Basics of French cuisine. French cuisine and French cuisine. French lentil soup "Conti"

French cuisine rightfully ranks first among the most popular cuisines in the world. Its secret is carefully thought-out combinations of flavors, an abundance of products used, special cooking methods and exquisite culinary traditions passed down from generation to generation.

The richness of French cuisine is due to the fact that it is a concentration of culinary methods and traditions of many nations, and, at the same time, many French dishes are prepared in different countries of the world, and their names are understandable to everyone without translation into their native language.

Features of French cuisine

French chefs use a wide variety of root vegetables, both fresh and processed, which is why French dishes are considered the healthiest in the world.
The design of French dishes is a separate topic for discussion. Every self-respecting cook should have the ability to skillfully design his own masterpieces. The French love to enjoy not only the taste of food, but also its appearance.
The French love unusual food combinations: for example, fresh and cooked vegetables in different ways in the same dish. At the same time, the ability to preserve subtle shades of flavor of each ingredient in a dish is especially valued.
French soups are the most delicious in Europe. It was in France that clear broths were first prepared.
The French pay great attention to sauces for main dishes: they are prepared everywhere in the country.
France is famous for its cheeses and wine, the traditions of which have not changed for centuries and are kept secret by family cheese dairies and wineries.

French cuisine should be considered from two sides, since culinary traditions in large cities and in the provinces of the country differ quite significantly.

Aristocratic cuisine of France

The origins of fine aristocratic French cuisine date back to the reign of the Bourbons. During that period, special traditions of preparing dishes from exotic ingredients, excellent ways of preparing food, as well as a special order for holding feasts developed. Here are a few characteristic features of the so-called “Haute Cuisine”:

Widespread use of wine and cognac in the cooking process and for marinades.
Cheese is an indispensable ingredient in French aristocratic desserts.
There are many dishes based on eggs, and especially proteins.
An abundance of all kinds of desserts: soufflé, meringues, puddings, creams, etc.

Regional cuisine of France

The folk cuisine of France is distinguished by its simplicity, but at the same time, dishes from the provinces taste no worse than those from the capital. The main characteristics of folk French cuisine are:

Widespread use of hot spices and herbs, especially in the southern part of the country.
An abundance of vegetable dishes (the most famous is ratatouille).
The main types of meat are veal and lamb.
Dairy products are a common ingredient in recipes.

Popular French dishes

It's hard to imagine French cuisine without these world-famous dishes:

Croissants are small bagels made of puff pastry with a variety of fillings such as cream, berries, soufflé, and jam.
Onion soup is a rich onion broth with garlic, which is served in combination with black bread and cheese.
Rooster (or chicken) stewed in wine.
Béchamel sauce – prepared with wheat flour, milk and herbs.
Mayonnaise is a world-famous sauce based on eggs, cream and mustard, which is widely used for preparing meat and vegetable salads and as a base for many other sauces.
Different types of cheeses: Roquefort, Camembert, Brie and others.
Different types of alcoholic drinks: Burgundy, champagne, Bordeaux, cognac and many others.
Frog legs (fried or stewed), for which the French were nicknamed “frogmen”.
Snails combined with garlic cream sauce.
Foie gras is goose or duck liver.
Ratatouille is a vegetable casserole made from eggplant, tomatoes and cucumbers.
Fondue is melted cheese or chocolate with added spices into which various snacks are dipped.
Creme brulee is a light dessert with a delicate consistency.
Profiteroles are airy spherical puff pastries with filling.

Traditions of eating in France

To more clearly imagine the traditions of French cuisine, you need to have an idea of what a typical French breakfast or lunch looks like.

French breakfast

The French believe that you only need to start your day with dessert. Most people in France have breakfast with a croissant and a cup of coffee with milk or cream. Possible variations: crackers with jam, orange juice. This morning menu in most hotels around the world is called “continental”.

French lunch

Lunch in France is a real ritual, which can only be skipped in a force majeure situation. From 12 to 14 o'clock in the afternoon, all of France calms down for a short time: the streets are empty, because everyone rushes home, to cafes and restaurants to have lunch. The classic daily meal in France has several stages:

Entre – salad or light snack.
Plya is a main dish of meat or poultry with herbs, sauce or side dish.
Sliced cheese.
Dessert.

Before and during dinner, the French can drink a glass of red or white wine, depending on the components of the main course. Red wine is usually served with meat and poultry, white wine with fish and seafood.

As you can see, French cuisine has ancient roots, from which stem centuries-old traditions of cooking, decorating and eating food. For the French, food is akin to art, so they pay a lot of attention to it. Over the past couple of decades, the tastes of many people in the country have changed somewhat, giving way to American fast food chains. However, the traditions of French cuisine remain unshakable and are appreciated by gourmets from all over the world.

French cuisine is one of the most exquisite in the world. France, a country of haute couture, delicious aromas, and romance, is also famous for its cuisine, which has no equal among its peers. Since the time of Francis the First, whose reign was in the mid-16th century, French cuisine has become a national symbol and the pride of the entire French people. Cheeses and sauces from France can add sensuality to any, even the simplest and most trivial food.

During the time of the Sun King Louis XIV, palace feasts forced chefs to show all possible imagination, developing ever new cooking technologies. It was during this period that France became a trendsetter for centuries not only in dressmaking, but also in the culinary arts. Today, the French are very proud of the recipes of their dishes, the accepted methods of serving tables, and the presentation of ready-made food. A meal in French cuisine is a special mysterious ritual, a cult, for which ordinary or low-quality products, or bad company are certainly not suitable.

French cuisine does not accept fast food at all. Even global chain brands of fast food restaurants note a significant lag in French representative offices in terms of attendance at these establishments. France has many regional cuisines, each of which is rich and distinctive. For example, Provence is famous for the fact that they strive to season all their dishes with herbs, the north-west of France in this matter gives preference to butter and, and the eastern part of the country focuses its cuisine on sausages and sauerkraut.

Traditions of French cuisine

French cuisine is a certain list of foundations and traditions that lead to national authenticity. Recipes for French dishes are unthinkable without real French cheeses, of which there are more than 400 varieties in the country. Cheese is eaten everywhere in French cuisine - in restaurants, at home, in companies, it is used on its own, as appetizers, as part of French salads or as part of desserts. The most famous cheeses originating from France throughout the world are considered to be, bleh. Cheese is a traditional snack of another symbol of France - red wine. France is a national treasure; the French drink wine twice a day, and also use it as a dressing for desserts or sauces.

Traditional vegetable crops used in French recipes include all types of cabbage, asparagus, tomatoes, lettuce, etc. The French boil these vegetables, use them raw in salads, and can make numerous sauces based on them. In France they eat and love any kind of meat. The variety of meat dishes here is extremely wide. French cuisine also respects fish. In French menu dishes you can often find seafood such as and, as well as,. All varieties of fish and seafood are perfectly combined with herbs and spices from France. Provencal herbs, thyme, tarragon, etc. are especially popular here.

Traditional methods of cooking in French cuisine include boiling, steaming, stewing, frying, and grilling. All these methods help French salads remain fresh, soups remain rich, and main courses and sauces remain refined and unique.

The main recipes of France

Any French restaurant will offer its visitors a choice of special dishes. Among them, the desserts of French cuisine, its incredible sauces, salads, meats, vegetables and seafood-based foods always stand out. All the food in such establishments is reminiscent of France. Today you can try to prepare many dishes at home; it is only important to strictly follow the recipe and technology recommended by French chefs.

For many people, when it comes to France itself, the first thing that comes to mind is the baguette. This bread is a symbol of French cuisine all over the world. A real baguette should have a length of 65 centimeters and a diameter of 6. In France, it is customary to break a baguette with a crispy crust into pieces by hand, rather than cutting it with a knife.

The second baked product originally from France is croissants. The dough of a real croissant always crunches when you bite it and melts in your mouth. Croissants with coffee are a traditional, centuries-old French breakfast. But for lunch or dinner, the French often eat quiche - a delicious open-faced pie with a meat, fish or vegetable base, which is always topped with a sauce made from eggs, cream and various spices. An analogy can be drawn with Italian pizza, but quiche is more delicate and refined, like any French dish.

Another traditional French delicacy is not allowed in all countries due to the forced overfeeding of poultry in order to obtain the liver of the required type for this dish. During the first month, geese and ducks are kept in dark rooms, then kept in cages and fed highly starchy foods, and in the third month they are infused with fat and special grains using a probe.

Well, home-made French cuisine is simply unthinkable without the traditional Provencal seafood soup - bouillabaisse. Despite the fact that bouillabaisse is often called the king of French soups, its origins are absolutely common. In the south of France, sailors cooked such soup from what they could not sell on time. That is why, in fact, bouillabaisse is a far cry from each other. This soup is valuable not because of its astronomically priced ingredients, but because of the specifics of its preparation, which only real chefs can comprehend.

So, for real bouillabaisse according to homemade French recipes, you need to take:

1 kilogram of any small fish;
4 celery;
2 pieces ;
root;
, allspice and peas - to taste;
olive oil;
5 cloves;
a glass of dry white wine;
a can of canned tomatoes in juice;
spices to taste;
a cup of boiled water;
, cod and other seafood.

To prepare a real bouillabaisse, the housewife needs to follow the following procedure:

Cook fish broth using, in addition to the fish itself, roots, 1 onion and spices. The finished broth needs to be strained and allowed to cool slightly.
In a large wok, simmer the remaining chopped onion and garlic cloves in olive oil for 2-3 minutes.
Add chopped celery to the wok and continue stewing, then pour in the strained broth, wine and a can of tomatoes mashed with a fork.
Add spices and saffron tincture.
While the bouillabaisse base is cooking, rinse the mussels, peel them and heat them in a frying pan until the shells open.
Cut the fennel into arbitrary pieces and add to the bouillabaisse base. Add shrimp, squid and fish disassembled after cooking the broth. 5 minutes before the end of cooking, add prepared mussels to the soup, salt and pepper.

Real French bouillabaisse is ready. It should be served hot, complemented with the famous white baguette croutons and rouille sauce. At home, this French cuisine sauce can be made from ordinary, large amounts of garlic, paprika and olive oil.

Anyone who has not heard of ratatouille is not familiar with cooking at all. This is a French vegetable stew prepared with the addition of a large bouquet of Provençal herbs. In the classic recipe, ratatouille is made from fresh peppers, sweet peppers, garlic and onions. We first heard about ratatouille in the 18th century, when this French cuisine recipe became popular among peasants. A modern recipe for ratatouille must include , which makes the dish spicier and more satisfying.

Dishes similar to ratatouille can be found in many cuisines around the world. In Italian cuisine, caponata exists and is popular; in Spanish, ratatouille is called pisto; in Catalonia, it is called samfaina. Ratatouille is eaten both cold and hot, as a bite with eggs, or on its own.

So, to prepare a classic ratatouille according to a French recipe, you need to take:

2 eggplants;
1 yellow pepper;
1 red pepper;
onion head;
2 cloves of garlic;
2 tomatoes;
pinch;
50 milliliters of olive oil;
½ teaspoon;
10 grams of parsley;
salt and pepper - to taste.

The technology for preparing homemade ratatouille according to a French recipe includes the following steps:

The onion and eggplant must be finely chopped into cubes. Salt the eggplants and wait until they release their juice.
Peppers and tomatoes must be peeled from the insides and also cut into cubes the same size as onions and eggplants.
Garlic and parsley are finely chopped.
In a heated frying pan, fry the onion in olive oil until soft and drain in a colander.
Add more olive oil to the pan and place the eggplants squeezed out of the liquid there; after frying, they are also thrown into a colander. Then the pepper cubes are fried in the same oil in the same exact way.
Add more olive oil to the pan, fry the garlic, tomato paste and sugar in it, and then add the tomatoes to the mixture. Simmer everything together for about a minute, then stir in all the pre-fried vegetables, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Ratatouille simmers on the fire for about a minute and is removed from the heat.

Sometimes this ratatouille recipe is also called al dente vegetables. They go perfectly with any meat or side dish and can decorate both a festive and everyday table.

Speaking about French cuisine recipes, one cannot help but recall their incredible desserts, which French chefs presented to the whole world. A delicious caramel-crusted custard called crème brûlée is now eaten everywhere on the planet. Custard profiteroles are filled not only with classic cream, but also with caramel and fruit fillings. Macaron cakes, first prepared by the French from almond flour and joined together with cream, have generally become a hit in recent years in all confectionery shops around the world.

The benefits of French cuisine for humans

Despite the fact that flour and sugar predominate in many French dishes, French women always remain slim. In this country, only 11% of people are obese, which is very low compared to other countries. The French are considered throughout the world to be one of the healthiest nations, despite the fact that they smoke a lot here. There are very few cancer and cardiovascular problems among French residents.

Experts call a balanced diet of the French the main secret of health and longevity. In this regard, not only the quality of products and dishes is important, but also how the French eat food. They do not eat on the run, do not stuff themselves with unimaginably sized portions once a day, but are supporters of frequent meals, little by little and slowly. In addition, they always drink red wine twice a day.

Several years ago, scientists conducted a scientific experiment on mice. They added small amounts of resveratrol to their food and observed changes in the health of the mice. In mice, the functioning of the cardiovascular system improved, they began to age more slowly and live longer. Thus, scientists have come to the conclusion about the benefits and anti-aging properties of resveratrol.

Many people should specifically consume this substance in food in order to forever forget about diets and many diseases. But the French are lucky - resveratrol is already contained in what they eat all their lives - in red wine, etc.

Alsace region

Difficulty Easy
Type Main course
Time 1 hour
Persons 4

Ingredients

175 g flour
75 g butter

250 g cheddar cheese
4 tomatoes
200 g bacon
5 eggs
100 ml milk
200 ml cream
freshly ground black pepper
fresh thyme

Preparation

Mix flour and salt in a deep bowl. Beat in softened butter until crumbly. Add a few tablespoons of ice water to achieve a soft dough consistency. Wrap and put in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Take out the dough, roll it into a thin layer and place it in a mold with a diameter of 22 cm. Place it back in the refrigerator.
Place special baking balls or regular beans into the dough pan and bake the dough for 20 minutes. Remove pressure and place in oven for another 5 minutes.
Reduce temperature to 160 degrees.
Grate the cheddar and place it in the bottom of the pan. Add thin slices of tomatoes and crispy bacon bits.
Mix the eggs, milk and cream in a bowl, pour the mixture over the cheese and bacon, and top with thyme and freshly ground pepper.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the filling is set and the edges of the pastry are golden.
Let the dish cool and serve.

Salad Niçoise

Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Difficulty Easy
Snack Type
Time 30 minutes
Persons 4

Ingredients

head of lettuce
4 tomatoes
3 small onions
1 sweet bell pepper
3 hard-boiled eggs
200 g green beans
clove of garlic
can of anchovies
can of canned tuna or 2 fresh fillets
lemon juice

Vinaigrette sauce:

olive oil
vinegar
garlic
fresh basil
salt pepper

Preparation

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce.
Boil green beans for 5 minutes and rinse with ice water.
Fry a clove of garlic and beans in olive oil. Cool and sprinkle with lemon juice.
Assemble the salad: In a bowl, place lettuce leaves, chopped tomatoes, sliced bell peppers, eggs, anchovies (if you don't have them, it's better to do without them than to replace them with other fish), beans and tuna.
Dress the salad with vinaigrette, drizzle with lemon again and serve.

Limousin region

Difficulty Easy
Type Dessert
Time 1 hour
Persons 4

Ingredients

300 g pitted cherries
powdered sugar
1 tablespoon sugar
butter for greasing the pan

60 g flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
60 g sugar
300 ml milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Mix all the ingredients for the dough until smooth and leave for half an hour.
Meanwhile, grease the pan with oil, place the cherries in a circle and place in the oven for 5 minutes.
Remove the pan, pour the batter over the cherries and cook in the oven for another 25-30 minutes until the clafoutis has risen.
Remove from the dish, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm - for example, with vanilla ice cream.

Coq au vin or Rooster in wine

Region Burgundy

Difficulty Medium
Type Main course
Time 1.5 hours
Persons 4

Ingredients

rooster (you can take a good farm chicken)
1 bottle of dry red wine
200 g celery
3 onions
300 g carrots
head of garlic
fresh thyme and rosemary
50 g butter
olive oil
salt pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Place carrots, celery stalks and onions, cut in half, on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes.
Divide the rooster into four parts and fry in a mixture of butter and vegetable oil until golden brown. Use a deep saucepan for this.
Place baked vegetables, crushed garlic, herbs on top, salt and pepper and pour wine. Simmer covered over medium heat for about half an hour.
Preheat the oven again to 100 degrees. Place the pan in the oven for another 40 minutes.
Arrange the poultry and vegetables on a platter, strain the liquid through a sieve and serve as a sauce.

Provence region

Difficulty Medium
Type Main course
Time 1.5 hours
Persons 6

Ingredients

200 g tomato paste
half an onion
4 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup water
salt and pepper
1 eggplant
1 zucchini
1 zucchini
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
fresh thyme
fresh cheese

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees
Peel all vegetables and cut into thin slices or bars.
Cover the bottom of the mold with baking paper and grease it with tomato paste on top. Sprinkle with finely chopped onion and garlic, drizzle with a spoonful of olive oil mixed with a little water.
Place vegetables on top - in a circle, one after another, alternating colors. Drizzle with remaining olive oil, salt and pepper, and sprinkle with thyme.
Cover the dish with baking paper cut around the perimeter and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
Serve hot with fresh cheese.

Crepes Suzette

Region Brittany

Difficulty Medium
Type Dessert
Time 40 minutes
Persons 6

Ingredients

half a liter of milk
250 g flour
4 eggs
vanilla sugar
butter

1 orange
1 lemon
50 g sugar
100 g butter

Preparation

Mix flour with eggs, add sugar and gradually pour in milk. Add a little melted butter.
Prepare the filling. Remove the zest from the orange and squeeze out the juice. Melt the butter, add sugar, orange juice and zest. Stir well.
Fry pancakes in butter in a hot frying pan. Use a potato or apple slice for basting.
In another frying pan, heat the orange sauce and fry the prepared pancakes in it. Add a teaspoon of orange liqueur during the process. If you wish, you can set it on fire - the pancakes will acquire a pleasant caramel flavor.

Rhône-Alpes region

Difficulty Medium
Type First course
Time 1.5 hours
Persons 6

Ingredients

6 large onions
half a stick of unsalted butter
1 tablespoon flour
1.5 liters beef broth
1 baguette
350 g Gruyère cheese

Preparation

Melt the butter in a deep saucepan or frying pan and cook the finely chopped onion in it for about 40 minutes, until golden brown.
Add flour and cook for another 3 minutes.
Gradually pour in the broth and cook, stirring, until the liquid boils and for another 20 minutes. Salt and pepper.
Cut the baguette into portions, sprinkle each with a generous portion of Gruyère and divide among plates.
Ladle the soup into bowls, on top of the bread.

Midi-Pyrenees region

Difficulty Medium
Type Main course
Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Persons 4

Ingredients

300 g white beans
4 pork sausages
250 g bacon
3 liters of meat broth
1 can duck confit
salt pepper
dried rosemary or thyme

Preparation

Soak the beans overnight. In the morning, drain the water and boil the beans for 5 minutes.
Heat the broth and cook the beans in it until almost done.
Lightly fry the duck thighs (you can use canned ones) until the fat has rendered. In the same skillet, fry the sausage and bacon until crispy.
Take a baking dish (preferably a ceramic one that expands at the top. In France, the pot for preparing this dish is called “cassoulet”), fold the bacon down, then the duck and sausages. Fill the mold with broth, salt, pepper and sprinkle herbs on top.
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees and bake the cassoulet for about 3 hours, adding broth as needed.

Rhône-Alpes region

Difficulty Medium
Type Main course
Time 50 minutes
Persons 4

Ingredients

2 large potatoes
3 tbsp butter
250 g bacon
1 medium onion
half a cup of dry white wine
1 round reblochon cheese
1 chili pepper
salt pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees.
Grease a baking dish with 2 tablespoons butter.
In the remaining oil, fry the bacon until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes.
Place bacon on paper towel. In the same frying pan, caramelize the onions, add the wine and reduce it to half volume.
Add thinly sliced potatoes (best using a mandoline grater), salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes.
Layer the potatoes, bacon and sliced cheese into the pan (if you can't find Reblochon, substitute Camembert, but the taste will change). Place in the oven for 25 minutes.

Region Lorraine

Difficulty Easy
Snack Type
Time 30 minutes
Persons 4

Ingredients

500 g veal or chicken liver
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
50 g butter
100 g heavy cream
dry white wine
olive oil
salt pepper

Preparation

Clean the liver from the films, chop the onion and garlic.
In a mixture of butter and olive oil, fry the onion and garlic until soft, add the liver and fry for about 10 minutes.
Salt, pepper, add your favorite spices and wine. And after 5 minutes - cream. Let the liquid boil and turn off the heat.
Chop the liver and vegetables in a blender until smooth, place in portioned molds or in one long mold and pour melted butter on top.
Refrigerate and serve with croutons the next day.

France is known for its beautiful language, cozy cities, gorgeous beaches and delicious food. Food in France is a cult thing. There is an opinion that there are 2 great cuisines in the world: classic French and Chinese. Whether you agree with this statement or not is up to you. And in this article we will look at the features of French cuisine that any tourist should definitely try, 10 interesting and tasty dishes and 12 useful tips so as not to hit the plate with your face.

Average cost of a meal in a French restaurant– 16 euros.
Full lunch for one person with a glass of wine– 35 – 45 euros.

French breakfast - le petit déjeuner

The traditional breakfast in France is not very fancy. The French eat a baguette with butter and jam/cheese/pate, a croissant or bagel, or cereal for breakfast. For dessert - fruit. As you can see, the dishes on the morning menu are not too varied. Drinks include orange juice, tea, coffee or hot chocolate.

French lunch - le déjeuner

In many places in France, lunch is served from 11:30 to 13:00. As a rule, travelers dine later and sometimes face the fact that they are refused service. Like, the guys came late, they ate everything. If you are late for lunch, then head to a self-service restaurant, where you have a better chance of eating.

A traditional French lunch consists of:

starter: salad, soup or cream soup, pate and cold appetizers;
main course: meat or fish with potatoes, rice, pasta or vegetables as a side dish;
cheese plate and/or dessert.

Often dessert is not listed on the menu and you have to listen to the waiter’s suggestions. For dessert, French restaurants serve fruit, jams, ice cream, and rarely pastries; you can top it all with coffee.

Dinner in French - le diner

The French have dinner between 19:30 and 20:45. TV channels adjust the start of their main evening TV shows so that they start at 20:45 - 21, when everyone has had dinner.

For dinner in France they eat lighter dishes - vegetables, soups, etc.

The simplest and most important advice that I give to everyone, regardless of what country a person is traveling to - eat where the locals eat. Typically, in France they have lunch from 12 to 13 o'clock, and dinner from 20 to 21. I understand that you are on vacation and do not want to be tied to a strict schedule, but you will find the largest selection of dishes in restaurants at this time. In tourist establishments they make concessions, but I do not recommend tourist restaurants to anyone - they are always more expensive and often less tasty.
Take business lunches. In case you don't know, this is a fixed lunch menu. You are given a choice of several sets of dishes. Each set usually contains 2 dishes and dessert. In France they are called "le Menu du jour". Business lunches are a great way to get acquainted with French cuisine without overpaying.
If you want to dine like a real Frenchman, then you should first drink an aperitif, usually wine or a Kir cocktail (dry white wine and blackcurrant liqueur).
Bread- an integral part of the French table. The French won't start eating without a good, fresh baguette.
But you won't find it on the table paper napkins. The French use exclusively fabric ones. They match them under the tablecloth. Napkins are important too!
The stronger the stink cheese- the better it is.
The French use knives when eating not only to cut off a piece of steak, but also to push food from the plate to the fork. So a knife is also required, like bread, like a cheese sandwich at the end of a meal.
Butter in France it is lightly salted.
In France there is a slightly different understanding of the word "dessert" than in the rest of the world. Don't expect to be served éclair au chocolat, choux à la crème, or Paris-Brest after dinner. Most often this means fruit, yogurt or jam.
In France you are practically you won't find vegetarians They probably all emigrated long ago away from the temptations of French cuisine.
In France, it is customary to add salt and pepper to taste to dishes. It is easy to distinguish a salt shaker from a pepper shaker; the salt shaker has several holes, and the pepper shaker has one.

Should you tip in French restaurants?

In French restaurants, leaving a tip is considered the norm. There is no fixed price in advance, so it is difficult to say how much to tip. It's all about feeling. The normal tip to a waiter for good service in a restaurant is 10% of the check amount. In cafes or self-service restaurants they usually leave 1-2 euros as an expression of gratitude.

French food every traveler should try

Les cuisses de grenouille s – frog legs

You can't come to France and not try frog meat. It tastes like chicken with a slight seafood flavor. The French cook frog legs with herbs and it turns out very tasty. Don't dismiss it until you try.

Foie gras - foie gras

What you should definitely try in France is foie gras - the liver of a specially fattened duck. It's best eaten fried, but if the thought scares you, you can order foie gras pate and spread it on a baguette.

Escargots - snails

Another popular French dish that makes many shudder at the mere thought is snails. Delicious snails fried with garlic, butter and parsley. The snails are removed from the shell using a special fork. With experience, you can even avoid splashing your neighbor across the street.

Boeuf tartare – beef tartare

Tartar is a dish made from raw chilled beef, egg yolk, spices, onions, capers, gherkins and a bunch of other variations of additives. If you are trying it for the first time, then first take one dish for a group; for some, the taste may be too unusual - these are the features of French cuisine. But for many, tartare is a real delicacy.

Cheval or taureau – horse or bull

Or a horse and a bull. Don't rush to turn your nose up at this dish. Generously flavored with wine and orange sauce, you will remember it for a long time.

Any cheese that you don't like at first glance

Too smelly? Too soft? Is the mold layer too thick? Spread it on a fresh baguette with butter and you'll sing in a completely different way.

5 proven French dishes that everyone loves

Croissant

Buy a croissant. Necessarily. Fresh, still warm, delicious... Buy it and bring it to me!

Macarons

Small aromatic treats with a huge range of flavors. It's especially wonderful with salted cream caramel, but the other flavors are okay. Many manufacturers have their own signature flavors.

French mussels

Steamed mussels with potatoes as a side dish. You can eat them in the classic preparation with onions and white wine, or more interesting versions with Roquefort and saffron.

Duck

Roasted and stewed duck, chopped and whole, duck liver or cassoulet with sausages and beans - everything is delicious.

Your favorite cheese

Don't just experiment with smelly varieties. Try your favorite cheeses in France. Believe me, coming to the market to buy cheese from a person who probably milked the animal that provided the milk for that cheese is an amazing experience.

10 unusual dishes of French cuisine

This list contains only 10 dishes, but they are all unusual. I'm willing to bet that most of them you never knew existed. This is not duck liver or frog legs. You can try these dishes in almost any restaurant in France. Under each dish you will find a list of addresses of restaurants where, according to reviews from local residents, this dish is probably delicious.

1. Bouillabaisse

French bouillabaisse is a fish soup, i.e. fish soup. It was once considered a poor man's food. Marseille fishermen simply boiled seafood that they could not sell. This means that the main criterion for selecting fish for bouillabaisse is its unattractiveness. Just google for fun what a scorpion fish looks like, and you will understand everything. But in our time, bouillabaisse has entered the restaurant menu and is considered an exquisite, expensive dish. There are many variations of this soup. I don’t recommend ordering bouillabaisse for less than 30 euros per plate. Often the soup is served in 2 portions - first broth with croutons and spicy sauce, and then a plate with 5 types of fish.

Where to try: obviously in Marseille. Delicious bouillabaisse is served at Le Miramar (official website: lemiramar.fr; £54) and Chez Fonfon (chez-fonfon.com; £46).

2. Tartiflette

Tartiflette is another bright representative of French cuisine. This is a very filling dish. It contains potatoes, bacon and onions, topped with Reblechon cheese. Legend has it that poor peasants were taxed for their milk yield. The more milk the cow gave, the more you pay. The cunning people quickly adapted and began to milk the cows only halfway, and after checking, milked them to the end. Reblechon cheese was made from leftover milk. The amount of cheese was as great as the reluctance to pay taxes. It was necessary to put it somewhere, and in 1980 they came up with a dish of the same name.

Where to try: in the Alps. Tartiflette is delicious at Calèche in Chamonix (restaurant-caleche.com; £16) and Chalet La Pricaz (sav.org/pricaz.html; £15). Detailed addresses can be found on the websites.

3. Cassoulet

Cassoulet includes stewed white beans, sausage and pork. The result is a casserole cooked in a special pot. A crispy crust forms on top, but the inside of the dish is very juicy. All this splendor is sprinkled with herbs and served on the table.

Where to try: in Toulouse at Restaurant Emile (restaurant-emile.com; £20).

4. Beef bourguignon or Beef Bourguignonne

A true national dish of France with a rich history and rich taste. While the Europeans were fighting for their place in the sun, the Burgundians left the world political arena and, it seems, for good reason. But they came up with a lot of delicious dishes. I strongly advise you not to indulge in Burgundy food, otherwise you will have to dismantle the wall of the restaurant to get you out. I'm joking, of course. But a hot meat dish rich in wine is no joke. Many Burgundians are chubby guys, mind you. Because it's very, very tasty.

Where to try: in Dijon, at the restaurant D "Zenvies (dzenvies.com; £14) and in Beursaudière (beursaudiere.com; £17).

5. Pissaladière

Pissaladiere is a famous fish and onion pie. Contains onions, garlic, anchovies, olives and herbs de Provence. To some it resembles a regular onion pie, to others it resembles pizza. Call it what you want. This will not make it any less tasty.

Where to try: in Antibes (lepain-jpv.com).

6. Potjevleesch

One of the most distinctive meat dishes in France. It is based on 4 white meats - veal, pork, rabbit and chicken, all mixed with pieces of vegetables in jelly. Potivlesh is served with gherkins, salad and chips.

Where to try: A-l"Potée d"Léandre in Souchez (alpotee.fr; £14.50), Barbue-d"Anvers in Lille (lebarbuedanvers.fr; £16) and T"kasteelhof in Kassel (http://lvermeersch.free.fr/kasteelhof )

7. Potée auvergnate (auvergnate)

Pork, sausage, bacon and vegetables stewed together. Not haute French cuisine, of course, but it is a simple and very tasty dish. Do you understand now why France has such a hard time with vegetarians?

Where to try: Auvergne meat is cooked well in Auvergne, which is not surprising. It is recommended to go to l "Alambic in Clermont-Ferrand (alambic-restaurant; £14.50).

8. Choucroute

Alsatian choucroute is no joke. While the Latin and German worlds shook the area with conflicts, in which Alsace periodically suffered, local residents spat on all this politics and began to improve their economy. As a result, Alsatians have spacious houses, flourishing villages and luxurious national cuisine. Shukrut is a dish of sauerkraut, sausages and pork, some cook it with rice, others with potatoes. There is an option with fresh cabbage, but in my opinion it is less tasty. Carefully! After properly prepared choucroute, it is very difficult to get out from behind the table without outside help.

Try it For classic French choucroute, check out Chez Yvonne in Strasbourg (restaurant-chez-yvonne.net; £16) and Maison Kammerzell (maison-kammerzell.com; £17).

9. Grand aioli

Aioli is a famous garlic sauce. Grand aioli is a dish of salted cod, carrots, potatoes, shellfish, beans, onions, artichokes and, in some versions, beets and other vegetables. All this is seasoned with aioli sauce and washed down with rose wine.

Where to try: restaurants Maurin des Maures (maurin-des-maures.com; £15), Restaurant Balthazar (bistrotbalthazar.com) and Le Petit Chaudron (restaurantlepetitchaudron.fr) in Avignon.

10. Grilled oysters with champagne and saffron

What is French cuisine without shellfish? The locals love them. Oysters are especially popular. However, the British are boldly replacing the classic raw shellfish with grilled shellfish with herbs and champagne.

Where to try: Les Ormes restaurant in Barnville Carter (hotel-restaurant-les-ormes.fr; £12).

The cuisine of France is refined, refined and aristocratic, famous throughout the world. But experts divide the national culinary traditions of this country into at least two varieties - regional everyday cuisine and aristocratic cuisine, which is no less than the national pride of this country.

Haute cuisine in France (so called by analogy with Haute Couture) dates back to the reign of the Bourbon dynasty. This is not just beautifully presented food made from expensive ingredients. This is true culinary art! The main features of French cuisine are the impeccable freshness of ingredients, elegance and ease of preparation. At the same time, regional French cuisine, which originated in the countryside many centuries ago, is also extremely interesting and original and arouses great interest among tourists.

The first associations with French cuisine immediately come to mind - hot croissants, crispy baguettes from the nearest bakery, various types of cheese, onion soup, foie gras and the obligatory glass of wine at lunch. In fact, it’s one thing to imagine; you have to try French cuisine. Few countries can give tourists as many gastronomic pleasures as France. Refined combinations, a variety of dishes, the freshest high-quality products and exclusive wines - all this is offered to its guests.

Haute cuisine of France

We will begin our acquaintance with this country with haute cuisine. The most famous French delicacy is perhaps frog legs. They taste like chicken meat and are quite easy to prepare. First, the meat is soaked in water for about a day, and then deep-fried or fried in batter and served with various types of sauce. Frog meat is very tasty and healthy, rich in vitamins and many unique microelements.

Another dish known far beyond France is fatty duck or goose liver foie gras prepared in a special way. It turns out that the preparation of this dish is even regulated by law, since foie gras is officially recognized as part of the cultural heritage of France.

The famous truffle mushrooms occupy a special place on the menus of expensive restaurants. Truffles are a mix of nutty and mushroom flavors and a very specific smell. They are very expensive and are not used in preparing everyday dishes, but in good restaurants you can appreciate the unusual taste of the legendary French delicacy.

Another pride of high national cuisine is dishes prepared from grape snails. For example, the famous escargot dish is Burgundy snails in white wine.

Regional cuisine of France

Speaking about the national culinary tradition, we, perhaps, will not dwell in detail on the specifics of the cuisine of a particular region, but will tell in more detail about the most delicious and most famous dishes of “simple” French cuisine. These, in our opinion, are definitely worth trying when traveling around France.

The world famous French dish is chicken in Coc-a-Vin wine sauce. The recipe necessarily contains chicken meat and wine, but each region has its own characteristics. Since the birthplace of this dish is Burgundy, the standard of preparation is "Rooster in Burgundy". The dish is prepared from a whole bird, and the same wine that is served is used for stewing.

France is the birthplace of soups prepared with clear broth. Who hasn't heard of the famous symbol of French cuisine - onion soup? Once a poor man's food, today onion soup can be found on the menus of the most expensive restaurants. The dish is prepared from onions, butter, low-fat broth, wine and cheese and is always served with crispy croutons. The main highlight of this soup is the amazing aroma of caramelized onions.

Another original representative of regional cuisine is the French fish soup Bouillabaisse, popular on the Coast. Once upon a time this was the cheapest stew, it was prepared from leftover fish that was not sold on the market - today it is a delicious soup of mixed fish and seafood, the price of one serving can reach up to 200 euros.

In the southern regions of France, where they prefer richer food, thick meat stew with cassoulet beans is very popular. To prepare it, use white beans, a variety of sausages, pork or fatty duck meat. The dish is stewed for a long time over low heat and the consistency is more like a stew than a soup.

Another traditional dish that has moved from the kitchens of the poor straight to the menu of Haute Cuisine restaurants is Boeuf Bourguignon. From the name of the dish it is clear that Burgundy is its birthplace, and red Burgundy wine is used in its preparation. In the classic interpretation of the recipe, beef is stewed in wine with the addition of vegetables, mushrooms and garlic. Once upon a time, in order to remove the toughness of the meat, beef was stewed for more than three hours. Nowadays in expensive restaurants the dish is prepared from marbled veal, so it turns out soft and tender without lengthy processing.

The French love casseroles. The most famous French casserole, gratin dauphinois, is made from potatoes with the addition of butter, cream and garlic, sometimes eggs and cheese are added.

A very popular, complex and beautiful dish is galantine, aspic made from meat (veal, poultry, rabbit or any minced meat).

And in France there is its own analogue (or rather, the progenitor) of the well-known Kiev cutlet - chicken de volley. To prepare this dish, chicken breast is thoroughly beaten, a creamy filling is wrapped in it, rolled in breadcrumbs and baked or fried in oil.

The national Alsatian dish choucroute is very easy to confuse with German due to the combination of sauerkraut, meat and potatoes, which is unusual for other regions of France. Moreover, the cabbage is first fermented and then boiled in beer. The dish is usually served with knuckle or sausages.

Deserves special mention French open pies. One of the varieties of such pies is quiche Laurent or pie lorraine. This is an open pie on which the filling is laid out, poured with sauce and baked. The top of the pie is sprinkled with grated cheese and bacon. Now there are many options for filling the pie, but the classic one is the one with brisket and cheese. The second most popular dish is the open onion pie with anchovies Pissaladiere.

Well, where would we be without the famous French desserts? The most famous of them is perhaps creme brulee, which means “burnt cream.” The dish is prepared from a custard based on cream, eggs and sugar, and sprinkled with sugar on top, which is caramelized over an open fire using a gas burner right before serving. We cannot fail to mention the breathtaking French eclairs, very similar profiteroles and airy almond flour pastries - macarons.

And, perhaps, French wines and cheeses deserve a separate article, there are about 500 varieties of them in France. These two products are practically inseparable in the national cuisine; the French never wash down cheese with juices or tea, only wine. In general, winemaking in France is at such a level that it can be compared to art. The same is true for cheese making.

How much does food cost in France?

There are many cafes and restaurants in France, so here you can easily find an establishment to suit every taste and budget. The simplest and most casual food is served in small patisseries and bistros. For a few euros, you can order a sandwich and coffee, quiche, an amazing dessert for every taste, or filled pancakes. And for 10-15 euros you can have a great lunch (or for 20-25 euros if the cafe is located in a popular tourist spot). For this amount, you will receive a three-course set lunch in a small cozy cafe. In a small cafe you can have lunch and drink good wine for 40 euros for two.

If the set menu does not suit you, you can order dishes separately. The average price of a main meat dish is 14-15 euros, soup - about 10 euros, salad - 8-10 euros, a glass of wine - about 5 euros. You can save on food by staying in an apartment with a kitchen and refrigerator, and eating meals at home prepared from products purchased at the market.

And, of course, famous French restaurants, where the appropriate surroundings are required - impeccable service, snow-white tablecloths. The dishes and prices are completely different here. The cost of one dish in such restaurants starts from 50 euros, and the average bill is usually several hundred euros. But if you want to taste the masterpieces of French haute cuisine, you need to look for them in good restaurants.

It is interesting that the fast food culture in its European sense is almost undeveloped in France; people here like to have a measured and leisurely lunch, enjoying the food. For the French, the aesthetic side of a meal is very important - the presentation of dishes and serving. They almost never eat on the run, and even snacks on the street usually look like in the picture - picnics on perfectly trimmed park lawns.