French Food

The finest in the world?

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.

Haute Cuisine
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.

Provincial Cuisine

The style of cooking practiced by most French families: Simple cooking methods.

Nouvelle Cuisine
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.

Regional specialities

Different regions of France have their own specialities, made using local produce.

Burgundy

Famous for Beef Bourguignon, a rich beef and vegetable stew that is loved all over the world. Escargot

Provence Southeast France

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

Lorraine

Lorraine
Sausages and hams are eaten part of the German influence

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
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.

Baked Goods

Croissants flaky, buttery yeast rolls.

Brioche yeast roll that contains egg

Napoleons puff pastry separated in layers by creamy filling.

clairs contain custard and are iced.

Truffles

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.

2007/8 wholesale price was around 700 per kilo ($440 for 2 pounds) with retail prices in Paris, New York and London more than twice
that.

Truffle hunting in France

French Sauces
Roux flour and butter Velout Sauce chicken , fish or veal stock added to roux Bchamel 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.

Match the herb .. Basil Taragon Savory Fennel Chervil - Chives

Savory - Parsley Marjoram Sage Thyme Oregano

Le petit Dejeuner (breakfast)

This is usually a light meal roll and caf au lait

Le Dejeuner midday meal

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.

The evening meal is light and usually served after 8:00 since business hours are later in France