French baguette
French food is one of the most recognized and renowned culinary genres in the world. Many traditional French food items are already well known to many Americans, such as foie gras, baguettes and famous French cheese. Most popular French foods are also the oldest; the mark of good food is withstanding the test of time. Many French foods are available at French or upscale dining establishments, but those that are not can be made at home.
Bread (Pain)
The French are famous for their crusts and few images are more symbolic of a French restaurant than a long crispy baguette tucked neatly in a basket. Baguettes are known for their crisp golden exterior and almost buttery airy interior. Many French eat baguette for breakfast with jam, for lunch as a sandwich with brie and ham, and alongside dinner in the evening. A popular after school snack for children is a quarter baguette sandwiched over a chocolate bar. Along with the French baguette, peasant round breads known as "boules" are a tradition in France that actually predates the baguette. Boules are round, crisp, and generally bake inside of a stone or brick fire oven.
Appetizers and Sides
Traditional sides or appetizers in French cooking include foie gras (creamy goose liver), escargots (snails cooked in butter and garlic), boudin noir (blood sausage), pâté (a spreadable paste made from a combination of ground meats spices and sometimes foie gras), ratatouille (stewed vegetables with a tomato base mixed with spices and oil), and salad Niçoise (salad made from lettuce, green beans, boiled eggs, olives, tomatoes, potatoes, anchovies and tuna.) Sides or starters before meals are generally served in small portions so as to leave room for the remainder of the courses.
Meat (Viande)
Traditional main dishes, or entrées from France are well known in many up-scale American restaurants. Coq au vin, chicken served in a red wine sauce is one of the most classic French dishes in the United States, as are boeuf Bourguignon (beef stew simmered in red wine), and the ever-popular cross cultural favorite; steak and fries, or steak au frites. Lesser known dishes, though no less traditional, include cassoulet, a traditional dish of the southwest of France. Cassoulet is a white bean stew or casserole mixed with a type of meat either saussage, game, pork, or lamb. Duck is another traditional dish, the most popular being canard roti, or simply duck roasted with a sweet fruit such as apples, pears or cherries.
Cheese (Fromage)
As with the baguette, "stinky" French cheeses are a symbol of French culinary culture, and none more so than brie. Brie is a soft cow's milk cheese produced in the Il-de-France region (where Paris is located) and is one of the most loved cheeses in and outside of France. Camembert, a cheese originating in the northern coastal region of Normandie, has a slightly firmer texture than Brie and a completely variant taste. Goat cheese, known as chevre (literally meaning "goat") is also representative of French cuisine as it is found in many dishes, a staple on the cheese plate, and a snack on the go when rolled in dried fruits.
Desserts
The desserts of France are some of the most popular in the world. Crème brulee (burnt cream), crepes, and mousse au chocolate (chocolate mousse) are commonly found on many American restaurant menus. Lesser known in the United States are the traditional mille feuilles (1,000 layers of puff pastry filled layered in the middle and on top with custard cream, fruit, caramel or chocolate), and the cousin of the American apple pie and pineapple upside down cake, the tarte tatin, a caramel apple upside down cake.
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