There are one hundred and one very good reasons why France is famous for its food. If you’re extremely determined, you could make it your life’s ambition to find out about all of them. For now though, you only need to know about five of those reasons – five juicy, tasty, delicious reasons to adore France and everything that it stands for. Are you ready to go on a culinary adventure? Well okay – here’s a guide to five French foods that you absolutely MUST try before you die.
-
-
Dover Sole Meunière
According to acclaimed chef Jean Joho, meunière is the French word for ‘miller’s wife.’ It can only be assumed that this used to be a popular dish amongst artisans during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It consists of fresh sole from European coastal waters. This sole is seasoned and lightly dusted with flour, before being gently sautéed in butter. It is then served with a beurre meunière sauce made from browned butter, lemon and parsley. Dover Sole Meunière is a very old fashioned dish but it’s still quite popular amongst French locals. A lot of French people still cook it in their kitchens – it’s a lot like the equivalent of fish pie or cottage pie in British homes.
-
-
Poulet de Bresse
Poulet de bresse is not so much a French recipe as a particular French ingredient. It’s a very specific type of chicken, a chicken that’s only found in the Rhône-Alpes region of the country. It is reared to very strict standards and is reported to taste like no other chicken in the world, says Independent journalist Christopher Hirst. The poulet de bresse has white feathers and rather remarkable blue feet. Its taste is a lot more gamey than regular chicken meat and it cannot be found outside of France. Diners who want to taste this particular culinary rarity can order it from overseas, but they have to pay a high price. That’s without taking the cost of the chicken’s airfare into consideration. Despite this, French locals all insist that poulet de bresse is well worth the money.
-
-
Lobster Thermidor
This dish has its origins in Paris. It’s no surprise really, not when you consider its flamboyant and lavish nature. You can say anything you like about Parisians, but you can’t fault their penchant for the good things in life. This dish consists of lobster shells stuffed with lobster meat in a creamy white wine sauce. Once these lobster shells are cooked, they’re splashed with a little cognac and served on top of a luxurious gruyere cheese crust. As you’d expect, this dish is usually very expensive to buy in a restaurant. However, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson reckons that it is more than possible to cook this ‘retro seafood dish’ at home. When you’re on your next holiday – why not consider cooking up some authentic grub in your French holiday cottage?
-
-
Beef Bourguignon
If you’ve never eaten beef bourguignon before – where have you been? It’s one of the most iconic in the world. This is a good example of a traditional French dish that has completely escaped its origins. It’s now cooked all over the world and enjoyed by all kinds of different people. Fortunately, it’s also one of the easiest dishes to replicate – though, it is quite time consuming. Simply soak braised beef in red wine for four or five hours, then serve with pearl onions and mushrooms. You can add potatoes, if you need a little more body.
-
-
Soufflé
The soufflé is another classic French dish. It’s delicate, it’s light and it’s very intricate. In fact, it’s everything that makes French food so exciting. If you’ve got a steady hand and a lot of experience in the kitchen, you should be able to whip up a soufflé of your own. Be warned, though. This is not an easy recipe to replicate – don’t beat yourself up if your first attempt doesn’t turn out the way you planned. In order to create your own soufflé, do some research and find a very precise and detailed recipe. Follow it to the letter and you might just make it to the finishing post with a beautiful cheese soufflé in hand.
Author Bio: Pascale Wills has been a chef for eleven years. She recommends Chez Nous for top quality, affordable French holiday cottages. Pascale can usually be found getting mucky in the kitchen or hanging out with her two young sons.