuisine, with its emphasis on fresh ingredients , creative cooking techniques , and art de la table presentation .

Composed over the centuries in the various regions of the country, these amazing delicacies have been exported around the world. Whether you are in a brasserie in Paris , at a seaside resort in Saint-Tropez , or in a French restaurant in overseas, there are certain dishes that have come to epitomize La France .

And although plenty of visitors will say that there is nothing like discovering these gastronomical delights in situ eating and drinking your way through France, it’s also possible to do so at home. In certain cases, I have also included the recipes so you can make your own version.

So with that, here are the top traditional French foods, and most popular dishes and drinks in France. Bon appétit!

1. Escargot

Yes, I had to start this list with snails. Rather than being squeamish, if you have ever had escargots , you know that they are actually a delight.

Yes, escargot are the same snails that you might find in a forest, and yes, French people do cook them up (usually in garlic, oil and pesto/ pistou sauce) and eat them regularly.

The little balls of meat easily go down with some baguette to soak up the buttery sauce. It is estimated that French people eat  16000  tons of escargot every year. You can read more about eating escargot here.

2. French onion soup

The French onion soup should perhaps be called the Royal French onion soup, since it became famous after being served to French King Louis XV (by ex-Polish King Stanislas Leszczynski).

The onions are cooked till they are lightly brown in color so that they are perfectly caramelized. Then they are cooked in a broth and topped with a sumptuous amount of grated cheese.

Each chef has his own combination of cheeses, but the most popular are gruyère, saint nectaire, mimolette, comté, emmental, or cantal . A dish truly fit for a king. You can get the recipe to make French onion soup at home here.

3. Foie Gras

Whether you are celebrating Christmas in France , or just a regular evening with friends, foie gras is an incontournable (an essential).

In France, there are many types of foie gras that you can find. The process dates back to antiquity and is legally protected. There are different types of foie gras, from the most expensive to cheaper as follows:

• foie gras entier  – means “whole foie gras” which is made of one or two whole livers
• foie gras – made of pieces of livers reassembled together
• bloc de foie gras – a fully cooked, assembled and moulded block made of 98% or more of foie gras

And if foie gras itself is too expensive, you can also try a pâté of foie gras. It is usually cut in slices and arranged on a tray, along with some mini toasts. Pair them together and munch away. You can read more about eating foie gras here.

4. Cuisse de grenouilles (frog legs)

Frog legs are a delicacy which have been eaten for centuries. Born out of food shortages and necessity, cuisses de grenouilles (meaning “frog thighs”) have been part of French cuisine for over a 1000 years.

There are two main ways that frog legs are cooked, either deep fried or baked with herbs.

There are variations of these types of dish serving cuisses des grenouilles all over France, from Michelin-starred restaurants to local brasseries, and even grocery shops . You can read more about eating frog legs in France here.

5. Croissants, viennoiseries, and breads

Legend has it that the croissant was a tradition that the young Marie-Antoinette of Austria brought with her to France, when she married French King Louis XVI. Hence it became known as a viennoiserie or “thing from Vienna (the capital of Austria)”.

Today, croissants and other viennoiseries like pain au chocolat, chausson aux pommes, etc. are an indelibly considered French foods (although, the Austrians might disgree).

While you can find croissants all over the world these days, there is nothing like a french croissant, light and airy fresh out of the oven.

And when it comes to fresh baked goods, we must not forget about the variety of baguettes and French breads that are so popular in France.

A classic dish in Provence and the South of France , socca is a type flatbread made with chickpea flour. It is usually served as an appetizer and is meant to be finger food.

Socca is usually served without sauce, but some restaurants will serve it with a small dip like a tomato provençale sauce or sauce vierge .

Originating in Nice , socca is quite easy to make, a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, and of course chickpea flour and you are good to go. You can check out the recipe to make socca here.

Another appetizer similar to the socca is panisse, which is also perfect as finger food for an apéro or happy hour.

Originating in Nice (or Marseille ), panisse is also made with chickpea flour and can be baked or fried.

Dairy-free and gluten free, it is one of those finger foods that you will find all over the south of France. You can get the recipe to make panisse here.

8. Tomates à la Provençale

Tangy sweet tomatoes, sprinkled with oil and crispy breadcrumbs, it doesn’t get more exquisite than this.

Provencal Tomatoes, or tomates à la provençale in French, is a typical French starter in the south of France.

The 3 keys to cooking any provençale dish are olive oil, garlic, and the aromatic herbs and to that end tomates à la provençale has it all in spades. The tomatoes are drenched in olive oil, garlic and various herbs.

They are then cooked for a long time and it is that long cooking process that makes the herbs and garlic meld into the tomato juice to then give it a tangy, almost bitingly caramelised flavor.

The sum becomes more than its parts. You can get the recipe to make tomates à la provençale here.

9. Coquilles St. Jacques

Coquilles St Jacques (scallops in English) is named after the pilgrims of Saint Jacques de Compostela who crisscrossed France and Spain with the seashells around their neck.

There are many ways to prepare the scallops: raw, marinated, fried or grilled. But one of the most popular in France has to be Coquilles St Jacques with pesto sauce (or pistou ), which has a bit of a kick to it. And has the added benefit of being gluten-free, lactose-free and alcohol-free.

Another favorite is Coquilles St Jacques en gratin , where it is cooked with a creamy sauce and breadcrumbs. That one is obviously not gluten-free, since it has breadcrumbs. You can get the recipe for coquilles st. jacques in pesto here.

10. Moules frites

The region of Normandy and Brittany on the west coast of France is quite famous for its seafood. One of the delicacies of the area are the moules frites , meaning mussels and fries.

This is one of the classic French foods that you simply have to try if you are in France.

The moules are usually steam cooked and then served mixed with a variety of sauces such as with parsley, or with cream and lardons, and many many more.

11. French Wines

French wines are renowned for their quality. The French wine market is the fifth largest in the world and it’s worth around $30 billion a year, so you can imagine how good they are.

There are of course many many wine regions in France , but the most popular are:

• Côtes du Rhône
• Loire Valley

From red wines, white wines, rosés, sparkling wines, and fortified wines ( digestifs ), there is a bit of everything. And of course, we can’t forget champagne !

In France, only wine and water is usually served at dinner (and sometimes lunch ), rather than beer, sodas or other drinks. You can read more about picking a French wine here.

After a long and snowy day, enjoy time with family and friends with this melted cheese dish from the Alps mountains.

Fondue comes from the French word “ fondre ” which means to melt. There are many combinations of cheeses that to make a cheese fondue, from reblochon to goat cheese.

Different towns in the Alps, and indeed different chefs, will have their own special touch to add to their cheese fondue. There are also different versions including items like mushrooms or tomato sauce for added flavor. You can read more about making a fondue here.

13. Raclette

Another cheesy dish that comes from the French and Swiss Alps is the raclette. After a long day of skiing (and even if you haven’t been skiing), sit down and share a raclette with family and friends.

Raclette is a semi-hard type of cheese, traditionally made from non-pasteurized milk.

Friends and family gather together at the end of the day and cook the cheese together, melting it to place on top of potatoes and  charcuterie (salt-cured hams) . You can read more about eating raclette here.

14. Quiche Lorraine

The classic quiche dish comes from the old department of Lorraine in France, on the edge of the French-German border. These days the department of Lorraine is part the Alsace region, and the traditional quiche lorraine is dish that is much loved.

The traditional recipe includes  bacon lardons , cheese and cream, and plenty of it.

With a base of pie crust and egg, chefs everywhere can add any othr types of ingredient they want, such as spinach and cheese, salmon, leeks, etc. You can read the recipe for a quiche lorraine here.

North Americans may have pancakes, but the French have crêpes. From savory to sweet, they are a blank canvas that can be filled with almost any ingredient you want.

Savory crêpes use buckwheat flour, and can have traditional toppings are ham, eggs and cheese, but you can get other ingredients like spinach, mushrooms, etc.

Sugary crêpes like the crêpe suzette , on the other hand, are usually made from all-purpose flour and are lighter to be served as dessert.

There is even a bit of a holiday around the crêpe during Chandeleur (Candlemas) . La Chandeleur where French people usually gather around at someone’s house on the nearest Sunday afternoon, and watch the chef serve up copious amounts of crêpes.

Sugary or savory, the crêpes are usually served with large pitchers of cider, another French classic. There is also a version from Brittany called the galette bretonne.

16. Cassoulet

Dating back to the 1300s from the Languedoc region of France, the cassoulet has been around a long time. A delectable stew made with beans, meat, and sausages, it is traditionally slow-cooked for hours.

The word cassoulet comes from the earthenware casserole it is cooked in, the cassolle or cassolo, which is made by local potteries nearby.

Aficionados of the cassoulet will note however that is a “ guerre des cassoulet ” (meaning “war of the cassoulet”) between the different towns that are well known for their cassoulet: Castelnaudary, Carcassone and Toulouse .

Each has its own variation, with differences between the sausage used, how long it is cooked and more. Each year cook-offs are usually held to see who takes home top prize with bragging rights. You can read more about the recipe for Cassoulet here.

17. Tartiflette

If you like cheese and potatoes, there is nothing not to like about a tartiflette. Easy to put together, this hearty meal has copious amounts of reblochon cheese and  bacon lardons  topped onto sliced potatoes.

One of the most popular French potato dishes , it is usually served as a main, but you can have it as a side as well.

If you are a connaisseur of French gastronomy, you will note that the ingredients in a tartiflette are suspiciously quite similar to that of au gratin potatoes .

In fact, the main difference is that for au gratin potatoes , you can use more or less whatever cheese catches your fancy, while a tartiflette must include the aforementioned reblochon cheese . You can get the recipe for tartiflette here.

18. Boeuf Bourguignon

In the Old Country, you perhaps couldn’t afford your ideal cut of beef. The answer was a hearty and rich stew, the traditional boeuf bourguignon.

Boeuf Bourguignon is traditionally from the region of Burgundy (Bourgogne) in France. So it stands to reason that they would want to combine the two delicacies that they are most famous for: Burgundy beef and Burgundy wine .

The typical cut of meat that is used in boeuf bourguignon is not the tenderloin, but the more affordable beef chunk. Slow cooking meat for several hours, along with vegetables and wine, this is a French dish that has become a true classic. You can get the recipe for boeuf bourguignon here.

And if you prefer a dish without alcohol, try the boeuf pot au feu (or the chicken version .)

If you wander through the city of Marseille on the French Riviera, you will see plenty of restaurant menus proudly declaring that they serve “aioli”. But aioli is not actually a dish in itself, it is one of the famous French sauces .

Aioli is a version of mayonnaise , with a lot more garlic in it. The mayonnaise part is made by mixing egg yolks and olive oil till it emulsifies, with it turning into aioli once the garlic is added.

The aioli sauce itself has quite a strong taste (if made correctly), so it is served alongside steamed codfish and fresh vegetables. You can get the aioli recipe here.

20. Croque Monsieur

The Croque Monsieur may be a glorified ham and cheese sandwiches, but it is a French national treasure. Croque translates in English as “to bite”.

Laden with French butter , cream and cheese , this is the sort of sandwich you must eat as the French do, i.e. with a knife and a fork. You can also try a  Croque Madame  which has a fried egg on top. You can get the recipe for Croque Monsieur here.

21. Steak Tartare

Tartare is a French culinary term , referring to a number of dishes served raw, rather than cooked. It usually involves raw meat in a steak tartare but you can also see fish chopped or shredded into small pieces.

It is usually served with a light salad and fries for a light lunch or dinner. You can find recipes for the steak tartare and salmon tartare here.

22. Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a vegetable stew from Nice , Provence in the South of France. It usually features an assortment of local vegetables, such as eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes.

The word “ rata ” is thought to be army slang for ragoût , meaning “motley stew”. (The current-day version of a ragôut is a similar, but has meat in it.).

You can also try a variation of the ratatouille called the Bohemian Aubergine , which is a touch sweeter and tangier. You can get the recipe for ratatouille here.

23. Bouillabaisse

Bouillabaisse is a traditional stew originating from the port city of Marseille . It was originally a stew made by fishermen, using the bony rockfish from the bottom of their fishing nets, which they were unable to sell to restaurants or fish markets.

These days this delicate fish stew is considered haute cuisine. It has become so popular that an official “ charte de bouillabaisse ” was drawn up with an official recipe to avoid cheap pretenders.

Along with the bouillabaisse, a spicy mayonnaise called a  rouille  is served, made with olive oil, garlic, saffron, and cayenne pepper. You can get an adapted recipe for bouillabaisse here.

24. Coq au Vin

If you don’t eat beef and are looking for an an alternative to the boeuf bourguignon, the classic coq au vin with chicken is everything you can ask for.

A chicken slow-cooked with vegetables in a stew with wine sauce to tenderize it and bring out the flavors. You can get the recipe for coq au vin here.

25. Blanquette de Veau

All across France, in brasseries up and down the country, you will find the blanquette de veau . It is one of the grand classics of French gastronomy , made with veau , meaning veal.

It is a very simple dish, made with meat, vegetables, and a white sauce. Blanquette comes from the French word blanche meaning “white” and refers to the sauce made from cream and butter, or flour.

These days there are plenty of top chefs putting their own spin on it, including using chicken or pork instead, since veal isn’t the easiest to find. You get find a recipe for creamy chicken blanquette here.

26. Salade Niçoise

The salad niçoise is one of those recipes that even French chefs can’t agree on. Green beans and potatoes? Tuna or anchovies? And mayonnaise!?

The biggest controversy is over the green beans and potatoes. Several famous French chefs have weighed in on the topic. Former Nice mayor Jacques Médecin proclaimed in his 1970s cookbook: “never, never, I beg you, include boiled potato or any other boiled vegetable in your salad niçoise.”

Get the traditional salad niçoise recipe from Nice and see what the controversy is all about.

27. Chicken Provençale

Chicken Provencal brings together the traditional ingredients from Provence, in the South of France.

Typically it includes red and green peppers, potatoes, chicken and bacon lardons . Add to that the typical local ingredients of herbs, tomatoes, and olives, this French chicken stew will remind you of summer. You can get the recipe for chicken provençale here.

28. Oysters

Another classic French appetizer is oysters, especially if you are trying to add a touch of je ne sais quoi to your dinner.

Fresh oysters are not usually cooked in France, but served as is, fresh from the ocean. Fresh oysters are a must-have in France for Christmas and New Year’s eve .

The hardest part about serving oysters is opening the top shell. But once that is done, just squeeze a bit of lemon on them and serve in a tray.

Be sure to dine at a reputable restaurant, as you do not want to risk food poisoning from bad oysters!

29. Charcuterie and cheese platter

You may think you have had a cheese and charcuterie plate at home, but this is one of those dishes that you really need to try in France.

Try a variety of jambon cru, terrines, pâtés , and rillettes paired alongside various French cheeses and wines from all over the country. You can read more about composing a French charcuterie and cheese board here. And don’t forget the crudités !

30. Quenelles

The city of Lyon considers itself to be the gastronomical capital of France. And one of dishes Lyon is famous for is the quenelles.

Quenelles are a traditional mixture of dough, cream, egg yolk, and and sometimes pike fish.

After the quenelle is formed in a sausage-shaped pastry, it is cooked in a creamy sauce. It can be served as an appetizer or as a main. You can find the recipe to make quenelles here.

31. Macarons

Macarons might be as ubiquitous in North America today as the cookie is in France, but there’s still something to be said to having one freshly prepared at one of Paris’s finest patisseries.

Try ones at Pierre Hermé or Ladurée , but my favorite is Café Pouchkine near Place de la Madeleine. You can read about more French desserts here.

32. Calissons

The traditional sweet from Aix-en-Provence is not a dessert, but more of a confiserie (candy) made from melon and almond paste and is very sweet.

You won’t find it on the menu of a Parisian restaurant, but rather in patisseries in Provence and the south of France. It is traditionally served as one of the 13 desserts of Provence at Christmas .

They are catching on in popularity like the macaron however, so perhaps soon to come to a grocery store near you?

33. Café Gourmand

This is the dessert you pick at a French restaurant if you can’t decide which dessert to get. The café gourmand is a small cup of coffee served with 3 small-size desserts.

You don’t get to pick the dessert, that will be the “ surprise du chef ” as we say in French, but the choices and varieties of cakes are usually pretty good.

Note: The coffee that you will be served with a café gourmand is, by default, an espresso. For a larger cup of coffee or decaf, you can explore the possibilities of ordering coffee in France here.

34. Meringue

A meringue is a type of dessert or candy made from whipped egg whites and sugar, along with an acidic ingredient such as lemon, vinegar, or cream of tartar.

The traditional meringue from Provence is hardish on the outside, and soft and airy on the inside. They come in many flavors such as lemon or lavender, and are often topped with nuts.

35. Religiouse

The name religiouse means “nun”, but there is nothing nun-like about this little puff pastry .

It is made with two choux pastry, one larger than the other and filled with crème. It can also be filled with chocolate or mocha cream. It is then usually covered on top with chocolate icing.

Unless you are invited to a traditional French wedding where you can taste the somewhat similar piece montée , you will have to settle for getting a religiouse at a local patisserie (French bakery shop).

36. Vin Chaud

Whether it is called Vin Chaud, Glühwein, or Glögg, or whatever it is called, this classic mulled wine recipe is a perfect treat for at Christmas and those cold winter winter holidays.

On those freezing cold winter nights, there is nothing like having a warm cup of  vin chaud  in your hands. The wine is heated and then spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, and sugar were added.

You can get the recipe for vin chaud here, as well as a non-alcoholic version of this mulled wine .

Traditionally from Provence , Pastis de Marseille is the apéritif that has become a favorite all over France. However, with an alcohol content of 45% and sharp licorice flavor, pastis is a liquor that most foreigners find is an acquired taste.

It tastes a bit like the greek ouzo, however it is so strong, it must be watered down when served.

You will easily find it on the menu of every French bar, brasserie, and café (and if you don’t you should question their French credentials!). You can read more about the French love of pastis here.

Along with Pastis, Kir is also an apéritif that you will find on every menu around France.

There are a few variations of kir depending on the region:

Normally a white wine like aligoté from Burgundy , or a crémant from Loire is used as the base for kir. (A crémant is a type of sparkling wine.)

Crème de Cassis is a sweet liquor that is made with blackcurrant. You can also use other crème liquors like  Crème de Chambord (raspberry) or Crème de Pêche (peach), if you prefer. You can read more about Kir and Kir Royale Chambord here.

39. Chocolat chaud

You simply cannot come to Paris and not try the chocolat chaud . Hot chocolate, but not the industrial powdery stuff that you get at a grocery store.

The real chocolat chaud at a chocolaterie like Angelina or Ladurée , will be made from the finest chocolate melted in a pot, with sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and just a hint of milk. Each chocolatier will have his own recipe, so don’t hesitate to try a few different types to find your favorite 😉

40. Dijon Mustard

Now, if you are visiting city of Dijon , you have to try (and take home) a bottle of the classic Dijon mustard. There are several flavors of dijon, with everything from honey mustard to a spicy variety that will pique your interest.

This traditional mustard is regularly used in recipes, so the locals usually keep a bottle handy in that quintessential French pantry .

41. Cognac and Armagnac

Cognac is a type of brandy that comes from the French town of Cognac in Nouvelle Aquitaine (similar to Champagne which can only come from the Champagne region of France).

After the grapes are pressed, the juice fermented for a couple of weeks with wild yeast from Cognac converting the sugar into alcohol. It is then distilled and aged in oak casks for at least two years, giving it an alcohol content of around 40%.

The cognac is blended with different cognacs from different years by a master blender ( maître de chai ) to come up with the perfect taste.

Similar to Cognac, Armagnac is an aged brandy from the region of Armagnac, near the foothills of the Pyrénees mountains (near Spain). The area it is produced in is much smaller, however, which is why it is not usually exported outside of France, and thus not as well known.

For French people though, it is Armagnac that is more popular, being the oldest French brandy, which used to be consumed reputedly for “therapeutic benefits”. In addition, there is Pineau de Charentes which is a fortified wine made from unfermented grape juice and cognac.

42. Boudin Blanc

Known as the “white sausage”, boudin blanc is a mix of cream, breadcrumbs, fat, starch, and boiled pork or chicken, all stuffed into a sausage casing.

It is a dish that dates back to the Middle ages, when it became particularly popular in Lyon. (Its cousin, the Boudin noir, includes dried pork blood.)

It became a staple across France during tough times like war and famines , when meat was at a shortage and people had to make do. It also became a Christmas tradition, eaten before the large dinner .

Today, it is a much loved delicacy all across Europe and parts of North America, available at local butchers and in gourmet food stores. You can read more about cooking boudin blanc here.

Read more :

• Food facts about France
• French dining etiquette

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France Food Culture: Traditional Food from Paris, Lyon & French Markets

French food is a feast for all of the senses. Known the world over for its quality and what’s known in French as savoir-faire—the artistic sensibility that goes into picking the highest quality products, cooking them with the utmost skill, and taking the time to present these creations in the most elegant of formats.

If you weren’t a foodie before moving to France , you certainly will become one. In 2010, UNESCO inscribed the French gastronomic meal as an intangible part of world heritage.

This designation includes the particular terroir of where the products are selected, meaning certain food stuffs are best grown in very specific regions of the country. For example, the capital of French fig production is a small Provencal town called Sollies-Pont. The particular quality of the soil, coupled with the Mediterranean climate, and a healthy dose of sunshine year-round, makes for an ideal growing climate for these purple beauties.

This concept includes the grape growing regions for which France is famous. A Bordeaux wine will have distinctly different nuances than a Burgundy or a Bandol red—that’s owing to the notion of terroir.

The gastronomic heritage designation also includes the elaborate presentation of the meal and the shared experience of dining together. As any French person will tell you, mealtime is sacred and a moment to be savored with friends and family.

French Markets

Every French food journey begins at the market. Most cities and large towns feature a market at least twice a week, sometimes every day. Smaller towns and villages have a market once a week. Some of these markets date back for centuries: one, on the Ile de Ré in western France, boasts that the market has been in existence since the 14th century. In Paris, the Marché des Enfants Rouges dates from 1628.

A good French market has virtually everything one needs to prepare the meal of your choice: butchers, fish mongers, cheese vendors, produce farmers, producers of local specialties, such as hone or olives.

Naturally, people have their favorite markets and favorite vendors. It’s not unusual to see a long queue, some 15-people deep, for a certain fromagier (cheese-maker), while another cheese vendor a few stalls down has only a few customers. The French take quality very seriously. They scrutinize the offerings carefully and ask questions about their intended purchase before buying.

What Are Typical French Meals Like?

Including a starter, called an entrée in French, the main dish known as a plat, and a dessert, a typical meal can last anywhere from 90 minutes to more than four hours… and beyond.

Aside from these three courses, guests can expect an aperitif to kick off the meal, and a cheese and salad course before moving on to dessert. These rituals are true for lunch or dinner… depending on if you have the time!

Coffee, and small sweets like artisanal chocolates or French-style cookies and cakes, are likely to come after the dessert course. While many hosts like to prepare their own desserts, it’s also popular to stop off at the local bakery to pick up a selection of French pastries. You may be treated to layered cake pastries, like the decadent chocolate cream and coffee cake known as an Opera, or you might be offered a cream-filled pastry like profiteroles (puff pastries), a Paris-Brest, or a fraisier (strawberry and cream cake). Not forgetting the world-famous French macaron or eclair.

Depending on the location, and the time of day, the meal might include an after-dinner drink known as a digestive. These can be either cognac, calvados (apple liqueur), or another herb or fruit-infused liqueur. While Calvados comes from Normandy, the flavorful plum known as the mirabelle provides the preferred liqueur of the Lorraine region—l’eau de vie de Mirabelle.

Normally enjoyed after dinner, weekend lunches often finish with a round of digestives as well. Many people make their own digestives and are very proud to display their home collections.

Lastly, the French breakfast is a very simple affair. Many prefer a traditional croissant or pain au chocolat. It’s also popular to slice thicker bread and spread them with butter and jam. Coffee is an ever-present staple.

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The Heart of French Cuisine

While French cooking can conjure up images of demanding chefs and elaborate dishes that take hours to make, there are many ways to interpret French cuisine. From simple bistros and brasseries to high-end, Michelin-starred restaurants, the food served depends a lot on the quality of the ingredients and who is doing the cooking. Delicious tarts, quiches, savory crepes, omelets, and tasty stews and soups can easily be whipped up at home in a modest amount of time. The more elaborate dishes that you’ll find at gourmet restaurants rely heavily on French-style sauces—which take quite a bit longer to prepare but make up the heart of any gourmet French meal.

A good piece of meat, chicken, or fish is sublimed and taken to the next level by an exquisite, slowly-worked, sauce. Served as the focal point of the dish, the French plat will then rely on the delicateness of the chosen accompaniment—a side dish. Think of a smattering of julienned carrots and zucchini in a light cream sauce or a thinly stacked layer of potato gratin (known as a gratin dauphinois) full of rich nutmeg flavor, or even a medley of wild mushrooms topped with a bacon-infused foam.

Whatever the chosen arrangement, you can be sure that the dish will be presented with a thought to portion sizes—as diners will want to savor each decadent course that comes their way.

French Regional Foods

To truly get to know “French food,” you have to know the regions. Despite the hoity-toity reputation that many French dishes have, most have humble origins—not created for kings, but for farmers and laborers. Now-famous regional specialties were largely based on the local products that were available at that time. That’s why you’ll find plenty of apple-based and dairy-heavy dishes in Normandy, a region rolling in apple orchards and dairy farms. In Provence, the cuisine features the olive oil that comes from the olive groves of the region.

Let’s take a look at the cuisines from some of France’s most popular food regions.

Provencal Cuisine

In contrast to the heavy fare of Lyon, in Provence food seems feather light. Provence is a region in the south of France , known for its lavender fields and olive groves. The cuisine is distinctly Mediterranean, featuring plenty of fish, vegetables, olive oil, garlic, and herbs.

The region’s most famous dish is probably bouillabaisse, a fish stew that comes from Marseille. Coming in second for best-known is likely ratatouille, a vegetable casserole made of tomatoes, zucchini, eggplants, onions, peppers, garlic, and a healthy dose of olive oil. Also popular is petite farcie—assorted vegetables, from tomatoes to peppers, stuffed with minced meat. One of the heartier local dishes is daube provençal, beef marinated in red wine with onions, garlic, and herbs, and served over pasta.

Even in Provence, dishes can be narrowed down to a precise origin. You’ll often see certain foods labeled “Provençal”, but they’re actually Niçoise—from the city of Nice . Typical examples of Niçoise food is socca, a chickpea pancake, pissalidière, an onion tart, and, of course, salad nicoise—a salad primarily made of tomatoes, tuna (or anchovies), hard-boiled eggs, and onions. Other ingredients, such as potatoes or string beans, may also be included, but will inevitably upset some purists.

Lyonnaise Cuisine

Lyon , France’s third largest city, is the natural place to begin an examination of French food. The city is so renowned for its outstanding cuisine that it’s referred to as “the gastronomic capital of the world”. Home to nearly 2,000 restaurants, Lyon has produced some of France’s most famous and innovative chefs, including the legendary Paul Bocuse, who popularized nouvelle cuisine.

Traditional Lyonnaise cuisine is hearty, stick-to-your-bones fare that should be avoided by vegetarians or anyone who prefers eating light. The cuisine often features pork (in every permutation, from snout to feet), chicken and duck (particularly the livers), and offal from a variety of animals. The adventurous eater will enjoy dishes such as salade de foies des volailles (salad with pan-seared chicken liver), tête de veau (poached calf brains), or tripes à la Lyonnaise (tripe fried with onions and garlic).

The less adventurous among us will go crazy for quenelles de brochet, a delicious fish dumpling covered in a creamy lobster sauce. Salad Lyonnaise (green salad with bacon and poached eggs) is also a great choice, as popular, as is fonds d’artichaut et foie gras (artichoke hearts with foie gras). If you want to sound more adventurous than you are, try cervelles de canut. Although this translates as “silk worker’s brains,” it’s really just fromage blanc (the French version of sour cream) with shallots and herbs.

Normandy/Brittany Cuisine

On France’s northwestern coast, you’ll find the regions of Normandy and Brittany. Each has its distinctive dishes, but being so close to the ocean, both are known for having an excellent and huge variety of seafood and shellfish. Beyond seafood, you’ll find plenty of apples in Normand cuisine and products, such as Poulet Vallée d’Auge, chicken roasted with apples, Tarte aux Pommes (apple tart), and Calvados. Normandy, dairy country, is also known for its excellent cheeses, most notably the famed Camembert.

Brittany best stands out for its crêpes. Savory crêpes are typically known as galettes. These are made with buckwheat flour and are commonly served with eggs, ham, and cheese (although fillings can run the gamut of ingredients). Sweet crepes are often slathered in salted caramel, or chocolate, or simply sprinkled with butter and sugar.

Other Types of Regional French Cuisine

Writing about all the regional cuisines of France could fill a book. In Burgundy, you’ve got boeuf bourguignon, a rich beef stew cooked for hours in red wine. From the Alsace in eastern France, comes cuisine with a distinctly German touch, including choucroûte garnie (sauerkraut with boiled potatoes and sausage), flammekueche (a savory thin-crust tart with cheese, onions, and bacon), and bäckeoffe (a casserole made with assorted meats, potatoes, and leeks).

In the southwest, expect lots of spiciness from Basque country cuisine. Here, dishes tend to be enhanced with red Espelette peppers. Try the Omelette piperade, a tarte-like omelet filled with tomatoes, onion, espelette peppers, olive oil, and garlic.

Bon Appétit!

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Understand why French gastronomy is unique and the greatest national pride

• Culture , Gastronomy

France is known worldwide for its cuisine and lifestyle. Since 2010, the French gastronomic meal and its rituals have been inscribed in UNESCO's cultural heritage.

The French gastronomy is known all over the world for its quality and diversity. It is the fruit of a secular heritage and is also constantly evolving thanks to its professionals who continue to revisit their classics to always surprise and satisfy us.

To taste the French gastronomy is to taste ‘l’art-de-vivre à la française’. It involves finding local producers and passionate chefs who convey their passion into their food.

From Normandy to Provence, from Brittany to Alsace, passing through Burgundy, South West or Corsica. Through its gastronomy one can know all the diversity and wealth of the French territory. Each region invites us to taste their specialties and their cuisine in moments of sharing and conviviality.

Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO

The French Gastronomy, in 2010, inscribed for the first time in the list of the intangible heritage of Humanity a patrimony related to the gastronomy. These are the components of French gastronomy taken into account for this insertion: the purchase of good products, preferably local, whose flavors harmonize well together; the careful choice of dishes that reflect the diversity of regions and terroir; the marriage between food and wine; the quality of the kitchen; the aesthetics of the table. In all the happy circumstances of their existence, the French are gathered around a good meal. Whether it’s an “apero” among friends, a commercial meal or a banquet, this meal praises for conviviality, for humanism at the table and for well-being.

The stages involving the feast

A typical French meal involves a real ceremony. A succession of immutable rituals in a context of permanent conversation. It starts with an appetizer and ends with a digestive, between the two there are at least four dishes: a starter, a main course with fish and / or meat, cheese and dessert. From the choice of the menu to the tasting there is a long route. Meals start with a trip to the market and fairs for the the product selection. The seasons of the year, the occasion to be celebrated, the tastes of each other determine the menu and the dishes that make it up. Throughout the process, knowledge, advice, skills and references are exchanged.

Back in the kitchen with produucts acqired at the market, the preparations are made together with the family. Parents pass the gestures and knowledge to the children, either to make a cake or to prepare the table. Prepare the table, put the different cutlery, fold the towels, knowing the use of each glass is an important transmission to the French.

Finally when the time comes for tasting, there are successions of specific gestures, where all the senses are required: the smell is requested with all the good odors that come from the dishes, the view is enchanted in front of the decoration of the table and the presentation of the dishes. The palate then comes into play as well as tact according to the dishes offered and hearing with the sound of cutlery and conversations.

Find out more about French gastronomy during our food tour “The French Gastronomy”.

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Historical Influences on French Cuisine: Ancient Traditions and Modern Delights

Introduction:.

French cuisine is renowned worldwide for its elegance, rich flavors, and meticulous techniques. The roots of this culinary tradition run deep, with influences spanning centuries of history. From the ancient traditions that shaped the foundation of French cuisine to the modern delights that continue to captivate our taste buds today, let’s embark on a journey to explore the historical influences on French cuisine.

1. Gastronomic Heritage of Gaul:

French cuisine traces its origins back to Gaul, the ancient region that encompasses modern-day France. The Gauls, a Celtic people, introduced a range of ingredients and techniques that laid the groundwork for future gastronomic achievements. From their mastery of fermentation in producing fine wines to their culinary creativity in utilizing local herbs and spices, the Gauls infused the beginnings of what would evolve into the exquisite realm of French cuisine.

2. Roman Influence on French Gastronomy:

During the Roman occupation of Gaul, the Romans brought their own culinary traditions, which intertwined with the local Gaulish customs to create a melange of flavors. The Romans introduced ingredients such as olive oil, garlic, and fish sauces, elevating the gastronomic experience. Roman influence also left a lasting impact on French cuisine through techniques like salting and curing meats, creating charcuterie that remains a staple in traditional French charcuteries.

3. Medieval Banquets and Aristocratic Feasts:

The Middle Ages in France witnessed lavish banquets and feasts organized by the nobility. These grandiose events showcased the opulence and refinement of French cuisine, introducing exotic flavors from Asia and the Middle East through trade routes. Spices such as saffron, cinnamon, and ginger became prized ingredients, transforming the culinary landscape and inspiring the development of intricate, multi-course meals that would become hallmarks of French gastronomy.

4. The Renaissance Revolution:

The Renaissance era brought a transformative shift to French cuisine. Inspired by the Italian Renaissance, French chefs embraced a new concept of presenting food that emphasized aesthetics, balance, and refinement. Through the introduction of techniques like poaching and reduction sauces, and the artistic arrangement of food on the plate, French culinary prowess reached new heights. This period also saw the rise of Catherine de’ Medici, who brought Italian chefs to France, greatly influencing French cuisine with their pasta recipes and the use of tomatoes.

5. Rise of Haute Cuisine:

The advent of Haute Cuisine (high or fine cuisine) in the 17th and 18th centuries marked a pivotal moment in French gastronomy. French chefs, such as François Pierre de la Varenne and Marie-Antoine Carême, focused on creating sophisticated and elaborate dishes that showcased their culinary expertise. These culinary masters developed intricate sauces, invented new cooking techniques, and established the foundation on which contemporary French cuisine stands today.

6. Evolution of Regional Specialties:

French cuisine is synonymous with its diverse regional specialties, each reflecting the local terroir and cultural heritage. From the hearty cassoulet of southwestern France to the delicate bouillabaisse of Provence, regional dishes have evolved over time, incorporating local ingredients and culinary traditions. These specialties provide a rich tapestry of flavors that showcase the unique charm and culinary diversity of France.

Conclusion:

French cuisine’s journey from its ancient roots to the modern era has shaped culinary excellence worldwide. The Gauls, Roman influences, medieval banquets, Renaissance innovations, and the rise of Haute Cuisine have all contributed to the rich tapestry of French gastronomy. By understanding the historical roots of French cuisine, we gain a deeper appreciation for the flavors, techniques, and cultural facets that continue to make it one of the world’s most cherished culinary traditions. We hope that you’ve enjoyed this quick overview of the historical influences on French cuisine.

FAQs: Historical Influences on French Cuisine

1: What is the significance of terroir in French cuisine?

Terroir refers to the environmental factors, such as soil, climate, and geography, that contribute to the unique characteristics of food and wine. In French cuisine, terroir plays a crucial role in shaping regional specialties, as it influences the flavors and quality of the ingredients used in each dish.

2: How did French cuisine become internationally renowned?

French cuisine gained international recognition due to its refinement, attention to detail, and the influence of influential chefs such as Auguste Escoffier. Additionally, French culinary traditions were exported through French colonization and immigration, spreading French techniques and ingredients across the globe.

3: Are there any French dishes that have remained relatively unchanged throughout history?

Some dishes have stood the test of time and continue to be prepared in much the same way as their ancient counterparts. Examples include coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon, and traditional cheese-making techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation, preserving their original essence.

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French Cuisine Guide: Everything You Need To Know

France is the pinnacle of culinary romance and gastronomical luxury, renowned around the world for both its sophistication and simplicity.  From the haute cuisine of Paris to the fruits de mer from the Mediterranean sea, the effortless elegance of French cuisine comes from a few essential ingredients and time-honored techniques that have influenced most of the culinary styles we use today.

The History of French Cuisine

• The French Dining Style 
• The Art of French Cusine 

The Five Mother Sauces

Traditional french cooking techniques and terms, traditional french dishes.

• Ratatouille Provençale

Quiche Lorraine

• Chicken Liver Pâté 
• Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin

Bouillabaisse

• Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon

French food was brought from the bistro to the kitchens of home cooks all over the world by Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”  She introduced America to an entirely new world of cuisine and proved that with a little practice, any home cook can utilize French cooking methods.

While understanding the history and techniques are the first step of any cultures cooking, to the French the most important is “P our bien cuisiner il faut de bons ingrédients, un palais, du coeur et des amis .”

The origins of French cuisine can be traced back to the early 14th century, during a time when food was scarce for most people the aristocracy frequently dined on extravagant feasts heavily influenced by Italian culture. 

It would be a cook to the Court of France by the name of Guillaume Tirel, commonly referred to as Taillevent who would begin to craft unique dishes for the royals leading him to be considered one of the first “professional” chefs. He wrote a collection of medieval recipes and cooking techniques called Le Viandier, which would become one of Europe’s first culinary books on record. 

In the 1600s, the French culinary identity we know today began to be defined as chefs such as François Pierre La Varenne and Marie-Antoine Carême emerged and develop their own distinct flavors and styles. They focused on using fresh, seasonal, and regional French ingredients like cheeses, herbs, and wine which would become the cornerstone of French cooking. 

Chef François Pierre La Varenne wrote Le Cuisinier françois and Le Pâtissier françois, two of the most influential cookbooks  in early modern French cuisine. In his works, he details recipes for classic French dishes like bisque, Béchamel, and mille-feuille and introduced bouquet garni, fonds de cuisine, and reduction as culinary terms.

Marie-Antoine Carême is considered one of the first internationally renowned celebrity Chefs. A cook to the royalty, he created the style of cooking known as haute cuisine which would become synonymous with Parisian food culture for years to come. 

During the 19th century, chef Auguste Escoffier would modernize French cooking methods and recipes into the terms used today. He classified the recipes for the five mother sauces and attached titles to kitchen staff such as commis, chef de partie, sous chef. 

Read more: French Mother Sauces

The french dining style .

As with any culture, the French have customs around dining and etiquette. While traditions have changed over time, some definitive factors will always be a part of the structure of enjoying French cuisine.  

Le petit déjeuner

Breakfast is traditionally a small meal usually of French bread with butter and honey or jam with a café au lait or tea.

Le déjeuner

A typical French lunch will consist of a starter (une entrée), such as a mixed salad, soup, terrine or paté or a traditional sandwich like a Croque monsieur or Jambon beurre. A sit-down lunch usually includes a main dish (le plat principal) of meat or fish with vegetables and cheese is commonly a two-hour mid-day meal. 

Le dîner

A traditional French restaurant dinner often consists of three courses, hors d’œuvre, plat principal (main course), and a cheese course or dessert generously accompanied by bread and wine.

Apéritif and Digestifs

Apéritif means “to open the appetite” and are beverages that are served before a meal. Commonly served at a gathering before a meal called Apero, the most popular apéritifs are Pastis, Crémant d’Alsace, Champagne, and Kir.

Digestifs are traditionally Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, Eau de vie, or fruit alcohols that are served at the end of the meal after dessert but before coffee. 

A traditional French toast is “à votre santé” which means “to your health” or more commonly shortened to just “santé.”

Baguettiquette

When enjoying bread with your meal, the French never set their bread on top of the plate but rather on the table to the side of the plate. 

The Art of French Cusine 

French cooking focuses on the appreciation of food from the ground to the plate. While it is often thought to be a complicated culinary style to recreate at its core the basics of French food are simple ingredients combined with time and a few notable techniques. 

Traditional French Ingredients

Cooking with the freshest local and seasonal ingredients is a fundamental part of culinary culture throughout the country. Each region has its own distinct dishes and traditions that originated based on the produce harvested and animals raised in that area. 

An important element to French cooking is minimal food waste, as a result, many recipes famous to the culture originated as a way to utilize leftover vegetable scraps and parts of the meat that were not commonly eaten. 

Traditionally, food shopping in France is done daily or by the meal at the marché, where a wide variety of meats, cheese, produce, wine, and artisanal goods can be purchased directly from local farmers and purveyors.

There are a handful of ingredients that are considered essential to any French kitchen: 

French Butter

French butter is the cornerstone for the country’s cuisine and is regarded worldwide for its rich and unique flavor. Unlike others, French butter is cultured, which means the cream is left to ferment before it is churned which gives the butter a deeper taste. In addition, French law requires butter to contain at a minimum 82% butterfat which is higher than in other countries. 

Crème Fraîche

A cultured cream, French for “fresh cream”, that is similar to sour cream in texture and flavor. Creme fraiche is used as a condiment or thickener in many appetizers, dinners, and desserts.

Dijon Mustard

This mustard made from brown mustard seeds and white wine verjuice is the quintessential condiment and traditional mustard of France. It is named after the town of Dijon in Burgundy, which was the center of mustard making in the late Middle Ages. It is used widely in French recipes with dishes that feature Dijon mustard referred to as “a la Dijonnaise”.

Herbes de Provence

Herbes de Provence is widely considered to be one of the most essential spice blends in culinary history. Originating in Southern France, it’s aptly named for the combination of aromatic summertime herbs which grow wild and abundant in the hills of Provence.

Traditional Provençal herbs are said to include thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, savory, marjoram, oregano, and bay leaves. Whether used together or alone, these herbs of Provence are a core element in French and Mediterranean cuisine.

Fleur de sel

Meaning “flower of salt”,  this is a delicate, flaky rare form of sea salt harvested in parts of Northern France. Fleur de sel is a finishing salt that enhances the taste of soups, salads, fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, and desserts. 

One of the top five vegetables in French cuisine, Leeks are a member of the garlic and onion family with a milder, sweet, oniony flavor. They are common in many french salads soups, stews, pasta. 

French Bread

The tradition of making bread in France is one of the defining symbols of French culture. There is a wide variety of French bread but the most common are Baguette, French Bread, Brioche, Croissant, and Pain de Campagne.

French Wine

Known for its bon vin (or fine wine), France has one of the most productive wine regions in the world. In addition to being served alongside a meal, wine is also used to create sauces and stews.

Read more: French Wine Guide

French cheeses.

The French produce and eat more cheese per person than in any other country. Some of its most famous varieties include Camembert, Brie, Roquefort, and Chevre.

Developed by French chef Auguste Escoffier, The Mother Sauces are the base for a variety of traditional French sauces used in a wide array of classic recipes , including veggies, fish, meat, casseroles, and pasta.

Béchamel

Béchamel is made by thickening hot milk with a simple white roux that is often flavored with onion, cloves, and nutmeg. Béchamel the base for some of the most popular white, cream, and cheese-based sauce recipes.

This is a classic tomato sauce that is traditionally thickened with roux. This sauce more flavorful tomato sauce is used in pasta, soups, and stews.  

Hollandaise

Hollandaise is made by emulsifying clarified butter and lemon juice into warm egg yolks.  Hollandaise sauce can be used on its own but it is also the base for Béarnaise Sauce and Dijon Sauce.

Velouté

Velouté sauce is made by thickening white stock with a roux. and then simmering it for a while. Chicken velouté the base for Supreme Sauce, Veal velouté becomes the Allemande Sauce, and fish velouté for White Wine Sauce.

Espagnole is made by thickening brown stock made from roasted bones with a roux, tomato purée, and mirepoix. Espagnole is traditionally further refined to produce a rich, deeply flavorful sauce called a demi-glace, which is the base for sauces and gravies. 

These traditional techniques and styles were established by the forefathers of French cuisine and have now become the foundation of cooking methods all over the world. 

Mise en place

The concept of mise en place or “everything in its place” refers to organizing the kitchen so that all the elements needed for cooking are within reach.

Confit is a cooking method that involves salting and slowly cooking foods in fat at a low temperature.

Flambé 

Typically used in desserts, flambéing uses alcohol to create a sauce that is cooked over high heat to remove the alcoholic properties and render the flavors from the spirit into the sauce.

Sauté

From the French word sauter , meaning to jump, sautéing is a cooking method where food is quickly pan-fried in olive oil or butter. 

A method that is most commonly used to prepare meats, where food is quickly seared then cooked in a seasoned liquid over low heat.  

Poach and Sous-vide

Poaching is a moist-heat cooking technique where food is boiled in liquid. Sous-vide is a type of poaching, where food is sealed in plastic and cooked in temperature-controlled water.

The julienne is a knife cut where vegetables are sliced into very thin, evenly cut strips.

A mirepoix is a combination of diced carrots, onions, and celery that have been slow-cooked in butter or olive oil to make flavorful soups and stews. 

Ratatouille Provençale

(By Anthony Herve, chef de cuisine, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas)

This Provençal dish (from Provence) is a colorful medley of vegetables, like eggplant, zucchini, onion, peppers, and garlic, that create a thick stew.

Ingredients:

• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 1 green zucchini
• 1 yellow squash
• Herbes de Provence, to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• Salt and fresh ground pepper
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Put the sliced onions in a pan and cook over medium heat with extra virgin olive oil, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and nicely caramelized.
• While the onions are caramelizing, slice the tomatoes, zucchini, squash, and eggplant into ¼-inch slices.
• When the onions are cooked, tightly layer the sliced vegetables over the caramelized onions in a baking or roasting pan.
• Generously season the ratatouille with herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.
• Put the ratatouille in the pre-heated oven and cook for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.

Read more: Best Soup Recipes

(From New York Times Cooking)

Quiche is a savory egg dish baked into a pastry crust. The most famous is Quiche Lorraine, a warm pie of eggs, bacon, onion, gruyere cheese, cream, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

•   Pastry for a one-crust nine-inch pie (see  pastry  recipe)
• 4   strips bacon
• 1   onion, thinly sliced
• 1   cup Gruyère or Swiss cheese, cubed
• ¼   cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4   eggs, lightly beaten
• 2   cups heavy cream or 1 cup each milk and cream
• ¼   teaspoon nutmeg
• ½   teaspoon salt
• ¼   teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry. By all means, build a rim with the pastry and flute it. This is essential for the amount of custard indicated in this recipe.
• Cover the bottom of the pastry with a round of parchment paper and add enough dried beans or peas to partly fill the shell. Bake 10 minutes.
• Reduce the oven heat to 375 degrees. Remove and discard the beans and parchment paper and set the pastry-lined pie plate aside.
• Cook the bacon until crisp and remove it from the skillet. Pour off all but one tablespoon of the fat remaining in the skillet. Cook the onion in the remaining fat until the onion is transparent.
• Crumble the bacon and sprinkle the bacon, onion, and cheeses over the inside of the partly baked pastry.
• Combine the eggs, cream, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce to taste. Strain the mixture over the onion-cheese mixture. Slide the pie onto a baking sheet.
• Bake the pie until a knife inserted one inch from the pastry edge comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Remove to a wire rack. Let stand five or 10 minutes before serving.

Read more: Best Pie Recipes

Crepes .

These thin pancakes are filled with a sweet spread like jam, custard, or chocolate, or served as a savory dish with heartier food like ratatouille, ham, or eggs.

• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/3 cups milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 1/3 cups flour
• Butter for the pan

For Savory:

• 1 ½ cups milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup buckwheat flour
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

Since crêpes are larger than pancakes , it’s best to use a larger 8- to 9-inch non-stick pan  or a crêpe pan to make sure there is enough space.

• In a blender , pulse the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, salt, and flour (use ingredients based on sweet/savory) for 7 to 10 seconds, or until the batter is smooth. Pour into a bowl. (The batter can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days. If the batter thickens too much, add additional milk before cooking to thin it to the consistency of heavy cream.)
• Heat an 8- or 10-inch non-stick skillet or well-seasoned crêpe pan over medium heat until hot. Using one end of a stick of butter, coat the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of melted butter.
• Pour 1/3 cup of batter into the center of the pan. Immediately pick up the pan and tilt and swirl it to spread the batter evenly over the bottom.
• Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the crêpe is golden on the bottom.
• Use a rubber spatula to loosen the edge of the crêpe all around. Hold the edge with your fingertips and gently, but quickly, flip the crêpe to the other side (or use a spatula if that feels more comfortable).
• Cook for another 30 seconds, or until the crêpe is golden on the bottom: Slide the finished crêpe onto a plate.
• Repeat until all the batter is used, stacking the crêpes on top of each other on the plate.
• Place one crêpe on a plate and fill it with your filling of choice. Either roll the crêpe or fold it into quarters and top with additional toppings if desired. Serve warm.

Chicken Liver Pâté 

(By Crystal Reinwald, personal chef and cooking instructor, Austin, Texas)

Reinwald’s classic pâté mousse recipe uses chicken livers, and she likes to pair her rich spread with toasted baguette slices and bacon jam. The smoky sweetness of the latter brings out the savory notes of the pâté , making for a wonderfully balanced and indulgent snacking experience.

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 2 shallots, minced
• 16 ounces fresh chicken livers, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream, more if needed
• Salt, to taste
• Over medium heat, melt 1/2 of the butter until foaming. Add in the shallots and cook until they are translucent. Be careful to keep your heat low so that they don’t get any color on them.
• Add in the thyme, vinegar, and chicken livers. Crank up the heat to high while stirring everything in the pan. Cook until the liquid has reduced and the livers are brown on the outside but soft on the inside, 5-7 minutes.
• Take off of the heat and puree in a blender or food processor with the rest of the butter and the cream. Add more cream if it’s too thick. Season with salt, to taste.
• Refrigerate immediately in the serving dish you want to use. Pâté is ready once chilled, about 1-2 hours.
• Serve with toasted baguette slices or crackers.

Julia Child’s Coq Au Vin

This classic chicken dish from Burgundy means “rooster in wine.” Pieces of bone-in chicken are braised in red wine with a little brandy, pearl onions, mushrooms, and carrots for a rich stew. 

• 4  chicken thighs
• 4  chicken drumsticks
• 1 1/2 cups  red wine
• 1 cup  chicken stock
• Optional: 1/4 cup brandy
• 3  strips of bacon, cut into  1/2  inch pieces
• 1  medium onion, quartered then thinly sliced
• 4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons  tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons  fresh thyme leaves
• 8 ounces  mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 8 ounces  pearl onions, peeled
• Beurre manie
• Place the chicken thighs and drumsticks in a medium-sized bowl and pour the wine , chicken stock, and (if using) the brandy over the top. Prep the vegetables.
• Add the bacon to a large skillet or braiser over medium-high heat. Cook until the bacon is crispy, about 8 minutes, then remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon.
• Remove the chicken from the wine marinade (save the wine) and dry the chicken with paper towels. Working in 2 batches if needed, place the chicken in the pan, skin side down. Sear until it is golden on both sides (about 5 minutes on each side) then remove the chicken from the pan. Pour all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon/chicken oil into a heatproof dish and set it aside.
• Add the sliced onion and carrots to the pan and let them cook until the onion is golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and let it cook for 1 minute.
• Push the vegetables to the side of the pan and add the tomato paste. Cook the tomato paste until it is fragrant and begins to darken. Pour the reserved wine marinade into the pan, scraping the bottom to remove any stuck-on bits.
• Nestle the chicken into the pan and sprinkle the thyme over top. Cover the pot, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Pour 1 tablespoon of the reserved oil (or use olive oil) into a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute over medium-high heat until brown, about 10 minutes.
• Add the pearl onions to the pot with the chicken and cook for 10 minutes more.
• In a small bowl mix together your choice of beurre manie. Remove the chicken from the pan then add the beurre manie. Stir it into the sauce and let it thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the chicken back into the pan and top with the cooked bacon and mushrooms. Sprinkle with a little fresh thyme.

(By Nicholas Morales , executive chef, Bar Marseille , Averne, New York)

For Fish Stock:

• 1 large onion, minced
•  1 leek (whites only), minced
•  2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 0.5 head of fennel, minced
•  1.5 pounds fish heads or bones
•  3-4 ripe plum tomatoes
•  Peel of 1 orange
•  1 celery stalk, cut into pieces
•  1 spring of thyme
•  1 bay leaf
•  Pinch of cayenne (optional)
•  1 teaspoon pastis
•  1 cup bonito flakes
•  2 quarts boiling water

For Bouillabaisse:

•  1-1.5 pounds white fish fillets
•  0.5 pound (21-25) jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
•  1 pound mussels or clams
•  1 tablespoon pastis
•  0.5 teaspoon saffron threads
• 0.25 cup olive oil
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters in slices
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• Pastis, to taste
• Fish stock (full quantity)
• 1 baguette, cut into slices
• To make the fish stock, heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, begin adding the onions, leek, and fennel, stirring often to cook the vegetables gently. The vegetables should develop a light color and soften into the olive oil. If necessary, lower the heat.
• Once the vegetables soften, increase the heat and add any fish bones or heads you would like to use. At this point, you want to begin stirring aggressively. It’s fine for the fish to get bruised and/or fall apart.
• After 7-10 minutes of stirring the fish, add orange peel, thyme, cayenne, celery, bay leaves, pastis, and bonito flakes. Lower heat again to prevent burning and cook for 10 min, stirring constantly.
• Pour boiling water into the pot and lower heat to medium low. Let simmer for 25 minutes.
• Add the contents of the pot to a food mill, blender, or food processor (or use an immersion blender) and lightly blend. After blending, pass the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer and set aside.
• Cut fish filets into 4 oz pieces and place into a bowl with shrimp. Add pastis, a pinch of saffron, 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Very gently, taking care not to break the fish, toss the ingredients together. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and let marinate for about 3 hours, if time is available.
• Pour fish stock into a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot and turn up heat to high, bringing stock up to a boil. Once boiling, add remaining crumbled saffron.
• Add potatoes to pot and cook potatoes for about 10 min. If using firm fish (like monkfish), add after cooking potatoes for 5 min; if using lighter fish, add after cooking for 10 minutes. Also, add mussels and shrimp.
• Taste broth and adjust seasoning as needed. Once potatoes are tender, you’ll be ready to plate.
• Rub the baguette slices with garlic and lightly toast.
• To serve, carefully take out all the seafood from broth using a slotted spoon and transfer to plates. With a spoon, start transferring potatoes and broth to each bowl. Place sliced baguette on the side of each bowl.

Read more: How To Make Bouillabaisse

Julia child’s boeuf bourguignon.

A famous stew from Burgundy starts with beef braised in red wine (a red Burgundy, preferably) with onions, carrots, garlic, mushrooms, bacon, and bouquet garni.

• 6 slices bacon, cut into lardons
• 3 1/2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 pounds stewing beef, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 1 large white onion, sliced
• 1 pinch coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
• 3 cups red wine, like a chianti
• 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cloves smashed garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 crumbled bay leaf
• 18 to 24 small pearl onions
• 3 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 herb bouquet (4 sprigs parsley, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf)
• 1 pound fresh white mushrooms, quartered
• Simmer bacon lardons in 4 cups water for 10 minutes (Lardon is the French culinary term referring to thin strips of bacon, cut approximately 1/4-inch thick). Drain and pat dry.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. In a large Dutch oven, sauté the bacon in 1 tablespoon of oil for about 3 minutes, until it starts to lightly brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Dry the beef with a few paper towels for better browning. In batches, sear the beef on all sides in the Dutch oven. Set aside with the bacon.
• Back in the pot, add the sliced carrots and onions; sauté in fat until browned, about 3 minutes. If there’s any excess fat, drain it now.
• Add the bacon and beef back to the pot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper. Toss. Sprinkle with flour and toss once more. Place in the center of the oven for 4 minutes.
• Remove pot from oven; toss beef and place back in the oven for 4 more minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and reduce the heat to 325°F.
• To the pot, add the wine and stock. The liquid should barely cover the meat and vegetables. Add the tomato paste, garlic, and thyme. Bring to a light simmer on the stove, then cover and simmer in the lower part of the oven for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is easily pierced.
• In the last hour of cooking, bring 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and 2 teaspoons oil to a medium heat in a sauté pan. Add the pearl onions and toss around in the fat until they’ve browned, 10 minutes. Then stir in 1/2 cup beef stock, a small pinch of salt and pepper and the herb bouquet. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the onions for about 40 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated, and the onions are tender.
• Remove the onions and set aside. Discard the herb bouquet and wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining butter and oil and bring to medium heat.
• Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan to coat with the butter.
• Place a colander over a large pot. Drain the beef stew through the colander and into the pot. Place the pot with the sauce over medium heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, skimming any fat on top. Pour the beef and vegetables back into the Dutch oven. Add the pearl onions and mushrooms to the pot. Pour the sauce over the beef mixture and simmer an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

Read more: How to Make Boeuf Bourguignon

(From Epicurious)

A souffle is made by combining a base of egg yolks and sweet or savory ingredients, like chocolate for a sweet souffle or vegetables for a savory one, with beaten egg whites. Air bubbles in the egg whites expand during cooking, giving a souffle that classic, billowy top.

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, softened, plus additional for coating ramekins
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus additional for coating ramekins
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
• 2 tablespoons simple syrup
• 16 small amaretti cookies
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter ramekins and coat with sugar, knocking out excess. Bring large saucepan of water to boil.
• In a small bowl, stir together 4 tablespoons butter and flour to form a paste.
• In a second small bowl, stir together Grand Marnier and simple syrup. Add cookies, tossing lightly to coat, and let soak while preparing remaining ingredients.
• Transfer milk to large saucepan. Split 1/2 vanilla bean length¬wise and scrape seeds into the milk. Add bean. Set over moderate heat and bring to boil. Remove from heat and whisk in butter-flour mixture. Return to moderate heat and cook, whisking consistently, until thickened and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks and 1 egg white. Transfer soufflé base to large bowl and discard vanilla bean. In the second large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat remaining four egg whites just until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar.
• Whisk 1/4 of beaten egg whites into soufflé base to lighten. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining whites. Spoon 1/2 of batter into ramekins, filling each halfway. (Alternatively, spoon batter into a large pastry bag and pipe into ramekins.) Transfer 2 soaked cookies to each ramekin. Top with remaining batter. Arrange ramekins at least 1 1/2 inches apart in large baking pan and add enough hot water to pan to reach 2/3 up sides of ramekins.
• Bake soufflés until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven and transfer ramekins to rack. Sift confectioners’ sugar over, then transfer ramekins to dessert plates. With two forks, pull open the center of each soufflé and pour some crème anglaise into the opening. Serve immediately.

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There are a thousand tips and tricks to achieving a flavorful, tender, juicy, and delicious beef dish. Dry brining, tenderizing, and of course, marinading beef are wonderfully easy ways to ensure perfectly seasoned, melt-in-your mouth, incredible texture. But what goes into a steak marinade? How do you do it? How long should you marinate your beef? What is a marinade? A marinade is basically a prepared sauce that goes onto meat before cooking, not after. The meat is placed in the sauce (marinade) inside a leak-proof container to allow the marinade ingredients to slowly break down the beef proteins.

A steak marinade is a sauce that contains fat, acid, and seasonings. Fat can be an oil, buttermilk, mayonnaise, or yogurt. An acid can be lemon, limes, oranges, any type of vinegar, wine, or tomatoes. The seasonings can be paired with the acid to create a flavor profile. The fat will create moisture and will allow any fat-soluble ingredients to be absorbed into the meat.

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French Cooking Terms

Dec 16, 2023 by Judith Coates · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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A French Cuisine Glossary

French cooking terms are often seen in recipe books and restaurants. They are there to guide you with the dishes, but can sometimes be confusing if you don't know what they mean. Here is an alphabetical list of common food words that will help!

How often have we seen a recipe we like, but are not sure what the cooking terms mean?

Here is a list of the most common French cooking terms to help you with your recipes and understanding restaurant menus.

For Your Convenience French Cooking Terms In Alphabetical Order

Acidulate: To make foods or liquids slightly acidic by adding vinegar or lemon juice to it.

Affriander: A French term for an appetizing presentation to a dish.

Affrioler: A French term for enticing one’s guests to the table with hors d’oeuvres and small samplings.

Arroser (baste): To spoon melted butter or fat or liquid over food as they cook.

À La: A French term meaning “in the style of”

À La Carte: A French menu term referring to the price of individual items. One of the French cooking terms most often seen on the menu in restaurants.

Amuse Bouche means ‘amuse the mouth’ – small samples of food offered before a meal to whet the appetite.

Aperitif: a light alcoholic beverage served before a meal.

Assation: A term for cooking foods in their own natural juices without adding extra liquids.

Au Bleu: A French term for the method of preparing fish the minute it has been killed – the fish is plunged into a boiling court bouillon, which turns the skin a metallic blue colour.

Au Jus: A French term for meats served in their natural juices.

Au Poivre means ‘with pepper’, either coating the meat with peppercorns or serving with a pepper sauce.

Baguette : the word means “wand”, and this is the cheapest and most popular bread, varying from excellent to mediocre. It will last a day at the most, and comes in three forms: ‘ordinary’, with a crisp golden crust; ‘baguette moulée’, manufactured in an industrial bread oven, and recognized by a fine lattice pattern on the underside; ‘baguette farinée’, which is paler in color because the crust has been covered with flour before cooking. Your own French Baguette .

Baguette (or pain) aux céréales : a slightly healthier version made from wholegrain flour with added fiber from seeds and grains. Also comes in the form of a pavé — a loaf.

Bain-marie: A water-bath for oven cooking delicate terrines and desserts. Usually the dish is placed in a roasting tin half filled with water in the oven.

Baste: To spoon, brush or pour fat over a roast as it is cooking to add flavor and to glaze it.

Batard : a half-length baguette.

Beurre Manié: A paste made by mixing equal quantities of butter and flour. It is stirred into stock or sauce at the end of the cooking to aid thickening.

Beurre noisette: A simple sauce made by cooking butter until it is brown and ‘nutty’

Blackened: A technique where meat or fish is coated with a seasoning and then seared in a cast-iron skillet in which oil has reached its smoking point.

Blanch (blancher): To plunge food into boiling water and boil it until it has softened or is partially cooked. It is used to remove a strong taste from some foods such as cabbage or onions.

Blanchir: To place in boiling water so as to whiten and loosen the skins, usually of meats.

Blanquette: A meat stew, usually of veal, with an egg and cream sauce and garnished with onions and mushrooms.

Blend (mélanger): To mix less vigorous than beating, using a fork or spoon.

Bleu: French term for a cut of meat cooked until is only warmed through or rare.

Blondir: A French term for lightly browning foods in a fat.

Boil (bouillir): Liquids heated until they are rolling and sending up bubbles. A slow boil is when there is only a bubble here and there – to simmer. When there is very little movement in the water – to poach.

Bon Femme: A French term used to describe food cooked in a simple or rustic manner.

Bouquet Garni: This is one of the French cooking terms most often seen. It is a bunch of herbs used to flavor dishes usually consisting of parsley, thyme, bay and celery leaves.

Braise (braiser): To brown food in fat then cook in a casserole with a small amount of liquid.

Brioche : a buttery sweet bread, perfect for bread-and-butter pudding, although it rarely lasts that long! Try this lovely French Brioche bread .

Brulée: A French term to describe ‘burnt’ as in crème brulée.

Brunoise: A French term used to describe a specific cut or mixture of vegetables – usually small dice, braised in butter.

Capers: Are flower buds from the Caper bush, also called Flinders Rose. The flower buds and caper berries are pickled and used in dishes for flavoring. They have a mustard and black pepper taste.

Cartouche: Is a piece of parchment paper that is used to keep (usually meat) submerged when braising or placed on the top of sauces or pudding to prevent a skin from forming on the top.

Castor Sugar: Is a very fine sugar between the consistency of white granulated sugar and icing sugar (or powdered sugar). To create your own castor sugar buzz granulated sugar in the blender until finer but not powder (being careful not to breathe in the dust).

Champignon: A French term for any edible mushroom or the particular dish they accompany like Buttered Chanterelles

Charcuterie: Products such as salami, sausages, pates and similar forcemeats usually based on pork and pork offal.

Court bouillon: A mixture of water, herbs, vegetables and either wine or vinegar, used mainly for cooking fish.

Couronne : bread in the shape of a ring.

Croquettes: Small fish cakes or meat and/or vegetable rissoles.

Deglaze (deglacer): After meat has been sautéed or cooked in a pan, liquid is poured in and the bits of meat and juices scraped into the liquid. This deglaze is important for a good sauce.

Degrease (degraisser): To remove fat from the surface of hot liquids.

Dice (couper en des): To cut food into cubes the shape of a dice.

Farci: Stuffed.

Ficelle : a long and thin baguette, with a lot of crust. The ficelle does need to be eaten promptly as the inside dries out very quickly.

À la Ficelle: Suspended by a length of string as in Ficelle Parde, which is covered in shredded cheese. Ficelle means string in English.

Flambé: is a cooking procedure in which alcohol is added to a hot pan to create a burst of flames as in Crepes Suzette Flambé Classic . The word means "flamed" in French. (From Wikipedia)

Flute : a fatter baguette, twice the size of a baguette, with a higher ratio of dough to crust.

Fold (incorporer): To blend a delicate mixture such as egg whites when beaten e.g. soufflé.

Fouetter (Beat): To mix food or liquid thoroughly using a spoon, fork or whisk etc.

Fumet: Concentrated fish stock.

En Gelée: Cold, jellied.

Gibelotte: Meat stewed in wine in a casserole.

Au Gratin: To brown the top of a dish either in the oven or under a grill. Usually of cheese like Cauliflower au Gratin or breadcrumbs mixture.

Julienne: To cut vegetables or citrus rind into short, thin strips. Vegetables used to garnish are often cut in this manner to decorate.

Lardon: Are thin cubes or strips about ¼ inch thick of bacon fat from pork, used to add flavor to dishes.

Manons: Chocolate filled with fresh cream.

Maquereau: mackerel

Marc: grape spirit

Marcassin: young wild boar

Marchand de vine: wine merchant

Marinate: To soak foods in a liquid so as they absorb the flavor for example beef marinated in red wine. Again this is one of the French cooking terms we most often use.

Mariné: marinated

Mariniére: Moules à La Marinière ( Mussels In Wine Sauce ) A delicious French dish with mussels cooked in white wine sauce.

Mesclun: A salad mix of young lettuce leaves and herbs such as rocket, lamb’s lettuce, dandelion leaves, basil, chervil and endive. Traditionally found in the south of France.

Mirepoix: A flavoring employed mostly in braising meat, which is usually composed of finely diced or chopped carrots, leeks, onions, celery, lean bacon and bay leaf and thyme, all cooked gently in oil or butter.

Nap, napper: To cover food with a sauce

Pain de campagne :  ‘country’ bread, suitable for meats, cheeses and soups with a thick crust and dense wholegrain dough, and certain not to last more than a day.

Pain complet : wholegrain loaf.

Pain levain : sourdough bread. Slightly acidic, and goes well with strong flavours such as smoked salmon and foie gras.

Pain de mie : is the closest you’ll get to a traditional British (or American) loaf, though you will rarely find it in boulangeries—you’ll have to try the supermarket.

Pain aux noix : as the name suggests, bread spiced with nuts

Pain de seigle : rye bread. Less intense rye flavor than its northern European equivalent, because it is diluted with white flour.

Pain au chocolat  is a light buttery individual bread flavored with chocolate, sometimes called a  chocolatine .

Paupiette: Thin rolled, stuffed escalope slice of meat.

Pommade: Softened or whipped butter to be added to a dish.

Roux: A mixture of flour and butter, or fat, blended together over a low heat and which serves as the basic thickening agent for most sauces.

Sauté: To fry lightly and quickly in a small amount of butter of fat, tossing and turning, during the cooking process, instead of allowing to sizzle.

Velouté: A thick cream soup. Potage Veloute Aux Champignons (Cream of Mushroom Soup)

Didn't find the word(s) you are looking for? Try Gayot.com

Once you have an idea of what the French cooking terms mean it will make it much easier when making your wonderful French recipes.

You will find French cooking terms used in many cook books and it is useful to have a knowledge of them.

I do hope these have helped a little.

You might also find French Food Words For Travel and Oven Temperature Conversion useful too.

Not sure where to go from here? Start with How To Season Food , or Traditional French Recipes .

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French FOOD

Apr 04, 2019

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French FOOD. What is it for us ?. France attaches a great importance to the gastronomy which is a part of our culture . Indeed for French people it’s a cult, a tradition and famous chefs speak about «  the table’s art  » .

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• short crust pastry
• pork coldmeats
• melted cheese
• differentmeals
• special dinners
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Presentation Transcript

Whatisit for us ? France attaches a great importance to the gastronomy which is a part of our culture . Indeed for French people it’s a cult, a tradition and famous chefs speak about «  the table’s art  » . The history of French cooking reflects the evolution of French society. Its best period was in the nineteenth century and has influenced the world’s gastronomy. We eat for sheer pleasure and to discover new tastes and flavors.

Differentmeals • Breakfast : • We don’t eat salty food unlike other countries. • French people often drink coffee, chocolate, sometimes tea. In addition , we eat cakes, pastries or slices of bread with of honey, jam or butter. • Lunch : • Unlike the English , around midday French people take a complete meal with a starter, a main dish, cheese and a dessert. Dinner is about the same, but a little lighter maybe.

Differentmeals Dinner : In France dinner is the time of day when the whole family is together around the table. Indeed it is the opportunity for everyone to speak about their day. It is usually around 7.30 pm. For a more balanced diet French people take three meals a day and don’t eat between meals!!! (well…shouldn’t! )

Drinks Champagne : It comesfromregionChampagne-Ardennes. This French sparklingwineisdrunkfor specials and festives occasions like birthday, Christmas or New Year's Eve. Wine : It comes from French vineyards like “Beaujolais”, near Lyon. White or red wine are often drunk during meals.

Starter “ La Salade Lyonnaise” : It’s a typical dish from Lyon with salad, bread ‘croutons’, eggs and bacon. • “La Quiche lorraine”: • It’s a salty pie; the pasty is covered by eggs, ham, cream and cheese. This «  quiche » comes from Lorraine, a region in northeast of France..

Main Dish “Les Cuisses de Grenouille” (frog leg’s) In France, our nickname is “frog-eaters”. It comes from our English friends, because France is the largest consumer of frogs. Indeed, it imports between 4000 and 30,001 tons of legs per year. However it is important to notice that we only eat the legs, a white meat and just as delicious as chicken.

Main Dish • “Les Escargots” (snails) : Snails, too, are specifics of French food. The snail is related to the French identity. It's a habit, it has been customary for generations to eat snails, especially for special dinners. We have them cooked with garlic butter and herbs. It is true that in high quality restaurants they eat snails.

Main Dish French people also eat lots of pork coldmeats (“charcuterie”). It’s all kinds of ham, sausages, fresh or dried, meat pies, liver etc. We often eat pork meat with melted cheese on boiled potatoes. It’s usually eaten in the winter. It is called ‘raclette’.

Main Dish “La Tartiflette “: It’s a potatoes gratin with Reblochon (cheese) from Savoie. It is possible to add bacon. We often eat it with friends during the winter. “La Fondue”: It’s a dish also from Savoie. It has become a popular recipe in all of France. It’s based on cheese and bread. Indeed we dip pieces of bread in hot melted cheese.

Main Dish “ Les Quenelles”: This is a typical Lyon’s food. There are a lot of differents sorts. We can eat it with a white sauce. Bouillabaisse : It comes from Marseilles. It’s a mixture of different kinds of fish. Dijon mustard: It’s a mustard which exists in several varieties. It goes all with all kind of meat and is a component of mayonnaise and ‘vinaigrette’ (French salad dressing).

Cheese In France, there is a tradition that no one can avoid : cheese. Indeed, the country produces between 350 and 400 different cheeses. Sometimes it is said that there is one different cheese for every day of the year! It is often eaten with red wine and bread, after meals. The most famous is Camembert, made in the region of Normandy. There is also a famous cheese , Roquefort, made ​​from raw milk. French cheeses have a worldwide reputation and are associated with the excellence of French gastronomy.

Desserts « La brioche vendéenne » is a pastry made ​​from orange blossom that comes from the region of Vendée. Praline Pie is a speciality from Lyon. It’s a short crust pastry, pralines and cream.

Desserts “Les Crêpes Bretonnes”, made in Bretagne in the north of France are delicious. It’s made of wheat and you can eat it with sugar or salty food . Unlike pancakes, the batter is much thinner. Finally , “ Les Bugnes” are a short pastry of the donuts’ family. Either crispy or soft they are cooked in hot oil. It is a Lyon speciality.

Bread Bread is the basics of French diet. Indeed, it is consumed daily by 97.6% of the French population. The bread is emblematic of the French meal. Whatever the age, geography or social background, everybody eats it ! Among the different varieties of bread that we find today, the traditional baguette is the most consumed. Indeed, this bread with its long shape, is most prevalent in France. Bread is eaten during the two main meals.

Conclusion Traveling in France is discovering a new country, but it is also discovering an extraordinary world which is gastronomy . But sadly many countries don’t know what the pleasure to eat is.

Written by … Alexia NAMAOUI Hadya SAHAR Laurine COMTE

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French Food - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

French Food

French food * 1. sage 2. parsley 3. marjoram 4. oregano 5. thyme 6. savory the finest in the world french cooking has, over the years, become the norm to ... – powerpoint ppt presentation.

• French cooking has, over the years, become the norm to which we compare other cuisines.
• This is partly
• because France's
• famous culinary
• schools have made
• cooking a highly
• respected profession.
• French food is regarded as the
• finest in the world. The French
• are world famous for their haute
• cuisine the type of cooking done in restaurants and hotels.
• It is rarely practised in daily life, mainly because of the cost of the fine ingredients and the time it takes to prepare the dishes properly.
• For this reason, French home cooking tends to be simpler, but can be just as delicious.
• The style of
• cooking practiced
• by most French
• cooking methods.
• This style of cooking
• began in the 1970s.
• It is a more health
• conscious style of cooking
• with less fat and calories.
• Vegetables are served nearly raw.
• Meat, fish, and poultry are often broiled or poached.
• Different regions of France have their own specialities, made using local produce.
• Famous for Beef Bourguignon, a rich beef and vegetable stew that is loved all over the world.
• Rich agricultural area
• Olive trees
• Pasta Tuna salad with Aioli
• Sauce (made from olive oil
• and garlic ) Ratatouille
• Bouillabaisse
• seafood stew
• In Eastern France
• is the only French region to have borders with three other countries Belgium Luxembourg, and Germany
• Quiche Lorraine is another French recipe popular outside France and named after the Lorraine region in Eastern France.
• Fruit pies and tarts
• are popular in Lorraine
• Brittany has poor agricultural land so much of the local food comes from the sea. Dishes made from shellfish such as prawns and mussels.
• They are also known for their crepes.
• Croissants flaky,
• buttery yeast rolls.
• Brioche yeast roll that contains egg
• Napoleons puff pastry separated in layers by creamy filling.
• Truffles are difficult to find and very expensive as a result! In 1994, black truffles sold for 350 to 500 a pound. In the United States, edible truffles are collected in the forests of Oregon and Washington. In Europe, most truffles are collected in France and Italy. Truffle hunters in Italy and France use pigs and mixed-breed dogs to sniff out truffles. Dogs are preferred to pigs because pigs love to eat truffles.
• Truffle hunting
• Roux flour and butter
• Velouté Sauce chicken , fish
• or veal stock added to roux
• Béchamel milk is
• added to a roux
• Hollandaise contains egg yolks, lemon juice and butter
• Vinaigrettes combining wine, vinegar, oil and seasonings
• French cooking is the ultimate in"herby" cooking (as opposed to spicy). From sultry bay leaves to aromatic lavender, herbs further define French cuisine. The list is endlessbasil, tarragon, rosemary, fennel, chives, savory, oregano, chervil, thyme, sage, parsley, marjoram, fines herbs, etc.
• This is usually a light meal roll and café au lait
• Traditionally the largest meal of the day consisting of an hors d oeuvres, soup and main dish, vegetable, salad and main dish. The salad is usually served after the main course.

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