French cuisine is based on fresh and quality products. Food is prepared so that each product retains its own characteristics after being cooked. First courses in France are onion soup and leek puree soup with potatoes. The bouillabaisse thick fish soup is very popular.
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The country's chefs use beef, veal, lamb, fish, game and poultry. Many dishes are prepared on the basis of freshwater and sea fish: carp, cod, pike, halibut, etc. Seafood includes shrimps, oysters, scallops and lobsters. Oysters are very popular - the most exquisite dish in France according to many gourmets. These molluscs are grown on plantations or caught in special zones. Flat French oysters are designated madder, belon and arcachon. Oysters are sold by weight in the fall. They are eaten raw and fresh. A special knife is used to open the sink. Once opened, the oyster should be sprinkled with lemon juice for flavor and disinfection. Next, you need to eat it, sucking it out of the shell and enjoying the oyster taste. According to French tradition, this dish should be washed down with champagne or white wine.
The French actively use vegetables such as green beans, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, onions of various varieties, eggplants, celery, lettuce, artichokes, etc. They are taken for preparing main courses, side dishes and snacks. Residents of France pay great attention to cheeses. They prepare them from sheep, goat and cow milk. There are hard, soft, fatty, aged and other cheeses on sale. There are many types of cheese: Gruyere, Roquefort, Conte, Cantal, Camembert, etc. Cheese is included in many French dishes. In addition, it is also served before dessert and with wine.
Sauces are a famous part of the national cuisine. Over 3000 different sauces are prepared in the country. French chefs skillfully prepare meat dishes. Beef, pork, lamb and other meats are stewed, fried, boiled and baked. The classic dish is steak with deep-fried potatoes. The almost raw steak with a light crust is especially popular among the locals.
A variety of pates is a delicious meal. They are prepared from rabbit meat, pork, chicken and pork liver, partridge and duck. In the process of preparing many products, chefs add a bunch of herbs or a "bouquet of garni" to the pan. It makes ready meals very flavorful. The bunch contains bay leaves, savory and parsley. It is removed from the resulting dish.
Features of the national table
French dishes are used with natural wines. Most often, semi-dry and dry wines are served on the table, such as Burgundy, Provencal, Cansi, Chablis, Medoc, Sauvignon, etc. Wine is added to food during cooking. Some recipes prescribe adding it to soups. Light wines are usually drunk during lunch and dinner, combined with mineral water and fruit juices. The most commonly used spirits are apple vodka or calvados.
