French Cuisine by Voigtlander 40mm f2 SL II

French Cuisine

Have you ever wondered who inspired the world to transform a basic necessity into the biggest Service & Catering Industry known to mankind? Which is the mother country of cuisines?

Tracing back the answers by having a walk down the historic lanes of Cuisines, there is a unanimous answer. French Cuisine has been regarded as the basis for all basic forms of Western Cooking.

French Cooking influenced the World in such a way that from the 15th century onwards, food preparation became an art and the basic meal began to be referred as Cuisine. With daily discoveries of new forms of preparation and experiencing 4 different auras of cooking, the French Cooking has come a long way in serving people from all countries.

French Food Culture is renowned for its gastronomic delights and diverse recipes. France offers one of the richest and most varied cuisines in the world. French cuisine can offer you a different meal-menu for a complete year without repeating any dish. French cuisine is diversified into two broad categories known as the National Cuisines and Regional Cuisines.

French Cuisine is perfect blend of both forms of cuisines. National Cuisines are an inherent part of the French culture since ages. From breads to savory dishes, desserts to preserved foods, French National Cuisine has something to offer for every taste-bud. Some of the exquisite varieties that you would find in a French cuisine are:

Breads : Ficelle, Flûte, Pain Poilane, Bouillabaisse, Les endives, Boudin blanc and Baguette. Chicken, lamb and rabbit are the most commonly used forms of non-vegetarian food.

Savory Dishes: Biftek frites, Poulet frites, Blanquette de veau, Coq au vin, Civet de Lapin and Andouillette. Desserts hold a special place in French Cuisine just as in any other regional food.

Desserts & pastries: Chocolate Mousse, Tarte Tatin, Mille-feuilles, Choux à la Crème, Tartes aux fruits Crème Brûlée, Madeleine, Gâteaux, and Profiteroles are few famous delights.

French Preserved Foods are used in excess by the locales. They are a good substitute for daily-cooked meals. Cassoulet, Choucroute garnie, and Duck confit are the famous preserved foods. There is a wide range of French regional dishes which are greatly influenced by the French Geography. One can easily see the Egyptian Influence in the regional food segment.

The very first similarity that you find is the method of softening meats. Just like Egyptians, French people have started using wine for this purpose. Okra is one of the meat dishes that are eventually made into stew. Inspired from the Egyptian cooking style, French people changed the feel of side-vegetable in this dish. Another important influence is seen from the staple food of Egypt. Fish is the staple diet of Egyptians which has now found a way in almost every meal-course in France. At least one dish made from fish can be found in the French cuisine. Many recipes and important spices that are used have their origin in Egypt. Dishes of Alsace, Picardy, Brittany, Burgundy, Roussillon, Languedoc, Côte d'Azur, and Corsica can be regarded as regional delights of France. While Alsace dishes include Spatzle, Baeckeoffe, Bredela and Baba au rhum, Picardy dishes include the famous Waterzoi (fish stew in sweet water) and Hotchepot (four different meats stewed with vegetables). Côte d'Azur delights such as Bouillabaisse (stew of different Mediterranean fish with tomato and herbs) and Pieds Paquet (lamb feet in savory sauce) have become very popular among Asian tourists. Slowly but steadily the French cuisine culture is mixing well with its traditional cuisine recipes and is being given the new name of Nouvelle Cuisine. Such a relishing description of French cuisine might have left you mouth-watering for your share of pie. So, go grab a French delight and relish the wonderful taste of French Cuisine.

Regards

James Wei