French cuisine is one of the most refined styles of cooking and considered an art in France. Eating is not only about the good or drinks, but it is also the about family, culture, and socializing. It is a very distinguishable food form, from its richness to the elegant presentation. There is a vast number of regions having their own specialty foods, originating from different regions, from cheese and butter to salt and wine. La cuisine française through the years, has developed fine and perfected their techniques and equipment, to the point that some utensils have become héritage familial. Trough history they have gained a variety of ways to cook and techniques due by being ruled by outer countries. Resulting that each time France was invaded and taken by another country, their techniques were integrated into the French cuisine.
Most French chef will tell that they do not tolerate taking shortcuts regarding the fundamentals of making a dish. Since it takes a lot of time practice to master sauces and pastry doughs, it is considered to be the center of the culinary arts, which results in the recipes remaining original and constant to the authentic. Similar to Japanese cuisine, even the simplest preparation is undertaken in a careful manner, disregarding the amount of time it takes. The standard complements used in everyday meals are wine, cheese and bread. Unlike most countries, that tend to have expensive wine and only used on formal occasions, French people’s wine are inexpensive and is drank almost every day. A typical French meal consists of L’entrée, Le plat principal, Le fromage, and Le dessert. During the holidays, such as Christmas French people tend to spend many hours preparing feasts that include appetizers, main courses, and desserts. Meals would consist of chicken, baked ham, pastries, seafood, fruits, cake, and wine. On average, the French consume 57 liters of wine and 45 pounds of cheese yearly, most which happens during Christmas time.
One of the many varieties of France is the number of cheeses and wines that are produced, which are also a staple ingredient. The meals have a big diversity and range, from simple to complicated, all the way to be called a masterpiece of an art. Although sharing a lot of common ingredients, it is geographically divided into several groups of regional food. Some examples are north islands of France, Normandy, and Tours which use butter and cream-based dishes. With German influences, Alsace and the alps of eastern France use more sauerkraut, goose, pork sausages and pâtés. Olive oil, garlic, and seafood are the key aromas of the Latin South, while in Burgundy Dijon mustard, beef, and wine grapes are abundant, an example dish would be Poulet de Provençal. Many French provisions are also influence by outer countries like Belgium, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland.
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French cooking styles are Cuisine bourgeois the classic French cuisine which typically includes dishes that use cream-based sauce, resulting with a food which is rich and filling. Haute cuisine the most sophisticated and extremely classical French cuisine, that offers elegant and elaborate food, also tends to be expensive. Cuisine Nouvelle a simpler and lighter food that is less rich and avoiding heavy cream sauce of the classical style, portions tend to be smaller. It has more emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients, resulting in quicker cooking and not so elaborate. And finally, Cuisine de terroir which is the focus of regional specialties that tend to be more rustic in nature. The focus in this cooking style is on local produce and food traditions.
Some popular dishes are Soupe à l’oignon a traditional French soup made of onions and beef stock, usually served with croutons and melted cheese on top. Coq au vin a chicken braised with wine, mushrooms, salty pork, or bacon (lardons), mushrooms, onions, garlic and sometimes even a drop of brandy. Cassoulet a comfort dish of white beans stewed slowly with meat. The dish typically uses pork or duck but can include mutton, sausage, or goose. Boeuf bourguignon is a stew made from beef braised in beef broth, red wine, and seasoned vegetables that can include pearl onions and mushrooms. Flamiche a puff-pastry crust filled with cheese and vegetables and resembles a quiche. Traditionally it is filled with leeks and cream, although various variations exist. Salade Niçoise a French salad from the Provence region. It is often eaten as a side dish, but it also makes for a good light meal on its own. The salad is a mixture containing boiled eggs, lettuce, fresh tomatoes, tuna, beans, olives, and anchovies. Ratatouille one of France’s most iconic dishes, vegetables shallow-fried and then layered in a casserole dish before being baked in an oven.
Another characteristic that distinguishes French cuisine is by its diligent cooking, it takes a lot of time and is complicated, but the aim is to always make a dish that will satisfy the consumer.
Meals are often enjoyed with the company of family, friends, and colleagues. It is a tradition to gather around during Sunday and have a feast which is prepared with outmost love. For them, cooking is part of their life and gratification, meaning that they feel pleasure from cooking and dining with family, since it is a precious moment with the people they love. During recent years, fast food has become more common and although joints have been successful in France, the culture still prefers to cook in their homes since it’s something precious and cultural for them, they enjoy cooking and dining.
