| Copyright 2006 I have been travelling to | | | | the region's fish. The cosmopolitan city of |
| France for nearly 25 years- usually on | | | | Lille is a big producer of charcuterie and |
| holiday- to most of the main regions. I so | | | | beer. Pastries are quite basic with gaufres |
| enjoyed all my trips, that I decided to move | | | | (waffles eaten with sugar and fresh cream) |
| lock, stock and 2 smoking barrels to start my | | | | being among the best known. In Champagne, |
| new life actually living in this great | | | | biscuits de Reims are sweet and delicious |
| country. I bought a 300 year old house, part | | | | paper-thin macaroons. |
| of which was the original ramparts of the | | | | |
| walled town. I am in heaven- the weather is | | | | Alsace and Lorraine |
| 38 C as I write this article, the cicadas are | | | | |
| screeching outside, and soon I shall walk the | | | | They both have been under German rule more |
| 30 yards to the river and swim in mountain | | | | than once in the past and this influence is |
| water at a temperature of 20 C. Bliss. | | | | evident in many of the local dishes, in which |
| | | | pickled cabbage and pork are common. |
| Before I can frolic, let me share some | | | | Baeckeoffe is a stew of marinated meat and |
| stories, myths and information about one of | | | | vegetables and choucroute alsacienne is |
| the French's and also its visitors favourite | | | | pickled cabbage flavoured with juniper |
| pass times. Food, glorious food. What is | | | | berries and served with sausages, bacon or |
| perhaps less widely recognized is that | | | | pork knuckle. The locals also enjoy all kinds |
| France's reputation for fine food is not so | | | | of savoury pies and tarts, the best-known |
| much based on long-held traditions but on | | | | being tarte flambée or flammekuche which is |
| constant change. In fact, the general | | | | a thin layer of pastry topped with cream, |
| expectation of good eating is a relatively | | | | onion and bacon and cooked in a wood-fired |
| new experience for the French. At the time | | | | oven. From Lorraine comes the most famous of |
| the Bastille was stormed in 1789, at least | | | | all, quiche lorraine. Originally, this dish |
| 80% of the French population were subsistence | | | | was made without cheese, but most recipes now |
| farmers, with bread and cereals as the basis | | | | include it and also add vegetables, seafood |
| of their diet, essentially unchanged since | | | | or ham to the basic mix of eggs and cream. |
| the time of the ancient Gauls nearly two | | | | Burgundy and Bordeaux. Dishes make liberal |
| millennia before. In the mid-nineteenth | | | | use of their famous red and white wines. |
| century, following the demise of the | | | | Burgundy provides the best beef in France and |
| aristocracy, food was a conspicuous symbol of | | | | is famous for its boeuf bourguignon. It's |
| social position, swiftly adopted by a new | | | | also home to Dijon mustard which is used to |
| ruling class of bourgeoisie, who recreated | | | | enhance the flavour of many dishes. Coq au |
| the sumptuous meals of the very aristocracy | | | | vin (chicken in red wine) is another |
| they had once criticized. At the same time, | | | | perennial favourite, and in this region |
| two-thirds of Parisians were either starving | | | | you'll find the biggest escargot (snails) in |
| or ill-fed, five times more likely to be | | | | France - because they're raised on grape |
| nourished from vegetable proteins than from | | | | leaves they're also meant to be the tastiest. |
| any meats or dairy products. The golden age | | | | Bordeaux is carnivore country and its most |
| of haute cuisine benefited only those at the | | | | celebrated dish is entrecôte marchand de vin |
| very top of the social ladder. It took a | | | | - rib steak cooked in a rich gravy made from |
| world war at the beginning of the twentieth | | | | Bordeaux wine, butter, shallots, herbs and |
| century to halt the gross inequality of | | | | bone marrow. Sweet treats include cannelés |
| wealth at the table, and to bring about a | | | | (caramelised brioche-style pastries) and the |
| more even distribution of the nation's | | | | famous marrons glacés (candied chestnuts). |
| produce. The advent of improved | | | | |
| transportation, especially by train, brought | | | | Languedoc-Roussillon, Gascony and the Basque |
| culinary revolution to the regions, and | | | | Country. |
| slowly the spreading affluence could put a | | | | |
| chicken on every peasant's table. Eventually, | | | | These regions lie on the Spanish border and, |
| tourism fanned the flames of change in | | | | using an abundance of tomatoes, peppers and |
| France's commercial kitchens, as chefs were | | | | spicy sausage, their food shares many |
| obliged to create dishes appealing to an | | | | similarities with that of Spain. Cassoulet (a |
| ever-widening audience of British, Japanese, | | | | casserole with meat and beans) is Languedoc's |
| Middle Easterners, and Americans, as well as | | | | signature dish; Roussillon has a similar dish |
| French travellers hungering for new | | | | called ouillade. There are strong Spanish and |
| experiences. In some instances the reasons | | | | Catalan influences in Roussillon too, with |
| for change in regional products were a | | | | tapas-style dishes served in many wine bars. |
| pragmatic reaction to a decline in other | | | | Gascon dishes are kept simple but hearty with |
| industries (such a silk) or to the economic | | | | lots of meat, fat and salt. Garbure is a |
| disaster brought about by the Phylloxera | | | | thick stew made with vegetables, herbs, |
| pest, which wiped out most of France's grape | | | | spices and preserved meats. Poulet Basque is |
| vines at the turn of the century. | | | | a chicken stew with tomatoes, onions, peppers |
| | | | and white wine and piperade is Basque comfort |
| Today, eating is very regional. There still | | | | cooking - peppers, onions and tomatoes cooked |
| is a strong culture of seasonal eating, which | | | | with ham and eggs. The locally prepared |
| is very well reflected on menus. Each region | | | | Bayonne ham is usually eaten sliced with |
| has its own dishes that history shows, or has | | | | bread but is also the basis of jambon à la |
| been adapted to show, that certain popular | | | | Bayonnaise (ham braised in Madeira |
| dishes stem from. Here is a small list of | | | | |
| some of the most popular ones: | | | | Provence and the south of France. |
| | | | |
| Brittany and Normandy | | | | The region has glorious weather to thank for |
| | | | its colourful, flavoursome specialities like |
| Tarte Tartin, Moules Mariniere, and the drink | | | | ratatouille and salade Niçoise. It is often |
| Calvados. Brittany is famous for its crepes. | | | | called the garden of France because of the |
| These can be savoury or sweet. Buckwheat | | | | high quality of its herbs, fruit and |
| flour is used to prepare galettes- a savoury | | | | vegetables. Dishes here rely on tomatoes, |
| pancake usually eaten with ham, cheese and an | | | | olive oil, garlic and plenty of fresh herbs. |
| egg as its filling | | | | It's not an area famous for its meat dishes, |
| | | | but a winter staple is boeuf en daube - beef |
| Champagne and the North Champagne's main | | | | stewed with red wine, onions, garlic, |
| contribution is obvious, but being on the | | | | vegetables and herbs. Perhaps its most famous |
| Belgian border there are also rich dishes of | | | | dish is bouillabaisse, a hearty fish soup |
| Flemish influence; the region's cooler | | | | brimming with lobster, crab, mussels or |
| climate also lends itself to growing | | | | clams, served as a main course and |
| potatoes, cabbages, beets, watercress, endive | | | | accompanied by rouille - a spicy mayonnaise |
| and leeks. Flamiche is a simple dish of leeks | | | | made with olive oil, garlic, chilli and fish |
| cooked with cream and eggs in a pastry crust, | | | | broth - and warm bread. |
| and endive flamande is made by wrapping | | | | |
| endives in ham and serving them with a white | | | | I am now hungry from sharing all this |
| sauce. Carbonnade de boeuf is another classic | | | | information with you. I shall have a small |
| dish, where the beef is slowly braised in | | | | slice of quiche lorraine, and then have my |
| onions and beer. A stew called chaudrée | | | | swim. Bon apetit. |
| (hence the word chowder) makes good use of | | | | |