A Culinary Paradise: a Brief Intro to French Food

French Food

Volumes could be (and have been) written discussing the sensation known as French food. Even “cuisine” is a French word! In the culinary world, traditional French food is regarded as the gold standard of any kitchen. Nowadays, it’s not only about traditional recipes. France has also established itself as a center for culinary innovation and trendsetting in the western world.

Every year millions of people visit France, and most of them consider French food to be a driving reason for the trip. Even if your focus for visiting France isn’t for the food, you’re still in for an unbelievable treat when dining in this fabulous country. Here we will introduce a few French foods that anyone visiting France should have a taste of at least once or more likely every day!

Baguettes

Fine bread is a staple of cuisine in any country, but it is especially important to the French. From 1790 until 2015, Paris bakeries were even required by law to stagger their summer holidays, so that half stayed open in July and half in August and the city never went without fresh bread. France claims some of the best in the world including pogne (a sweet bread flavored with orange blossom water), pain d’épices (more dessert than anything, this bread is popular in Dijon, France), and brioche which has become popular in the United States in recent years, none as quite as quintessentially French as the baguette.

Whether it’s eaten as a simple snack or paired with spreads such as seasonal jams or Nutella, there is nothing quite like a good baguette.

Locals in any city or town will make a point to visit the local boulangerie in the morning to purchase their baguette for the day. Bread is at its freshest early in the day, so it’s worth buying yours in the morning.

Crêpes

We wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to have a crêpe for every meal. Luckily, you could! Similar to thin, delicate pancakes, crêpes are offered with sweet or savory fillings.  

Sweet options could be filled with fresh fruit and drizzled with chocolate. They can also be a little heavier with Nutella, or a strawberry cream cheese filling. For something lighter, lemon with a sprinkling of sugar is always a delightful choice.

Savory options abound as well. For breakfast, you may opt for an egg and ham crêpe. For lunch or dinner, we’d recommend a mushroom and greens crêpe with a sprinkling of parmesan. So simple, and so satisfying.

Duck a l’Orange

Duck, or canard, a l’orange is often traced to Renaissance Florence (where it was known as papero alla melarancia) but was adopted by French cuisine and is now popularly known as a French dish.

The classic preparation is a roasted duck served with a bitter-orange bigarade sauce. This plate is best paired with a high-acid white wine or a fruity red wine.

Ratatouille

Ratatouille originated in Nice, located in the Provence region of France. It’s an excellent example of the regional fare, as dishes from the south of France. Here, dishes are cooked with olive oils and flavored with herbs, which contrasts with the heavier cream-based foods from the north, or German-inspired cuisine of the east. 

The actual dish may vary a bit between towns and restaurants, but the typical dish consists of tomato, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, and onion and garlic.

Macarons

What treat conjures up the emotions and sites of France quite like a macaron?  These precious, meringue-based sweets come in a variety of flavors and delightful pastels.  You can expect to find such flavors such as chocolate, hazelnut, rose water, pistachio, lavender, vanilla… just to name a few!

Macarons can be found all over Paris, Nice, Cannes… really most cities and towns in France will have patisseries specializing in these French staples.  Please be advised that those who cannot have almonds should try a different treat, as almonds are a key ingredient.