What to eat
What to eat in Paris, France
Here is a short description of French food.
France is famous for its food. Cooking and eating is as important to the French as a skill to carry on a conversation. French food is like an art in France. A lot of words like: cutlet, sauce, mayonnaise, omelet, etc. are French.
Parisians have learned their special way of making an omelet. It has to be slightly golden from the outside and light and very soft on the inside. You have to be a very skillful cook to make it that way. They say in France that to become a chef you have to learn how to make an omelet first.
It’s hard to imagine Paris without a big busy market. Only there you can try the best in Paris onion soup (a famous French food dish). It’s also hard to imagine French food without cheese. Every meal includes cheese (hors d’oeuvres and desserts).
What to eat in Paris, France?
- This is what the Parisians prefer.
Breakfast (dejeuner): Bread, sometimes in the form of a croissant, with butter and jam, accompanied with café, chocolate chaud or juice.
Lunch(dejeuner): Baguette and mineral water.
Diner(diner): Some form of animal part swimming in sauce, bread, mineral water and of course wine.
This is probably the most commonly used word in French eateries: The Baguette
A brief explanation of the contents of the baguette: that is correct, it is bread. Just a stick of bread. The term is also used to describe a sub sandwich type thing. The usual findings within the lunch baguette would be some animal part, typically ham (jambon), turkey, fish, and cheese (fromage). And shall we not forget a half jar of mayo.
Deciding what to eat in Paris, France (even if you are not that hungry), you can definitely start with bread. Yes, if there is a method to cook up a stick of bread you can be certain the French have tried it. Nowhere in the world would you find so many kinds.
| Boule | A round loaf sold in various sizes |
| Ficelle: | A very thin version of the baguette. Ficelle means string in French. |
| Fougasse: | A flat rectangular bread often filled with bacon, onion or herbs. |
| Gros pain | A large family size version of a baguette. |
| Pain de campagne: | This is usually a big rustic loaf (campagne means country )with a thick crust. |
| Pain complet: | Loaf made from whole-wheat flour. |
| Pain de mie: | Mie means the interior. This is a soft sweet loaf mainly used for sandwiches. |
| Pain aux noix: | Bread filled with nuts. |
| Pain aux raisins: | A light bread filled with raisins. A breakfast treat. |
| Pain de siegle: | Loaf with two-thirds rye flour, one-third wheat flour. |
| Pain viennois: | A baguette shape but softer and sweeter |
Some basic ingredients you always have in a French kitchen…
What to eat in Paris, France? This is a base which you can make a lot from (Cheese Soufflé, Quiche Lorraine, etc… ); and it is a good base to improvise a recipe according to what are your leftovers in the fridge…Those are products you can keep for long…
In the cupboard
- Olive oil: the most perfumed of all oils, and recognized to be one of the most healthy (if not the most). Part of the “Mediterranean Food Paradox”, it is perfect for all salads, and can accommodate all by itself all vegetables and fish. It can be a dominating flavor in almost everything, if you so like…
- Vinegar: the most known is red wine vinegar. Many others are also good and a bit more original
like Reims vinegar or Vinegar with Provence herbs.
- Hot mustard: the most famous is from Dijon of course and it is the one you need to cook.
It is made of mustard seeds and vinegar and is
highly useful in French Cooking.
- Nutmeg: it is a very precious spice because it perfumes many dishes with a delicate and original flavor. This is our favorite, you will notice it in many of our recipes. If you only have grated nutmeg, put more than if freshly grated.
- Onions: avoid sweet ones to cook – unless it’s specified on the recipe. Ours are about 8 centimeters (3 inches )large, brown outside, have a strong flavor and a strong smell when cut. So, be very careful
with your eyes when you slice them and prefer them cooked unless you like strong stuff !
- Garlic: one other base of the Mediterranean cooking ; it deserves its fame. It is very strong
when raw, so avoid it in your salads. But, when it is cooked, it is absolutely exceptional, and it is said to be good for health (blood pressure).
- Flour: regular white ; from wheat – not whole.
- Sugar: regular
Fresh Herbs
If you have a little time and patience, it is worth to grow herbs. You do not need to have all the herbs on earth, but just a few basic ones…It makes all the difference (if you do not forget to water them !!! )
- Basil: much used in the south of France and Italy ; Ok as a pot plant, it is a delight ! Fresh in your salads, chopped in a salad dressing, it is perfect cooked with meats or vegetables too. Preferably fresh but this is only possible during summer, it exists in small jars chopped and preserved in oil and the savor is very well restituted.
- Sage: its savor is so delicate and strong at the same time…it is perfect to flavor white meats and pasta. It needs to be cooked. Sage has its own “personality” and does not want to be mixed with any other herb.
- Parsley: most common, much used, it is Ok as a pot plant during the summer, but is very much fragile. Chopped fresh in salad dressings or cooked in sauces, it is often used with chopped garlic (for escargots for example), or simply as a decoration.
- Sorrel: mostly used cooked, it spreads out a delicate sourness which is perfect with fish.
It really has its own “personality” too and the proof is that it is used to make an excellent soup.
- Coriander: this is our joker…not really necessary, and not the most classical, but it is lovely.
Its seeds are used as spices, but fresh, this herb is delicious. Perfect to perfume fish or salad dressing, it is very much used in Chinese cooking also…
What to eat in Paris, France: Here you see the list of dishes which are meant to be purely French.
Appetizers
Again, you have all sorts of options, and let’s try to get out from the potato chips or peanuts styled snack. You have better and healthier options that will look and taste good:
- Canapés with typical French spreads (various kinds of canapés: Mediterranean canapés’ preparations: tapenade (olive based), ancholivade (anchovy based), mousse de saumon (salmon mousse), brandade de morue (cod cream), crabe au citron (crab with lemon)…those are absolutely delicious and have the perfume of the South of France… )
- Vegetable with special (homemade )dips (cherry tomatoes, sticks of carrots and cucumbers, pieces of cauliflower or radish ; it is quiet quick to prepare them (rince and peel if necessary + cut them in sticks). If you want to serve a dip with it, you can serve it with “fromage blanc sauce” which can be a diet sauce, a French “mayonnaise “, or a “cocktail sauce” )
Entries
Many of our Recipes are called “classic” because we just consider them as a “best of” French cooking ; some refer to the seasons or periods… others are called “imported” because we enjoy the classics of our neighbors too.
• Terrine de Filets de Sole (Sole Filet Terrine),
• Carpaccio de Boeuf (Beef Carpaccio),
• Soupe à l’Oignon gratinée (Onion soup “au gratin”),
• Mousse de Foies de Volaille Chicken Liver Paté,
• Terrine RustiqueCountry Terrine,
• Gratinee de Coquilles St Jacques (Scallops gratineed),
• Flan au Roquefort (Roquefort Flan),
• Avocat et Oeufs à la Mousse de Crabe (Avocado and Eggs with Crab mousse),
• Plate de Lapin(Rabbit Pate),
• Mousse de Saumon et Câpres (Salmon Mousse with Capers),
• Salade d’Endives, Noix et Roquefort (Endive salad with walnuts and Roquefort )
Classic Main Courses& Side Dish
- Fondue Bourguignone – Salade Verte
Burgundy beef Fondue – Lettuce - Aile de Raie aux Câpres – Pommes vapeur
Skate wing with Capers – Steamed potatoes - Filet Mignon aux Oignons – Gratin dauphinois
Pork Filet Mignon with Onions – Dauphiné oven baked potatoes, - Fricassée de Mer et sa Julienne de légumes
Sea Fricassée on thinly shredded vegetable, - Terrine de Saumon aux Epinards – Riz Spécial
Salmon and Spinach terrine – Special rice.
Desserts
- Poire Belle-Hélène
Pear Belle-Hélène - Mousse au Chocolat
Chocolate Mousse - Crème caramel
Baked caramel custard - Clafoutis aux Abricots
Apricot batter-pudding - Pommes au Four
Oven baked Apples - Profiteroles au Chocolat
Chocolate Profiteroles - Salade de Fruits
Fresh fruit Salad - Tarte fine aux Pommes
Thin apple Pie - Congolais
Coconut biscuits
Attention to all Vegetarians!
If you ask for sans viande (without meat )you will be handed poisson (fish), so depending on your school of vegetarianism this may or may not be what you had in mind. When you explain even in the best French you can muster, that you don’t eat meat, you will undoubtedly be responded to in the famous French ‘look of disgust’. This is another situation where giving the ‘I’m sorry, it is all my fault, I know I’m the cause of cancer look’ will come in handy. You may never get anything to eat, but at least you won’t cancel out any diplomatic relations between France and your country of origin.
Finally, here is the list of special events dedicated to famous French food.
We promise, that decide to travel during the periods mentioned and visit these festivals, the question: “What to eat in Paris, France?” – will never ever arise.
There are numerous food and wine festivals on the French calendar. Celebrate life with fabulous food, meet connoisseurs from around the world, and enjoy beautiful settings.
February 13 to 25, 2004, Nice, Riviera – Côte d’Azur.
The Nice Carnival! This year’s theme is “King of Clownery” – Parades, flower-floats and confetti-filled outdoor dances and concerts, ending with King Carnival’s ceremonial burning and fireworks is the leading event of the winter season on the French Riviera.
February 13 to 29, 2004, Menton, Riviera – Côte d’Azur.
The annual lemon festival featuring the golden fruit parade of floats.
April 17, 2004, Saint Quay Portrieux, Bretagne.
La Fête de la Coquille Saint Jacques allows you to take fishing trips or just feast on a scallop dish. Saint-Quay-Portrieux is an attractive resort on the Cote d’Emeraude (Emerald coast).
April, Vittel, Lorraine.
20,000 people and six tonnes of frogs scheduled to swarm into Vittel during the last weekend of April for the Brotherhood of Frog Thigh Tasters’ 30th annual frog-eating festival, the world’s largest frog-eating jamboree.
April, Osenbach, Alsace.
The Snail Fair will delight all who finds these little beasts delicious as well as fascinating. After a session tasting snails cooked Alsace-style, you can appreciate their speed in the traditional tiercé (bet on the three winning snails! )on a specially designed race course!
June, Amboise, Loire Valley.
At the Parc des Mini-Châteaux, more than 20 different wine appellations are laid out for visitors to sample and enjoy. This festival attracts about 3000 people during the ten days it lasts and each visitor is given three bottles of local wine to take home as a present.
August, Colmar, Alsace.
Wine festival. This and many other events are at www.tourisme-alsace.com
August-September, Beaune and Dijon, Burgundy.
International folkloriad with groups from over 20 countries and a parallel food and wine festival.
September, Pauillac, Aquitaine.
In the Médoc Châteaux Marathon the runners make their way past some of the most beautiful castles in France. The eve of the race sees the area’s estates opening up their cellars and grounds for a general spree of over-indulgence.
September,Cordes sur Ciel, Midi-Pyrénées.
The French are a nation of “bon viveurs”, and the good life often has a lot to do with food. The Good Life Festival proves the point: the day is devoted to a huge feast in the main square. Eat your heart out!
October, France.
Tasting Week – La Semaine du Goût brings a mass of foody events to the whole of France, from degustations (tasting )to cooking workshops, demonstrations and gourmet exhibitions.
October, Beychac et Cailleau, Aquitaine.
Open Day in the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur vineyards to unveil the treasures of the vin bourru – the year’s newly pressed wines.
November, Beaujeu en Ligne, Burgundy.
The small town of Beaujeu hosts a party known as les Sarmentelles. At midnight on the third Wednesday of November they open huge barrels of Beaujolais Nouveau.