What do the French drink at dinner? Traditional French breakfast: description, best recipes and reviews

The French are an incredibly proud nation. They are proud of their language, free education, health insurance, democracy. But, above all, the French are proud of their cuisine. Here, eating is no longer a culture, but a cult. No wonder the cuisine of this particular country has been included in the list of the World Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO for eight years now. The first and only of the world's gastronomy.

For the French, lunch or dinner is not just a meal, but a significant part of social life: an occasion to get together with friends or colleagues, chat with family, and have a good time. Therefore, this process is strictly regulated, and any deviation from it is perceived as an insult.

So, the French do not welcome snacks, but have lunch and dinner at a strictly defined time. Lunch - from 12 to 15, later - it is impossible. If you want to have lunch after three in the afternoon, you will hardly find a decent restaurant open. You will have to wait for dinner, which starts around seven in the evening, or look for a simpler cafe, say, a brasserie. Or, excuse me, McDonald's.

Aperitif always, digestif everywhere

Lunch and dinner follow approximately the same scenario, the difference can only be in the amount of alcohol (in the evening, of course, more). First of all, an aperitif. Twenty minutes before a meal, every self-respecting Frenchman will drink a glass of wine, port or liquor, whichever you prefer. Some prefer stronger drinks like gin or rum, but in society it is customary to leave them for a digestif (a drink after a meal for better digestion). Alsatian white wine with the unpronounceable name Gewurztraminer (German neighbors make themselves felt), various anise liqueurs (for example, Pastis and Ricard), sweet nutmeg wines, and in summer Breton and Norman cider are especially respected as an aperitif.

By the way, if we are not talking about a lunch break on a typical weekday, but about dinner with friends or a traditional Sunday family lunch ‘le répas dominical’, then the aperitif can last for an hour. And if you heard somewhere that Russians drink and drink, and Europeans have a drinking culture, then I can assure you: the French still know how to drink an aperitif on an empty stomach. Therefore, it is important to move from an aperitif to an entre in time.

What about first?

Antre, that is, the first course or light snack, is of three types: soup, salad or, in fact, an appetizer. In France, as, indeed, throughout Europe, soup is not in honor: you can’t find whole pieces of meat in it, like in borscht, they don’t put sour cream in it, and, of course, it will not replace the main dish.

The most popular is the famous onion soup. Lots and lots of onions fried and stewed in butter, the fattest broth, and on top - croutons covered with melted cheese. Beware, very high in calories and super nutritious! A more dietary option is just a vegetable soup, an analogue of the Italian minestrone. Thin broth with potato pieces, peas, onions, beans and other vegetables at the discretion of the chef. If desired, you can find both fish soup and tomato soup, but these dishes are less common.

Of the salads, the most famous are goat cheese salad (goat cheese, lettuce, croutons), Nicoise salad (tuna, green beans, tomatoes, egg) and Russian salad (Olivier we know). Russian salad is located in the same place as the menu in Russian - in very touristic places. By the way, if the waiter helpfully asks whether to add a salad to your main course - don’t flatter yourself, in the French sense, a salad is just lettuce leaves, more complex dishes have their own names.

The rest of the options, which we have modestly labeled as "appetizers", include all the fun: snails in burgundy sauce (i.e., in garlic sauce), boiled mussels, fatty goose liver foie gras, oysters, beef tartare or tartare from tuna and ... an egg with mayonnaise. Yes, the French love eggs with mayonnaise on the entrée, and in front of my eyes, one representative of this glorious nation, choosing from snails, mussels and foie gras, settled on it.

From appetizers onwards, food is washed down with wine or beer, and what they drank for an aperitif is no longer drunk! If they drank wine for an aperitif, then they drink another wine with food, do not offend the French, follow the rules. And be careful with the baguette, which is served in large quantities, because the main course and dessert are still ahead!

And for the second?

The main dish is usually meat and a side dish. Fish - cod or salmon - are also found, but if this is not the coast, then you should not expect much from it. With meat, the choice is much richer and more varied. The most famous is, of course, Burgundy meat: stewed pieces of beef with potatoes. Thanks to long languishing, the meat becomes tender, and a little red wine gives it a refined aroma. Or a medium rare rump steak with Roquefort sauce. Or a veal blanket à l’ancienne, rabbit in mustard sauce, lamb leg stewed with rosemary…

Or, here, duck confit - a leg that languished for hours in its own fat over low heat. Or duck magret, a skin-on fillet baked for a long time in the oven, served sliced ​​into thin pieces with something sweet like a pear or an orange. Another must-try poultry dish is rooster in wine (may sound familiar in French - “kokovan” or ‘coq au vin’). He, like duck, cooks slowly, and therefore just melts in your mouth. By the way, the French replace the long phrase “cook for a long time on low heat” with one word - ‘mijoter’, which betrays their love for slowness and thoroughness in kitchen matters.

France, despite its modest size compared to Russia (just don’t tell the French this, they have the largest country in the European Union), seems huge due to regional features and differences, including gastronomic ones.

So, the already mentioned Alsace is famous for its chowder: pieces of pork, bacon, sausages and sausages, potatoes with sauerkraut for garnish. From Lorraine, quiche loren became famous all over the world: an open pie stuffed with eggs, cheese, smoked brisket (this is a classic recipe, of which there are hundreds of variations). And the dish of the Alpine shepherds is fondue, melted cheese in a pot, in which pieces of baguette on thin skewers are dipped. Or raclette - the brother of fondue, here slices of potatoes, gherkins or olives are dipped in cheese. From the French south, cassoulet became famous throughout the country: a thick bean stew with meat: pork, poultry or lamb.

Voila, now dessert

Creme brulee, fondant, profiteroles, tiramisu, chocolate mousse, ice cream or cheese. Yes, the French serve cheese as a dessert, do not be surprised. Therefore, if there is still a baguette and strength, you can take a piece of Camembert or Roquefort for dessert. If not, fruit salad helps. Just don't skip dessert - don't discourage the French. Order coffee, enjoy the aftertaste in detail and do not forget the digestif: a stack of strong will help you survive this feast.

This order of serving dishes is preserved even in the case of a home feast, and this is a huge difference from the Russian table we are used to. The neighborhood of salads with main courses shocks the ordinary Frenchman, and if he sees sliced ​​\u200b\u200bfruits (read - dessert) on the same table, then his nervous system will never recover. Another French nightmare at the Russian table is that no one pauses between an aperitif and the meal itself, no one! Everyone eats and drinks at once, without changing the drink for an aperitif to a drink for an entre. So, while the Frenchman finishes his aperitif, the Russians have been dancing for a long time.

Once again I will say about the hours of eating: they must not be violated! If a Frenchman sees his child eating yogurt at the wrong time, a scandal cannot be avoided. Because, ate yogurt - interrupted appetite - did not finish dinner - duck confit flew into the trash - apoplexy.

Are you sure you haven't missed anything?

And in conclusion, breaking the laws of logic, let's say a word about breakfast. There is no breakfast in France. Forget what mom and grandma said, this is not the main meal here. It's hard to believe, but the average Frenchman really has coffee with a croissant for breakfast, which is optionally replaced with a bun with chocolate or jam, toast with jam, a bagel with raisins, or something similar. In general, only simple, only carbohydrates. In cafes and restaurants, you should look for a normal breakfast by the word "American" or "English". However, the French are not too worried that after their modest breakfast, after two hours they feel hungry, after all, lunch starts at 12, and the regime cannot be broken, and it's time to warm up a little with an aperitif.

The question is asked, I answer: because they eat differently. Not better or worse, just different. How? That's what we'll talk about.

No, how unfair! French cuisine is rich in both fats and carbohydrates. In addition, the French treat bread with reverence, and French cinema is densely “stuffed” with scenes of lunches and dinners, where no one denies themselves anything. And how, pray tell, do French women manage to maintain lightness and attractiveness? This question is of interest not only to us, but also to women all over the world.

First of all, who said that the French, eating three meals a day, eat 3 meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Don't believe!

Here is the usual diet of the modern average French woman leading an active lifestyle.

Breakfast:

• Freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 hot crispy toast with jam (preferably homemade or low sugar). Sundays - jam + butter.
• Tea (a lot, most often without sugar) or coffee (not much).

• 1 croissant instead of toast
• natural yoghurt, preferably without additives. Then the jam (or honey) will go not on toast, but in yogurt, and the toast will be spread with a thin layer of butter (low-fat, natural, French women choose it very carefully), and shrunk without jam

• cereals with milk (for an amateur, which are most often children)
• fruit (but juice is preferred)

The exception is the holidays, when the mere sight of a buffet in a hotel makes your eyes widen. Then the Frenchwoman simply “closes” them and allows herself both scrambled eggs (even with bacon, but rarely, they don’t like this product), and toast (with butter And jam), and a croissant (usually mini), and fruit (in addition to juice). But then she will most likely simply refuse lunch or eat a light green salad and drink a cup of coffee.

No sandwiches with cheese, ham, hot sausages, cereals and other foods familiar to us, Germans or Americans.

The most important thing is that the French do not suffer from such gastronomic "restraint" at all, because they are used to breakfast only in this way. From time immemorial, their parents had breakfast like this (with the exception of residents of the “harsh” provinces - Alsace or Auvergne, for example, where winters are cold and long). So they are accustomed to breakfast from early childhood. A special delight is a baguette with a crispy crust and a minimum of crumb in the middle, a croissant is fresh and airy, preferably still warm, and homemade jam. And juice is sacred. There is an electric juicer in every home.

On Sunday - the formula: breakfast + lunch = brunch (from two English words breakfast and lunch) i.e. brunch that flows into lunch, with scrambled eggs and ham and other "dinner" delights and a full dinner, or a good family lunch with grandparents, and then a light dinner at home (cheese, baguette, wine).

Dinner:

• Mineral water
• In the warm season - salad composée (or grande (large) salade) is a green salad with something: warm goat cheese, seafood, fish, chicken, etc.
• In cold weather - one hot dish (meat, fish) with a side dish (most often vegetables) or a small (petite) salad instead.
• Espresso coffee with a piece of dark chocolate (or a tiny cookie). Of course, you can also eat ice cream, but this is not French.
• A glass of wine is allowed even during working hours (no one has gotten tipsy from such an amount of alcohol, and the allowable rate of alcohol in the blood to be able to drive, in France, 0.3 ppm is more than one glass).

Indeed, it turns out a 3-course dinner and wine to boot!

Dinner:

This is the main meal, so here the French give themselves free rein.

• Aperitif. What do the French drink for an aperitif?
• Entree(entre) or hors-d "?uvre (or d'evre) - appetizer (hot / cold) or soup. Dinner is often called souper (supe) - precisely from the word "soup".
• Main hot dish. About traditional and favorite dishes of the French, as well as French specialties -
• Cheese or/and dessert. "Or" is for women, "and" is for men. What do French women like to treat themselves to for dessert? .
• Coffee, tisane - herbal tea and / or digestif (strong drinks).
• Water and wine throughout the dinner, and the wine may vary depending on the dishes and the initial choice (the first bottle / glass turned out to be successful or unsuccessful)

Ref O sieve, how can you eat all this or where does all this fit into skinny French women? Yes, the portions are usually small. The more expensive the restaurant, the smaller the portion. In addition, before ordering “first, second and compote”, a French woman will definitely find out exactly what size of the dish in this restaurant and if suddenly it’s too hot, too copieux - i.e. the portion is large, she will do without appetizers and dessert, or she will eat entrée, cheese, dessert, but refuse the main course.

If we have dinner at home, then everything is quite simple: a piece of meat fried in 3 minutes, a light side dish (rice, vegetables), a green salad and cheese (it is together and after the main course, the French “eat up” cheese if they are not full), fruit or light dessert (yogurt with honey, for example). "Restaurant style" is prepared on Sunday or for guests.

The art of living happily

I must admit that the French are generally not inclined to be overweight. According to statistics, only 11% are overweight. Obesity statistics in France generally show extremely modest figures, in England they are twice as high, in the USA - three times.

However, it is not only a matter of genetic predisposition.

“If we followed all the restrictions and diets that are so popular in the world today,” the French women say, “then we would have recovered long ago. We do not find any contradiction in the fact that you can eat bread, chocolate and other delicious things, drink wine and at the same time maintain harmony and health. But if we want to eat chocolate and not gain weight, we have to work our heads».

What does it mean? And here's what:

Don't deny yourself your daily dose of small pleasures.. If you want chocolate - eat candy, taste, enjoy, rejoice. But it is not necessary to weave the whole box at once! You need to feel the difference between promiscuity and the desire to pamper yourself. If we make any restrictions, it is for the sole purpose of enjoying everything else in moderation. The main thing is not to lose your mind and get up from the table without feeling overeated or guilty.

« Five minutes in the mouth - five years on the hips”, - said Pierre's grandmother (the same one, one of the first professional models, remember?), Coquettishly slapping herself on her elastic buttocks. French women never forget about this, and therefore they try to follow fairly simple rules that are the norm of life.

I tried to analyze the situation and deduced these rules, first of all, for myself, but today I am sharing with you.

13 secrets of slim French women:

1. Eat Can all but a little. And this is the main point.

2. Everyone meal- whole event, unhurried ritual and enjoyment every piece. A Frenchwoman will not chew on the run - little pleasure! Table talk is an integral part of the meal.

3. Additive is evil. This, by the way, is the exclusive rule of ballerinas all over the world.

4. Don't snack. An apple in the afternoon. This is all.

5. Mineral water during the whole day.

6. Fresh food always preferable. Semi-finished products - only in the most extreme cases.

7. No concentrates, additives, chemical dyes and other nonsense. French women are just obsessed with natural products. Let them be slightly dented, with "barrels", even if they were slightly gnawed by a worm, but only those that were grown in natural conditions. The tomato should smell like a tomato, and the cheese and butter should be farm-produced (and it's better to know the farmer by sight). But fat-free, sugar-free foods are superfluous. They are tasteless!

8. Nutrition must be très varié - very varied. And very a lot of vegetables(often those to which Russian women are not accustomed at all). Fennel, celery, green beans, asparagus, broccoli are the side dishes preferred by French women. And no salads with sour cream or mayonnaise. These products are generally alien to the French.

9. No sugary fizzy drinks. Cola, fanta, soda, lemonade, etc. excluded. It's pure chemistry! Even juices are only natural if possible.

10. During meals - only water(or wine). "Drinks" - fruit drinks, kvass, kissels, compotes, so beloved by Russian people, simply do not exist in nature, and no one will drink juice.

11. Meal frequency(literally by the hour). In this scenario, you can not follow the popular dietary rule - do not eat after 18.00. And how to observe it if the French have dinner late - after 20.00 - 20.30 hours? Many restaurants offer two evening services - at 20.00 and 22.00.

12. Wine - only with food and no more than a couple of glasses a day (but more often still on holidays, on weekends, on vacation. A Frenchwoman will not drink alone at dinner, she is a normal woman). Women almost never drink strong drinks, this is the prerogative of men.

13. Gum? For what? It also starts the mechanism of the stomach, gastric juice begins to be produced and a feeling of hunger appears. Where is the logic? In addition, chewing in public places is simply indecent. I know, I know, ask, but what about fresh breath? How about brushing your teeth after dinner? Believe it or not, most French women carry toothbrushes in cases and cute mini-sprays in their purses - a spray against bad breath. And it’s not even worth talking about toothpicks on the tables: digging in front of everyone is simply unthinkable.

And in conclusion, two words about diets.

French women rarely step on the scales. For what? They have eyes, clothes and a mirror.

They will go crazy with boredom if they have to calculate calories, read about fats, proteins, lipids and other chemicals, not to mention applying all this to the sacred part of their life - food. That's why:

If you want to be in a state of balance, you do not need to follow a diet, but gradually, over a certain period of time. change eating habits. So when you lose weight, your efforts will not only be painless, but will also lead to more sustainable results.

Three months of a strict diet can break the spirit of any woman. And three months of discoveries and a more in-depth acquaintance with the behavior and reaction of one's own body to small and quite sparing dietary restrictions - it's a good attitude the fruits of which you will reap for years to come.

If you manage to perceive at least a fraction of the French attitude to food and life, the problem of weight will cease to be for you a terrible obsession, constant but fruitless attempts to curb your appetite, and you will see that maintaining weight is part of a program called " the art of living fully and happily».

Next week in the "Let's talk about beauty" section: Secrets of French makeup or beauty with the mind

Text: Arina Kaledina

Illustrations: Natalia Bolotskikh

Photo on the banner:

Not a single national cuisine can surpass French in originality and sophistication. What is eaten in France is different from the food in other countries. French cooking is an art. Each dish is prepared according to its own recipe, adding its own zest even to well-known recipes.

French Cuisine

The French have brought real luxury to everyday cuisine. High towers are built from sweet dishes. Meat, oysters, fish are stacked on "pedestals". Compared to other European countries, French chefs use less dairy products. French cheeses are an exception. More than three thousand sauces are used in French dishes. All French dishes are prepared exclusively from fresh products, the quality of the products is preserved after heat treatment. The cuisine of France is multifaceted, in different areas of the country there may be disagreements regarding the recipes of some dishes. However, regardless of areas, French cuisine is replete with vegetables and root crops.

About the cuisine of Provence

Indispensable in Provencal cuisine are vegetables, garlic, spices: tarragon, marjoram, oregano, basil, dill, parsley, rosemary. Vegetables are used in hot and cold dishes. Vegetable dishes are prepared very hearty, so sometimes they replace the main ones.

Cod, pike, halibut, carp, sardines adorn most Provencal dishes. Bouillabaisse is especially popular in France with small varieties of fish, seafood, vegetables, wine, and spices. Mussels and oysters are in demand.

Meat in Provence is used with restraint. There are several dishes: beef stew, lamb stew, suckling pig, Parma ham, which are on the tables of the French.

Dessert in Provence is in great demand. There is always chocolate, nuts, nougat, dried fruits, cookies on the table. One of my favorite pies is clafoutis with apple-cherry-apricot filling. In any pastry shop there are always cakes, buns, cakes, marmalade, sweets, creme brulee.

About the cuisine of Burgundy

Burgundy cuisine uses wine in many dishes. Wine is added to sauces, gravies. Meat and snails are marinated in wine. Snails are served without shells, adding parsley and onions.

About the cuisine of Normandy

Dairy products are valued in Normandy: cream, butter, Camembert cheese. In Normandy, meat and fish are always cooked with cream. And such dishes as Normandy beef side with cream and mushrooms and Rouen-style duck can be cooked so deliciously only in Normandy.

About the cuisine of Lorraine

Lorraine is famous for its open pies with slices of smoked lard or ham with melted cheese. The national dish is Alsatian stewed cabbage with pork and smoked breast.

About the cuisine of Lyon

Lyon cuisine is famous for its unusually delicious Lyon gratin onion soup. A traditional Christmas dish is roasted capon with chestnuts. Capons (young males) are grown in cages, which makes their meat juicy, incomparable in taste.

French dishes

Every dish cooked in France can be remembered for a lifetime. The most famous dish prepared by French chefs is frog legs. France is also famous for its cheeses, they produce more than 500 different varieties: hard, soft, young, aged, with a crust, with mold. Also known are the "snail in Burgundy", eggs "cocote" with extragone. National dishes such as ratatouille, julienne, baguette, croissants are known not only in France. Often they are also on the tables of Russians.

The French national drink is wine, the most famous being Bordeaux and Burgundy. Wine is served with almost every dish, and sometimes included in the cost of set meals. French champagne, cognac, Calvados are no less famous in the world.

If you decide, then you will have to get used to new formats of eating. Firstly, what the French eat is very different from what Russians are used to eating, and sometimes very contrasting. Secondly, in France they often, a lot and willingly talk about food, and if in Russia they often hastily put a sandwich in their mouth, thinking about their favorite work, then in France the opposite is true - work will wait if the Frenchman is going to slowly chew his favorite baguette with a piece cheese. Thus, there is a difference not only in favorite dishes, but also in the culture of consumption. And if you decide live in France for permanent residence, then all this will be important for you. However, getting used to the new format and the new attitude to food in France is not difficult at all, just like new dishes. After all, most dishes in France are very tasty, and even if it’s not so easy for you to switch to them at first, then later on you will surely be happy to eat exactly what France offers you, and dishes from other countries, including dishes from your own country, to which you are accustomed initially, will no longer seem so tasty to you.

Apart from the taste, almost every French dish is healthy. And the French themselves often discuss the usefulness of different foods and make sure to lead a healthy lifestyle in this regard. So - it is not only tasty, but also useful.

What do the French love?

Here is a sample list of those dishes and drinks that the French are crazy about.

1) Coffee. The first place is really worth giving coffee, because this drink is the most popular in this country. The French drink coffee several times a day, literally at every opportunity. Morning for a Frenchman is unthinkable without coffee, but even at lunchtime, a Frenchman will definitely miss another cup, and in the evening he will not refuse.

At the same time, the French like to drink black espresso coffee, without milk, despite the fact that it is bad for the stomach. For gourmet coffee lovers, Italy is more suitable with all its cappuccinos, in France they drink quite "hard" coffee - but in large quantities. If you come, you will have to get used to coffee as well, because this is the kind of drink that the French drink all the time.

2) Cheese. Cheese is rightfully included in the list of the most favorite foods and dishes for the French. Yes, sometimes cheese can be an independent dish, in many cafes and restaurants you will be served the so-called "cheese plate" with pieces of cheese of different varieties. In France, there is simply an unthinkable number of different varieties of cheese, in fact, this is the cheese capital of the world. Arriving, you will learn about such varieties of cheese as Camembert, Roquefort (however, it is just well known abroad), Chevre. Cheese is added to salads and even soups, so you will find it in almost every French dish. To fall in love with cheese for someone who came to France is the number one task.

3) Vegetables. The French eat a lot of vegetables because they are good for health. Almost every week the French go to the market for fresh vegetables. At the same time, vegetables on the market are more expensive than in stores, but a conscious Frenchman is ready to pay more in order to end up with proven quality. Many French people are personally acquainted with the farmers from whom they buy products, there are certain attachments and predilections for the products of this or that supplier farmer.

Many of the vegetables that the French love take some getting used to. For example, when cooking, a very large amount of greens is often used, which is very useful, but not everyone likes it. Eggplant, zucchini, potatoes and tomatoes - this is what is familiar to the Russian and dear to his heart. French fries, by the way, is a very common dish that is often cooked in France. And a very tasty meal.

4) Meat dishes. Meat in France is also eaten often and a lot. Patés and steaks are popular. Dishes such as bloody steak with a fried crust, vegetable stew with meat are common. Most often in France, poultry and beef are used.

5) Seafood. The French here differ from most representatives of other nations, both in terms of love for products of this kind and their diversity. But on the French table you can often see oysters and shrimps, scallops and other seafood. Also, the French, as you know, love frogs, which, however, do not belong to seafood, but they are not far from them. Frogs, however, are a delicacy, and indeed designed for a narrow circle of lovers, and if you come to France, then do not be afraid that you will be served frogs on the first day. By the way, French frogs in their taste do not differ much from the same oysters, while they are grown specifically for meat in ecologically favorable conditions in special ponds, and the legs of such frogs are mainly used for meat. If you love seafood, then there is a good chance that you will like frogs too.

6) Wine. As for this noble drink, France is also its homeland. It is here that most of the vineyards supply the material for the production of the best varietal wines in the world. However, even the cheapest wine in France is very tasty, you can buy a bottle for only 1-2 euros - and already enjoy the full taste and aroma. This is explained by the fact that in France, without exception, all wine is of natural origin. If you are coming live in France for permanent residence, you can be sure that you will not only not be poisoned by local alcoholic products, but also get extraordinary pleasure from drinking it. France is a country of winemakers, and almost every self-respecting Frenchman understands wine at one level or another. You can also have a vineyard, if you so desire, and produce your own wine.

For all that, the French usually do not drink much, their goal is not to make themselves drunk, namely to enjoy wine. For this reason, they most often drink it in small sips throughout the evening and rarely drink more than one glass during this time. And it's very French. A Frenchman can drink alone, going out with a glass of wine on the veranda and savoring it in small sips, while looking at the people passing by and thinking about his own. Such enjoyment of life, coupled with wine, is very characteristic of the French, who can generally be called one of the most cheerful nations on the planet.

7) Sauces. Sauces from the arsenal of French cuisine cannot be excluded either. Sauces are served with almost any dish, especially meat. But you can also see interesting and unusual sauces that are served with vegetable dishes. In fact, almost every dish in France has its own sauce. Which, without a doubt, makes French cuisine much more interesting and varied.

8) Soups. In general, soups in French cuisine do not occupy such a privileged place as in Russian cuisine. However, the French still love soups, however, mashed soups are the most popular here. An interesting fact is that, again, cheese (in grated form) and small crackers are added to almost every soup. This makes the French soup exquisite and unique in its appearance. The French eat their soup, just like all other dishes, exquisitely and gracefully - slowly and enjoying every drop.

9) Baguettes. In general, baking is loved in France, and despite this, the French are one of the most slender nations in the world. Baguettes were invented by bakers, according to one of the legends, during the war years, and the advantage of baguettes is that they bake very quickly. But even to this day, baguettes are very loved in France. They are made, as a rule, without any additives - only flour, yeast and water. If you feel like getting up early in the morning to go to the bakery for a fresh, hot, crunchy baguette and eat it with a cup of coffee for breakfast, you should know that you are already half French.

conclusions

If you have been invited to visit France (it’s easier in a cafe, as you can order your usual dishes there), then get ready for a lot of new things. The French rarely put a lot of food on the table, but for sure you will be treated to good wine, vegetables and a sweet dessert. French hosts won't force you to eat everything they have - eat and drink little and keep the conversation going, praise what you like and you won't have to try what you don't want.

What the French don't like

Now let's talk about what dishes the French do not like and what you are likely to say goodbye to when you come to live in France for permanent residence. These dishes should not be offered to the French - they fundamentally do not accept some of these dishes, and some simply do not understand. The sad thing is that almost all traditional Russian dishes are on this list.

1) Tea. This drink is drunk on the other side of the English Channel - in Britain. As for the French, they simply do not like tea. You will almost never find it in a Frenchman's apartment, although in a cafe, most likely, tea will be on the menu. But even then, for the most part, for foreigners. The French are so unaccustomed to tea that some of them almost never even tried it. In addition, tea would undermine the "monopoly of coffee", which rules here almost without limit. In short, do not offer tea to the French, but rather make a cup of coffee for them!

2) Fatty salads. That salad that Russians call Olivier and are proud of its supposedly French origin is actually a nightmare for any Frenchman! Because the composition of such a salad includes everything that contains a lot of calories - eggs, sausage, mayonnaise. For a Frenchman, such a salad is simply unacceptable. As well as herring under a fur coat, which among the French, who know about such a salad, is considered a very harmful dish, and at the same time not very tasty. If you want to make a salad for the French, chop up any vegetables and sprinkle them with more greens - your French friends will certainly not refuse.

3) Okroshka. Such a dish seems normal only for Russians. After all, kvass (already an unusual product for foreigners), in which vegetables, eggs and sausage float, looks intimidating and unappetizing. If you offer okroshka to a Frenchman, for the first time, divide it into salad and kvass in a glass. However, the dry component of okroshka is too reminiscent of Olivier, and therefore it is highly doubtful that the Frenchman will eat it.

4) Russian soups. Yes, and rich Russian soups are also not liked by the French. Firstly, they are accustomed to mashed soups, and in Russian soups everything that was cut into it can be seen at a glance. Secondly, the French believe that cabbage soup with sour cream or mayonnaise is literally too fat. If you want to surprise a Frenchman with soup, then just grind all the ingredients with a blender, and the Frenchman will be satisfied.

5) Mayonnaise. Despite the French names for Russian mayonnaise, this sauce (and it's a sauce) seems too fat and artless to the French, while they have dozens of other sauces in their national culture that are more tasty and healthy, in their opinion.

6) Buckwheat. It would seem that this is not a dish, but just a food product. At the same time, buckwheat has many proven beneficial properties. But the French simply do not grow it and do not know it. You will practically not find buckwheat in a French store, moreover, you will need to explain for a long time what it is all about. If you love buckwheat, bring it to France with you or look for specialized stores for those whose soul yearns for the national Russian flavor.

7) Dairy dishes. Milk and in general all products and dishes based on it are not very popular in France. Except, of course, cheese, but that's another story. Semolina porridge, milk vermicelli and many other dishes that seem international are also unknown in France or simply have not taken root. Despite the fact that the same semolina or oatmeal is a much healthier breakfast than what a Frenchman usually eats for breakfast - cheese with a baguette and coffee. By the way, the French also do not eat oatmeal on the water, unlike the British.

8) Jelly. One of the brightest Russian dishes is, again, incomprehensible to the French. It looks at first glance unusual and intimidating, and it has a peculiar taste. Despite the fact that the French, in principle, love all such dishes that have a liquid-solid consistency, such as puddings and jelly, but their soul usually does not accept jelly.

conclusions

Thus, if you receive French guests, then try to cook not what you are used to eating, but what they are used to eating, so as not to end up as heroes of a fairy tale about a crane and a fox. An ideal set of dishes for meeting French guests is a vegetable salad, a plate with a lot of cheese, good wine and any meat dishes. This will allow both you and your guests to have a good time at the meal and conversation.

A simple answer to the question "What do the French eat?" is that they eat almost everything. In France, as in most developed countries, there are meat lovers and vegetarians, there are people who prefer salty and those who are most fond of sweet. However, there are a number of aspects related to French cuisine traditions that distinguish France from all other countries.

History of food in France

Food is a very important part of the French, which makes it a huge part of the whole French culture. While the British are famous for their afternoon tea and the Americans are famous for their fast food, the French are known for long, multi-course meals. This food culture is an integral part of the dynamics of everyday life in France.

The rapidly evolving pace of life in the 21st century has also changed french lifestyle. For example, huge supermarkets, which are not much different from large American chains, came to France only in the last 20 years. While France was once the epitome of multi-shopping (bread in boulangerie, meat - inboucherie, cheese - infromagerie, and fruits and vegetables in local markets), more French people are planning their diet by visiting weekly hypermarché s.

Despite this trend, it is still very common for the French to buy their most important products (bread and pastries) from independent and specialized shops. While meat for everyday meals is usually purchased at the supermarket, many families still visit butcher shops to buy the finest cuts of meat for special occasions. In addition, many French people run into the bakery daily for a freshly baked baguette or rustic bread ( pain de champagne).

What do the French like to eat?

Although the process of eating in France is usually very long, breakfast can be a fairly quick affair. Lunch and dinner can seem like a long meal with a plethora of different options, while breakfast is similar to what people in other countries are used to: cereal with milk or coffee with toast.

french breakfast

As a rule, the French get to the coffee pot before they get to the breakfast plate. While the default morning drink in France is a strong espresso (if you ask for a coffee in a restaurant, you're sure to get an espresso), for breakfast, it's a good idea to ask for cafeé au lait. This coffee is served in a large round mug and contains a lot of warm milk. Less popular options are tea or hot chocolate.

Usually the first cup of coffee among the French is accompanied by:

- A piece of baguette with butter or jam. As a rule, this is enough for a traditional French breakfast.

– Tartines – French favorite food- toasts with jam or jam, which, thanks to their sweet taste, go well with strong coffee.

– Layered, warm croissants are a popular breakfast item traditionally reserved for the weekend. On weekdays, they are also part of breakfast, but much less often. When in France, don't even think about eating croissants that aren't warmed up first.

– Pain au chocolate- luxuriously delicious morning pastries. On weekends, the rectangular version filled with chocolate is a real treat for children.

– Sometimes bread / toast / croissants are accompanied by some fresh fruit or plain yogurt.

french lunch

To the question " What do the French like to eat? for lunch?" you will find the largest number of options. Some French people interrupt their workflow for a couple of hours for a delicious lunch, accompanied by the vocals of wine. But not everyone can afford such a luxury, and not always. For example, the frantic pace of modern life forces employees of business centers in megacities to intercept sandwiches bought from street vendors on the run.

Restaurant lunch A: This option is only limited by your imagination and budget. Three or four courses may include appetizers (salad, soup or pâté), meat or fish, accompanied by potatoes and warm vegetables. All this is crowned with dessert and sometimes a cheese plate. As a rule, such a dinner is accompanied by gourmet wines of France. Of course, there are restaurants offering lighter lunches with popular menu items.

- Oysters lying on ice in halves of shells. The class of the oysters is very important, such as the quality of the oysters Spé ciale de Claire an order of magnitude higher thanFine de Claire, wherein Spé ciale Pousse en Claire- the highest grade, better than all the others combined.

– salade Niç oise appears on the menu of many cafes. Named after the famous city on the French Riviera, this salad consists of tuna and hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, tomatoes, olives, capers, green beans and sometimes anchovies.

– Soupe à l‘ Oignon Gratiné e nowhere in the world can be as tasty as in France. Fragrant and perfected with caramelized onions, topped with crispy Swiss cheese gruyere French onion soup is a true classic.

– Charcuterie- a set of handmade air-dried sausages, dried ham and pâté. Expect cold cuts to be accompanied by Dijon mustard, gherkins and small pickled onions, along with baguette and cheese. Add a bottle of red wines of France… et voilà , you have a French picnic that you can arrange right on a bench in a nearby park.

– Various restaurants and street vendors sell traditional French pancakes (crê pes) , which here can be both sweet and savory, as a main course or dessert.

– Croque Monsieur is not a very distant relative of the American Grilled Cheese Sandwich. It's an open toasted ham and cheese sandwich topped with a velvety béchamel sauce. Its variation is Croque Madame, involves adding a fried egg on top.

Don't forget the french fries!

Homemade lunch: Some French people are accustomed to dining at home, and do not want to break this tradition, even though at home they will not have the same quirky and sophisticated multi-course meal as in a restaurant. This practice is more common in rural areas, especially in outdoor physical work, where lunch provides an escape from the midday sun.

street lunch: As work schedules get tighter, many French people have taken to buying sandwiches on the street or at train stations. The most popular sandwiches are those What do the French like to eat?, consist of a baguette, and cheese or ham are considered the most traditional filling. Also now, as a filling, you can find boiled eggs, tuna and salami.

french dinner

Dinner in France varies depending on the day of the week, the time of year, and how heavy the lunch was. Couples who dine at home often have a rather austere dinner, while those who just have a sandwich for lunch can afford a varied and rich dinner.

Since France is large enough that its climates and geography can be reduced to a single denominator, it is only logical that the main food is different in the north and in the south, along the sultry Mediterranean coast and in the cold Alps. So, on weekends or holidays, the whole family gathers for dinner, sometimes in an extended composition, then the meal becomes longer, more dishes are prepared, and the dining table is decorated with beautiful tablecloths, cutlery, napkins and plates. When dinner is ready and the head of the family says " à table", everyone goes to the table and takes their places.

Tip: If you're not a fan of steak or fish, try them in France, you might change your mind. Tempting, artful sauces are not far from perfect.

– For the famous bistro steak steak au frites, entrecote (rib-eye) is grilled or pan-fried (a couple of minutes on each side) and served immediately with a generous piece of cheese Roquefort or with aromatic sauce bé arnaise, which is poured over a piece of meat. A mountain of crispy fries is a must, plus a simple green salad.

– Fresh fish, bought on the day of preparation at the local market, lightly grilled and served with potatoes and salad, is another popular option for a French dinner.

– Grilled Normandy clams can be served with shallots and thyme in a white wine sauce, then dipped in toasted baguette slices.

– Bouillabaisse, originated on the Mediterranean coast of Marseille, is a classic French fish soup. This is one of the key symbols french cuisine.

– blanquette de veau, the softest veal stewed in white sauce, is the main home food and one of the most popular dishes in France. Sometimes the dish may vary, and veal is replaced by lamb meat.

- Simmering chicken, burgundy, mushrooms, onions and bacon pieces combine to create a legendary dish coq au vin, the centuries-old "highlight of the program" of French gastronomy.

– Boeuf Bourguignon, sister dish tocoq au vin, also coming from Burgundy. Basically the same method is applied here, but beef is used instead of chicken.

– Cassoulet, a divine dish in a pot that has spread throughout the world from the southwest of France. A rich, slow-cooking roast is a recipe built around meat (pork sausage, pork, goose or duck) and white beans.

Enjoy unique French cuisine traditions

While there is no specific diet that is common to all French people, many homes and restaurants have a range of typical foods and traditional dishes. coffee and wines of France are also closely related to food culture. Travelers and visitors to the country will appreciate excellent food, as well as simple and fresh ingredients.