Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The following listing of items found commonly throughout France should help you
navigateatypicalFrenchmenu.Fordishesspecifictoeachregion,seethe“CuisineScene”
section in every chapter but Paris (which borrows cuisines from all regions).
First Course (
Entrée
)
Crudités:
A mix of raw and lightly cooked fresh vegetables, usually including grated car-
rots, celery root, tomatoes, and beets, often with a hefty dose of vinaigrette dressing.
Escargots:
Snails cooked in parsley-garlic butter. You don't even have to like the
snailitself.Justdippingyourbreadingarlicbutterismorethansatisfying.Preparedavari-
ety of ways, the classic is
à la bourguignonne
(served in their shells).
Foie gras:
Rich and buttery in consistency—and hefty in price—this pâté is made
from the swollen livers of force-fed geese (or ducks, in
foie gras de canard
). Spread it on
bread with your knife, and never add mustard. For a real French experience, try this dish
with some sweet white wine (often offered by the glass for an additional cost). For more
Huîtres:
Oysters, served raw any month, are particularly popular at Christmas and
on New Year's Eve, when every café seems to have overflowing baskets in their window.
Œuf mayo:
A simple hard-boiled egg topped with a dollop of flavorful mayonnaise.
Pâtés and
terrines:
Slowlycookedgroundmeat(usuallypork,thoughgame,poultry
liver,andrabbitarealsocommon)thatishighlyseasonedandservedinsliceswithmustard
and
cornichons
(littlepickles).Pâtésaresmootherthanthesimilarlypreparedbutchunkier
terrines.
Salades:
With the exception of a
salade mixte
(simple green salad, often difficult to find),
the French get creative with their
salades
. (See
here
for good salad suggestions.)
Soupe à l'oignon:
Hot, salty, filling, and hard to find in some parts, French onion
soup is a beef broth served with a baked cheese-and-bread crust over the top.
Main Course
(Plat Principal)
Duck, lamb, and rabbit are popular in France, and each is prepared in a variety of ways.
You'll also encounter various stew-like dishes that vary by region. The most common re-
gional specialties are described here.
Bœuf bourguignon:
A Burgundian specialty, this classy beef stew is cooked slowly
in red wine, then served with onions, potatoes, and mushrooms.
Confit de canard:
A Southwest favorite from the Dordogne region is duck that has
beenpreservedinitsownfat,thencookedinitsfat,andoftenservedwithpotatoes(cooked
