Paris baguette near me gastronomy is famous worldwide for its fine cuisine, with fancy preparations, and dishes such as foie gras, scallops, and frogs’ legs. However, there is much more than high-end gastronomy to discover!
What makes French food specific is the range of great local and regional specialties that vary widely from north to south, from west to east. And then, of course, you have all the cheese and charcuterie, which each deserve a list of their own. But without further ado, let’s get this ranking started! Cuisses de Grenouille I had to start with this one because while it’s a classic of French gastronomy, there is a myth attached to it that needs to be corrected: No, French people don’t eat frogs’ legs all the time. In fact, most of us haven’t eaten them at all.
And to be honest, they taste a bit like chicken—only slightly better, softer, and more delicate. They are usually prepared sautéed with butter and garlic. In the original recipe, the fish is slowly cooked with a purée of tomato and fine herbs. Today, soupe de poissons has become popular across the country, especially as a winter dish.
But it is still better to have it in Marseille, where they add the rouille, a special saffron mayonnaise that goes on top of the soup. Ever since people became more conscious about eating healthily, salads have been booming in French restaurants. This one is typical and is from the southwest of France, which produces the best goat’s cheese in the country. Cherry tomatoes, walnuts, slices of apple, or tiny cubes of bacon can be added, if you like. On top, comes the main ingredient: slices of toasted bread topped with warm goat’s cheese—and sometimes with a dash of honey. This is one of many gourmet salads you will find in French restaurants nowadays. The tomato is emptied of seeds, stuffed with the filling, then cooked very slowly in the oven, allowing the tomato juices to seep into the filling.
I know this can be shocking for some, but this is the heritage of centuries of game hunting by kings, lords, and peasants. But let’s get back to the lamb. That last detail makes all the difference, as the juices from the meat fall onto the potatoes, making them particularly soft and tasty. Another popular piece of lamb that is often prepared is carré d’agneau, but that’s considered a noble piece and is, therefore, quite expensive. The piperade is composed of Bayonne ham, fine herbs, tomatoes, and the special espelette pepper: a tiny, lightly spicy local variety that is traditionally dried on the walls of houses in the Basque countryside. Flammeküche, aka Tarte flambée If it seems German, it’s because it is.
Flammeküche is a specialty from Alsace, which for a long time was part of Germany and where a dialect similar to German is still spoken. This is the local version of pizza: a thin, crispy flatbread covered with fresh cream, cheese, onions, and locally produced bacon. It is called a flaming tart because it is baked close to flames in a brick oven. The most traditional version is cheese soufflé, but it can also include mushrooms or even be prepared as a dessert, chocolate soufflé and lemon soufflé being the most popular varieties. Soufflé is often served with béchamel, probably the most iconic of the numerous French sauces. A smooth, white preparation made out of milk, it is also used for lasagnas, potato dishes, eggplant dishes, and can also be the base for more complex sauces. Two very similar gourmet salads, the landaise and the périgourdine, share almost the same recipe.
The landaise is made with a base of green leaves, tomatoes, and cucumber, on which are added more sophisticated ingredients such as asparagus, apples, and, most importantly, several pieces of duck—placed warm on top of the salad. The périgourdine is very similar but even richer, as it includes warm potatoes, ham, walnuts, and bacon! I should also mention the even heavier duck gizzards salad, prepared with potatoes, mushrooms, and figs. These small pieces are washed to get rid of the excess salt, cooked separately, then added to a preparation of black lentils, onions, and carrots, along with sausages. This is a rather filling countryside winter dish that you will not find in restaurants. It is, rather, homemade — or you can find it pre-cooked in supermarkets.
Côtes de porc are merely pork ribs, and ventrèche, also known as poitrine fumée, is a piece of meat that has been salted, dried for about a month, and sometimes smoked. A specialty from the southwest of France, similar to Italian pancetta, it is widely popular grilled on a barbecue with aromatic herbs and put in a bread for a good sandwich. However, côtes de porc and ventrèche are often used in more elaborate preparations and can be added to vegetable soup or purée, with beans or lentils, for instance. A French version of the shepherd’s pie, hachis parmentier consists of two layers: ground beef with fine herbs at the bottom and mashed potatoes on top. This is all cooked together in the oven, giving the potatoes a gratinated finish. This is a simple yet perfect combination of taste and textures.
Despite the time it takes to prepare, this is usually a homemade dish for the entire family—and the first of many dishes featuring potatoes on this list. A green salad on the side couldn’t hurt! France to have many fish specialties. We do have a lot of great seafood dishes, but it’s mostly shellfish and crabs. French gastronomy to make a big deal out of them. As a consequence, this is the one and only fish dish on the list.