When it comes to the gold standard of fine dining, it’s hard to surpass the bar that’s been set by the cuisine and techniques of the French. As one of the world’s most respected cuisines, France has been responsible for influencing some of the top chefs and restaurants in the culinary world. And as foodies, travelers or both, we get to reap all of the tasty benefits. From duck confit and coq au vin to crêpes and tarte Tatin and a countless number of classic dishes in between, French food never fails to impress.
Hungry yet? Indulge your inner foodie with this eight-course visual tasting menu of French cuisine, complete with plenty of drool-worthy photos.
Soupe à L’oignon
You may know this hearty soup better under its American pseudonym, French onion. In France, though, this starter is known as soupe à l’oignon. Beef broth and caramelized onions simmer into a tender soup, which is then served in a ramekin and topped with a layer of croutons and melted gruyère.
Steak Tartare
Sometimes, the best dishes are the ones that require the least amount of cooking. A fine example is the French steak tartare, an appetizer of raw beef that’s finely minced or chopped, seasoned with Worcestershire, topped with a quail egg and garnished with capers.
Cassoulet
Come wintertime in France, the locals warm up over a bowl of the ultimate cold weather comfort food: cassoulet. Walking the line between casserole and stew, this dish features white beans as its star player, slow cooked to perfection as it soaks up the fat and flavor of an added meat (sausage, duck and goose are popular choices). Add a bread crumb topping and you’re in heaven.
Beef Bourguignon
Consider this the French equivalent of beef stew – just much, much better. Beef is braised in red wine, a French favorite, and broth, then simmered to a slow perfection with a medley of pearl onions, potatoes and herbs. This is French comfort food at its finest.
Confit de Canard
The rich, tender and juicy meat known as confit de canard, or duck confit, has managed to find its way into all manners of cuisine over the years. You don’t have to look far to find chefs serving up duck confit on fries, tacos and sushi rolls, just to name a few. But when you’re curing tasty bird legs in a delicate spice blend and cooking in its own fat, how could you possibly go wrong? Fusion creations aside, you still can’t beat the French classic.
Bouillabaisse
A medley of local fish come together for the traditional seafood stew of Marseilles, a French port city with a plethora of the rockfish, eel and shellfish that typically make up this French dish. Traditionally using no less than three fish (although some French cuisine experts would insist there must be at least five), bouillabaisse is made by cooking the fish in a broth of tomatoes, onions, leeks and herbs.
Coq au Vin
It seems everything is better with wine – especially when it comes to the kitchen. Coq au vin is the perfect testament to this cooking philosophy. Chicken is braised with red wine, then slowly cooked with lardon and mushrooms. Carrots and potatoes often make their way into the mix, too.
Tarte Tatin
Culinary mishaps can sometimes be a beautiful thing. Just look at the tarte Tatin, possibly the most delicious baking mistake that could hit your plate. Legend has it the upside-down tart came to be in the 1880s, when Stephane Tatin of France’s Hotel Tatin accidentally overcooked a batch of apples for a pie. To rescue the dessert, she covered the apples in pie crust, baked it in the oven and served it as an upside-down tart. Tarte Tatin has been a French dessert staple ever since.
(Main image: ironypoisoning used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
