French cuisine

HistoryFrench cuisine consists of cooking traditions and practices from France.

French cuisine was heavily influenced by Italian cuisine.

History

In 1533, Katerina de Medici came to marry Henri II   Credited with introducing broccoli, peas, artichokes, sauces, fine pastries, comedy, ballet and Italian bankers to the French

HistoryPre-French RevolutionFood production controlled by guildsrôtisseurscharcutiers patissierstraiteursboulangers

HistoryFrench cuisine was codified in the 20th century by Auguste Escoffier to become the modern haute cuisine

French haute cuisine presentation

Gascon cuisine has also had great influence over the cuisine in the southwest of France.

Geographical location of FRANCE

France is a country located primarily in western Europe ,but containing territory in south America the Caribbean and the Indian ocean as well as numerous territories of various status. In Europe France borders the Atlantic ocean and the Mediterranean .

Geographical location information

Total area : 674843 KMTERRAIN : Mostly flat plains and gently rolling hills on north and west.Land useArable land: 33%Permanent crops: 2%Permanent pastures: 20%Forests and woodland: 27%Other: 18% (1993 est.)Irrigated land: 16,300 km² (1995 est.)Natural resourcesCoal, iron ore, fish, zinc, timberNatural hazardsFlooding, avalanches, forest fires, earthquakesEnvironmentSome forest damage from acid rain (major forest damage occurred as a result of severe December 1999 windstorm); air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff, high pesticide use (honeybee mortality

Commonly Used Ingredients    Lamb, pork, duck, chicken, beef  Fish and seafood  Butter, cream, cheese Apples, pears, cherries

Commonly Used Ingredients

Truffles and mushrooms   Vegetables   Shallots, leeks, onion, garlic   Wine and brandy (Cognac/Armagnac)

Cooking Methods

    All methods used    Braising    Frying    Baking/roasting    Broiling    Poaching Simmering    Sautéing

Regional influencesHere are a couple main influences of regional cooking:

* Economic conditions and history :- The economic conditions, lifestyle and the culture of course have formed the local food traditions in different areas. Firm cheeses are found in the mountain regions since that over difficult and long winters they can be preserved. In the history when we speak about economy, we find that in some limited areas this firm cheeses are also the main means of support for a lot of homes since they can be produced in the mountains for the livestock. Over several centuries the economic prosperity of the region of Burgundy was great due to their excellence in raising cattle and that also helped them to provide their rich cream sauces and meat dishes.In some regions people contained there regional specialties but most of them became famous and enjoyed all over the world. In their own region of origin you can mainly find their specialty with more quality of preparation and ingredients, even if you can find them throughout France. In each region they have also their typical way of choosing the ingredients and cooking their meals. For example Tomatoes, different kinds of herbs and Olive oil are a must in the Cuisine in Provence.

* Local availability: Fresh local ingredients that are not transported for long distances are of better quality and are the basics of the best food and of course the French nation of gourmets knows that. For example, the community of areas where herbs and fruit grow easily will use them in their local cuisine. Likewise, inland areas don`t really use a lot of sea fish but on the contrary Northwest coastal places of France like Normandy and Brittany offer a typical way of eating sea fish meals.

* Immigration and neighboring countries: The neighbors cuisine is formally incorporated in areas of France which border onto other countries. Near to the Italian border for example it will not be surprising to find Italian dishes. Because of immigration, the North African people residing in the South of France are letting enjoy the French people of their original African dishes. And also after various wars the border of Germany has been moved back in the area of Alsace but until now you find the German « Sauerkraut » and wine that became very popular in that kind of areas.

SpecialtiesFrench cuisine varies according to the season. In summer, salads and fruit dishes are popular because they are refreshing and produce is inexpensive and abundant. Greengrocers prefer to sell their fruit and vegetables at lower prices if needed, rather than see them rot in the heat. At the end of summer, mushrooms become plentiful and appear in stews throughout France. The hunting season begins in September and runs through February. Game of all kinds is eaten, often in elaborate dishes that celebrate the success of the hunt. Shellfish are at their peak when winter turns to spring, and oysters appear in restaurants in large quantities.Crayfish, for example, have a short season and it is illegal to catch them out of season

“ 5 ” Top RecipesNorthern France : Mussels and chipsThis dish is made by our Belgium friends, and also enjoyed in northern France. And yes, we do eat them with mayonnaise. If you never tried that, don't frown on it and taste it. It delicious. Promise.

Bretagne (Brittany): crêpes and gazettesCrêpes are essentially very thin pancakes (the paste is more liquid), and they go very well with jam, sugar, maple syrup, Nutella, fruits, or whipped cream. Try it with sugar and lemon juice.

Gazettes are quite similar, but they are made with a different type of flour: Sarrazin Flour. They are more suited to eat with a fried egg, ham, cheese (gruyère), etc.

Foie gras in the south-west (le sud-ouest)Foie gras is made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened. It's a well-known delicacy in France, and we usually eat it for Christmas and new year's eve. It has a rich buttery flavor, and is very different form your typical goose or duck paté.

Coq au vin(rooster cooked in wine)Granted, that one sounds a bit funny to english speakers, but this doesn't make it any less delicious. This chicken-based dish has many variants, mainly depending on the wine used.

Ratatouille: vegetarians will love it !We all saw the movie, but what's in the dish ? Very simple, actually: take eggplants, courgettes, peppers, onions, and black olives, cut them in little bits, brown them in a frying pan with olive oil and add herbs (thyme). You're done !

List of Kitchen Utensils

Here is a list of kitchen utensils that you might find in a French home. Even if this is similar to how your kitchen is already equipped, I bet you can still find a new and unusual tool amongst these gadgets and utensils

French Kitchenware Knives Cheese knife Chestnut knife French fry cutter Meat cleaver Oyster knife Poultry scissors

Pots and Pans Aspargus steamer Chestnut roaster Crepe pan Double boiler Dutch oven Roasting pan

Baking EquipmentCooling racksFrench rolling pinIcing bag and tipsMeasuring cups (Typically a French kitchen will have a measuring cup that gives the weights of various volumes of ingredients - in liters of course.)Measuring spoonsPastry boardScale Sieve or sifter

Petit ElectroménagerBlenderBread machineDeep fat fryerElectric pressure cookerElectric tea kettleEspresso makerFood processorHand mixerIce cream makerIndoor grillStand mixerToasterVapor cookerYogurt maker

THANKING YOU !

THE END!