KaoutarFrench cuisine is known throughout the world for its sophistication and its elaborate dishes, prepared with refined ingredients.
It varies a lot according to regions, as each area has its own traditional cuisine, specialties and local products. In short, there are no what can be called “national dishes”.
There is only one thing that unites all of France and cannot be found anywhere else: the famous baguette, traditional French bread that is long, thin, and crunchy. Very good!
In this article, I will tell you about typical French cuisine, of the habits of the French at the table and of the. And, of course, of the 5 best known typical French dishes that best represent France in the world.
Happy reading and… enjoy your meal!
French Meals: What And How Do They Eat In France?
Before talking to you about French dishes, I would like to tell you about their habits at the table, to better understand the type of dishes common in France.
For breakfast, the French eat the famous croissants or bread and butter, with coffee, chocolate, or juice. At lunch, there is usually a main course consisting of a salad or cold cuts, cheese and a dessert (brie, camembert, chèvre for example).
For a snack, especially the little ones, they eat chocolate bread, biscuits, or canapés with butter and jam.
Finally, at dinner the soup triumphs in winter, while an appetizer in summer, followed by the main course, a little cheese, fruit, or yogurt.
What to eat in Paris and France? Here are the 5 typical French dishes to try
Omelette
Let’s start immediately with a classic that, at least once in your life, you will have tasted: the omelet. It was born in France in the 16th century, although some recipes date back to 1300.
It is a dish based on eggs cooked with butter and oil in a pan. It should not be confused with our omelet, which we adapt as we like by adding vegetables, cheeses, and more. The omelet is cooked on one side only and folded, then a filling of cheese, vegetables, meat, or ham is added.
At least once a week I prepare it and my little one likes it so much!
Quiche Lorraine
The quiche is another typical traditional French dish served as an appetizer. No doubt you have heard it mentioned and, perhaps, prepared for some party or lunch calling it “flan”.
It is a French savory pie made up of shortcrust pastry stuffed in various ways. There are many quiche recipes, while the filling varies according to taste.
One of the most popular recipes is the quiche lorraine, which always has as a base the shortcrust pastry with a filling of eggs, bacon, and crème fraîche (like sour cream).
A super energetic and particularly tasty dish, to try!
Escargot
Les escargots de Bourgogne or escargots à la bourguignonne, is one of the finest typical French dishes that, if you visit Paris or any other place in France, you must taste.
In practice, it is a very particular dish based on snails or land snails that not everyone likes. To many people, it is a certain effect just to see them or think they can eat them, but I assure you that they are very good.
In France, they are made in many ways, but the best known is with butter, garlic, parsley, and onion (escargots à la bourguignonne ).
Escagorts have been part of French cuisine for a long time and are served, among other things, at a high price in the most renowned restaurants in Paris and beyond.
Foie gras
The foie gras is one of the French cuisines the most famous. It is the liver of a goose or duck and is very caloric, gelatinous, and high in fat. In short, a bomb of calories!
For the French, it is considered a luxury dish and is eaten on special occasions, such as Christmas and New Year. Although it is now much more available and therefore has become less exceptional food.
There are, however, several controversies about fois gras which concern in particular the production methods that would lead to unnaturally fattening the animal’s liver.
Indeed, animal rights organizations classified the production of foie gras as cruelty to animals. While the producers are against it and argue that their diet does not cause harm.
The fact is that producing foie gras in many countries is illegal, even in Italy since 2007.
Galette Des Rois
We come to one of the typical French sweets, originally from northern France, the Galette des Rois (cake of the kings). It takes its name from the Three Kings and is usually prepared on the day of the Epiphany.
La galette des Rois is a delicious puff pastry cake filled with an almond frangipane cream.
Traditionally, a candy, an almond, or a bean is placed inside the slice and, whoever finds it, has the right to be king for a day.
Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, it’s a delicious French dessert!
Other typical French sweets
It is well known that France does not beat anyone in terms of sweets and pastries.
Macaron, colorful sweets composed of two meringues joined by a ganache.
Profiteroles, puffs filled with cream or cream and covered with chocolate.
Saint Honoré, cake par excellence with a pastry base, sponge cake soaked in Maraschino, and a delicious filling of chocolate cream, pastry, and Chantilly (typical French), decorated with cream puffs.
Torte tatin, a tasty and fragrant dessert made with shortcrust pastry and caramelized apples.
Crème brûlée, French spoon dessert with cream covered with a layer of crunchy sugar. It looks a lot like the creme brulee which is one of the typical dishes of Barcelona.
Crepe Suzette, which you can learn more about in this article dedicated to the typical dishes of Montecarlo.
Soufflé, a real pride for French cuisine, is soft and fluffy. The light crust contains a creamy heart. It exists both sweet and salty.
Still, millefeuille, croissants, charlotte cake … so on and so forth! They are all desserts that are part of French cuisine but known to everyone. My mouth was watering just talking about it!
