When we talk of France, we talk of ‘love’. But not many know that the French also have a special love for culinary delights. That’s right! The French are also ‘romantic’ and ‘passionate’ when it comes to their cuisine! ‘Cuisine’, by the way, is a French word that is used in English.
French chefs are famous all over the world for their culinary skills. The word ‘Chef’ is again a French word used in English. The French are proud of this wonderful reputation they have for their gourmet food. They appreciate wine and fine food right from their young age.
If you are from Pune or if you have visited Pune, I’m sure you must have been to the restaurant ‘Le Plaisir’ which translates to ‘The Pleasure’ that serves authentic French cuisine. If you haven’t been there yet, it’s time you go there and try out mouth-watering French dishes as the name of the restaurant says it all!
A standard French meal consists of – hors d’oeuvre / entrée = introductory course; plat principal = main course; fromage = cheese & dessert = desserts. I have not gone into the details of the full course menu and have tried to keep it simple for better understanding.
The classic French cuisine developed in the early 17th century; however, before this the cuisine was highly influenced by the Italians. As of the 20th century, the French ways of cooking began to get the title of ‘haute cuisine’ – an elite gastronomic experience. The French cuisine is unique because it has a vast array of herbs rather than spices. Apart from this, French food is widely known for its high-class presentation. Extra care is taken about how it looks on the plate as it has to be visually pleasing. This is the main reason why modern culinary schools are highly influenced by French cuisine. If you haven’t already heard of ‘Le Cordon Bleu’ – ‘The Blue Ribbon’ then you must read about it, especially if you are considering hotel management as a career. It is an international chain of hospitality and culinary schools teaching French cuisine in many countries. French cooking involves a lot of techniques and years of meticulous practice that has transformed French cuisine into an ‘art form’. Cooking perfect French food is considered as the ‘highest level of culinary success’!
Known for their ‘bon vin’ or fine wine – the French take great pride in what they serve with their food in terms of drinking customs. When you are toasting, you must always look at your toasting partner in the eye and try not to cross arms with anyone. A common toast is “à votre santé” which means “to good health”. Dining with the French is never a quick affair. They spend anything between 45 minutes to 2 hours in a restaurant or at a family dinner unless they are in a rush. The French like to savour and relish their food just like they drink their wine. I’m sure you have heard of wine tasting which involves ‘understanding’ and ‘enjoying’ the real, sweet, pleasant flavor of the wine and not just gulping it down which is not sophisticated. Also ‘smelling’ the aroma of the wine is a must! You must have also heard the term “Bon Appétit” which is said before starting a meal.
Let’s talk about French bread! When you break your bread, leave it by the side of your plate and never on top of it. This is called as ‘’baguettiquette’’! ‘Baguette’ – the famous French bread and ‘’etiquette’’ – a French word again that can be translated as manners! Lay the knife and fork parallel to each other on the right side of the plate once done with the meal! Always keep the knife in your right hand and the fork in your left hand. The knife above your plate is used for bread and butter. The fork and spoon above your plate are used for dessert. There will be separate glasses provided for water and different types of wine. Those who have studied French surely know that white wine goes with sea food and red wine goes with meat as this is mentioned in most French textbooks. Pass all your dishes to the left. Never cut your lettuce (salad leaves) but fold it with your knife and fork into a tiny bundle so you can pick it up with your fork to eat. Try not to touch the cheese with your fingers. Speaking of cheese, a French meal is incomplete without it. France is known to produce over 500 different kinds of cheese and every region in France has its own special variety. Therefore, in most traditional French recipes, cheese is the primary ingredient and mostly the food is cooked in wine.
The sacredness and importance placed on food and dining etiquettes in the French culture is an evidence of how wonderfully food is sourced, handled, and consumed in the French society. Next time you relish the ‘croissant’, ‘macaron’ or ‘mousse au chocolat’ or you sip some classic French wine, make sure to do all that with some extra pinch of ‘love’!
Snehal Walia
Faculty of French
SIFIL
Comments