Carousel and Contemporary French Cuisine and Food Culture

French Cuisine and Food Culture

The most important part of the French Meal is the baguette, a long thin loaf of crusty bread. The French Cuisine is extremely diverse, which offers some of the world’s most extraordinary good foods ion all its forms. The rich cooking of Classic French Cuisine and French Food Culture have changed drastically from the 1970s. The New French Cuisine has a healthful cooking philosophy with all crisply cooked vegetables; fruit based sauces to flour and cream sauces. From classic French cooking to Nouvelle Cuisine, and the many French Regional Cooking Styles, there is something to satisfy just about every palate.

The French Meals are very basic, such as the traditional baguette plus cheese plus inexpensive wine, to very detailed affairs than can involve a dozen courses and different wines consumed over several hours. The more Sophisticated French Dining is typically found in "French restaurants" outside France, which gives many foreigners the mistaken impression that French Food is heavy and complicated. In fact, much of the French cuisine is fairly simple, relying on high quality fresh ingredients and loving preparation rather than complex recipes.

Soups and Stews Fish Soup Provencale Cream of Lettuce Soup French Onion Soup

Main Dish Poultry Chicken in Red Wine Coq au Vin Chicken Fricassee

French Specialty Ingredients

Every region of France has its own distinctive traditions in terms of ingredients and preparation. The French people have great passion for good food, served in all its varied forms. Cheese and wines are the most integral part in the French Cuisine and are used as accompaniments as well as ingredients. French Meals can be simple or elaborate affairs comprising different courses. Here are some of the very special French ingredients.

• Meat, Poultry, and Deli Products: Bacon, Beef, Boudin, Chicken, Cured ham, Dry sausage, Duck, Duck Confit, Duck mousse, Goose, Goose liver, Ham, Lamb, Lard, Mutton, Organ meats, Paté, Pork, Rabbit, Rillettes, Sausage, Turkey, Veal, Wild Boar.
• Fish & Seafood: Anchovy, Bass, Cod, Clams, Crab, Crayfish, Eel, Frogs' legs, Grouper, Haddock, Halibut, Herring, Lemon sole, Lobster, Mackerel, Monkfish, Mullet, Mussels, Octopus, Oysters, Perch, Salmon, Sardine, Scallops, Sea bream, Sea snails, Sea urchins, Shrimp, Snails, Smoked salmon, Sole, Squid, Sturgeon, Swordfish, Trout, Tuna, Turbot, Whiting.
• Dairy and Eggs: Butter, Crème fraîche, Eggs, Fresh Cheese, Half and half, Milk, Pasteurized milk, Quails Eggs, Yogurt, Whipping cream.
• Cheese: Beaufort, Bleu d’Auvergne, Brie, Camembert, Cantal, Chèvre, Comté, Crémeux, Emmental, Feta, Fromage à tartiner, Gouda, Gruyère, Mozzarella, Munster, Neufchatel, Parmesan, Raclette, Reblochon, Roquefort, Tome.
• Vegetables: Artichoke, Asparagus, Avocado, Beets, Belgian Endive, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Celery Root, Chard, Cucumber, Eggplant, Fennel, Garlic, Green beans, Green Onions, Lettuce, Leeks, Mesclun Mix, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Rhubarb, Salsify, Shallots, Sorrel, Spinach, Squash, Sweet Potato, Tomato, Turnips, White beans, Water cress, Zucchini

Main Dish Meats French Bean Casserole with Pork Braised Beef with Aspic and Marinated Vegetables Beef Stew Provencale French Boiled Dinner Beef Burgundy French Beef Stew French Pepper Steaks

Main Dish Seafood Fish Fillets with Spinach Fish with Green Grapes Coquilles St. Jacques French Scallops Shrimp de Jonghe Scallops and Mushrooms in Wine Sauce

Side Dishes Herbed Liver Pate Gruyere Ring Cheese Souffle Crusty Potato Cake Radish & Watercress Salad Onion Tart Vegetable Ragout French Garden Peas

Quick and Yeast Breads Brioche Croissants French Bread

Sauces and Condiments Bouquet Garni Sauce Bernaise

Desserts Fresh Fruit with French Cream Creamy Custard Sauce with Fruit Flan Cheese Straw Twists Gateaux au Rum French Ring Cake Gingered Pear Sorbet Madeleines Pear Bread