The gastronomy of France

France It has a legendary gastronomy, more than willing to receive you as you taste it. From the finest pastry to a simple and rustic sandwich with butter and ham on the banks of the Seine, the variety is endless.

Traveling to France and not enjoying its cuisine is a sin that we sincerely hope you will not commit. If you are not very aware of the offer then do not miss this article about the varied and always tasty gastronomy of France.

French gastronomy

The great protagonists are wine and cheeseBoth with medieval origins, but naturally there is much more. Medieval French cuisine had great Italian influences but already in the seventeenth century it began to take off in a more personal way, and at some point in the twentieth century the varied regional French cuisines converged in what is now known internationally as French cuisine, exporting in the way dishes and flavors.

So much so that UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) added French cuisine to its list of intangible cultural heritages in 2010. The truth is that each region contributes its own ingredients and cooking methods, the same each season of the year and each meal of the day, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. Add to that the drinks, the chefs and the restaurants. It is the best equation.

What to eat in France

I like to go to the supermarket and buy everything, sweet and salty. The cheeses are wonderful, even those from the supermarket, and when the afternoon falls a tea or coffee with French pastries is the best plan. But of course, there are always special dishes that everyone recommends trying so here we go.

You can eat one cassoulet, especially if you go in winter. It is a kind of stew that has white beans, sausage and confit pork. It is a typical dish from the south-west of the country, between Carcassonne and Toulouse. There are variations and so there are areas where mushrooms or duck meat is added, but if you walk around that part of France you will see it on the menus.

Within the same style, a classic of classics is the beef bourguignonne: a stew with wine that is exquisite.

El foie gras it is nothing other than a tasty pate which is delicious spread on bread. Duck liver, which is ultimately paté, comes from animals fed good grains for weeks because the ultimate goal is for them to fatten up to ten times their regular size. This has brought some protests from environmentalists and it is understood, isn't it? But foie gras is still being made ...

The snails They are another classic dish but not suitable for all stomachs. Not for mine, given the case. It is about the s, snails cooked with parsley, garlic and butterto which they are served with their shell and their specific utensil to remove the bug and taste it. The best snails come from Burgundy and their preparation, although it has few ingredients, is not simple.

The critters are fed with clean herbs and washed very well before moving to the pot where a sea of ​​butter, garlic and parsley awaits them. The whole process takes three days so the price is not cheap. I guess you have to cheer up because the flavor of parsley and garlic is the best but ...

If you are more for the hamburger it is not necessary to end up in a fast food chain. You can try the boeut tartare, a rustic burger Made with very good quality meat that is mixed with many spices, by hand, so that everything takes on a good flavor. Served with french fries, the perfect combination.

Of course there is cheese for every taste. My favorite is Camembert, I can eat it all day no matter my refrigerator smells like rotten days. There are hard, soft, spicy, cow's milk, goat's milk cheeses ... Does the name of ratatouille? Well, it is a mixture of sliced ​​vegetables, a kind of stew, but the flavor will depend on the cook. In my opinion, nothing exceptional.

All the pig feet They are a rare dish but the French have always known how to take advantage of all this animal to leave their legs out. While the legs are eaten in many other countries in France they are quite popular. They are cooked slowly to make the meat very soft and slightly gelatinous. It is something dirty to eat, yes, but the idea is to get to the bone itself.

Continuing with the animals in France, cow's tongue is eaten, beef tongue, filleted, and the stomach which is cooked over low heat for a long time with white wine and herbs. The calf head it is also included in French cuisine, or rather, brains. It is known as Tete De Veau and is usually served with a sauce made with egg yolk, oil and mustard called gribyche.

If your tongue, stomach, and brains aren't enough for you, how about the pancreas? This dish is called Sweetbread and it is prepared first by passing it through flour and butter to mix it at the end with a good handful of mushrooms.

The pig intestines they are also eaten here under the name of andouillette. They have a fairly strong aroma and a sweet taste. They say that the best place to taste them is Lyon and they are served with candied onion. Another delicate dish for the senses is the couilles de mouton, the testicles of the sheep. They are usually peeled, left in cold water for a few hours, sliced ​​and grilled with lemon, white wine and parsley. They are sweet, soft and not cheap at all.

What if we now turn to dishes that are just as French but less rare and tastier? I speak of the macarons, croissants, crepes and baguettes.  Macarons are those colorful, soft and sweet delicacies filled with creams of different flavors. There are specialized pastry shops in them and their creators are true craftsmen in this technique that is difficult to learn. The croissants are great and for me there is no breakfast without them and as for the crêpes they are sold everywhere and in all flavors, from butter and sugar to Nutella.

The baguette is an icon of France. The bread is delicious and the perfect accompaniment to a good portion of Gruyère cheese, Camembert or brie. A good sandwich on the banks of the Seine, spread with butter and ham, cannot be left in the inkwell.

Finally, some tips: try the food of the station where you are traveling because you ensure good flavors and good prices. If you see people in a restaurant or in a small stall, prove there that there are people waiting for something. Do not stop buying in the supermarket that you will get very good products. If you eat out, try the menu first and of course, if any of the rare dishes that I just named caught your attention…. do not hesitate! Courage!"


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