A Culinary Delight - Famous French Food

The French are famous around the world for their cooking. It is often thought that fine food is French, and many say that it’s difficult to go to France and eat a bad meal. While the cuisine itself is well-known, and each region has its own specialties, there are certain French foods that are famous throughout the country and around the world.

French Bread

Perhaps the most famous French food is French bread, especially the baguette. A baguette is a long, skinny loaf of French bread with a soft center and a thick, crunchy crust. It is served for breakfast, sliced down the middle with butter or jam, or for lunch as a sandwich with ham and cheese. It also is sliced and served with dinner, or for a snack with cheese or pâté. There are actually French laws that define French bread as being made from only four ingredients - flour, water, yeast, and salt - and ensures a tasty loaf of bread every time. Often in the evenings in France you will see people coming home from work with a baguette tucked under their arm for dinner.

Rich and Savory Dishes

French food is famous for being rich and savory. Dinners are often large meals, served late in the day with the entire family. Perhaps the most famous French food is coq au vin, a chicken in red wine sauce. Served throughout France, coq au vin is usually made with local wine and is seasoned with mushrooms and garlic. Biftek frites, a steak served with French fries (yes, they serve French fries in France!) is also well-loved. Lapin (rabbit) is also a French delicacy. French food has many famous seafood dishes as well. Mussels are often served in a large bowl with wine and garlic. Also famous is bouillabaisse, a rich seafood stew. It is made by boiling fish and shellfish with herbs, garlic, and wine.

Rich Desserts

With so many famous French foods, you hardly have room for dessert. But French desserts are equally as famous as other French foods. Crème brûlée is probably the best known French dessert; a rich custard that has been heated to have a top layer of caramelized sugar. Also well known is chocolate mousse, a thick chocolate pudding made from eggs and cream. There is also my favorite French dessert, tarte tartin. Tarte tartin is an apple tart that is served upside-down, with the apples being caramelized in butter and sugar. It is often served with rich vanilla ice cream.

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