If there is something
clear in the world, is that the gastronomy language is
French. Its kitchen is the national pride of the French
people and it justifies a visit by itself. Their delicious
plates can be found in all type of places: from the small
taverns to the restaurants of chefs internationally recognized
as Bocouse, Ducasse or Troisgros.
The breakfast consists on coffee, tea or chocolate with
croissants and bread with butter or jam. If something
fast is wanted, the best thing is "plat du jour"
(plate of the day) in some tavern, or croques-monsieur
or croques-madame, hot sandwiches of ham and cheese in
a brasserie. In the street booths can be bought potato
chips, crêpes, gauffres and all type of sandwiches
in baguette bread.
The fame of the French good eating is, in a way, the responsibility
of its regional kitchen variety. As much in the Northwest
coast as in the Mediterranean, we found quality fish,
as well as seafood, oysters, mussels and clams hatchery,
specially in the zone of Aquitaine, Charente, Normandie
and Britain. The French rivers also offer good fish, whereas
in valleys and hills we found the "French orchard",
its cattle variety and milky products, specially its more
than 400 cheeses varieties. The most famous are Brie,
Roquefort, Camembert and those of goat.
On Alsace and Lorraine the kitchen is based on the meats
of hunting, lamb, pig and calf. Fruit cakes and mussel
are also very popular in the northern regions of the country.
Butter and cream are the culinary base in Normandie, where
the cheeses are the kings, without forgetting the seafood.
Britain is a crêpes country, along with oysters,
lobsters and butter pies. In Bourgogne are very popular
the calf charolais combined with mustard, and the snails,
consumed of all the imaginable forms.
Duck, goose, and by extension the foie gras, are elements
of the kitchen of the region of Dordoña, Midi-Pyrénées,
they are served marinated and accompanied by plums, raisins,
compote or trufas. The typical plates of Auvergne are
cabbage stew, pig, peas and the garlic soup, as well as
some of their good cheeses, while in Provence we will
be able to taste the typical Mediterranean kitchen based
on olives, garlic, fish soups and salads. Specially peculiar
is the gastronomy from Corse, based in smoked pork, eels,
trouts and wild herbs.
A special part deserves the city of Lyon, world-wide Mecca
of the gastronomy. Their smoked meats, sausagges, the
chicken bresse and the cake lyonnais are some of the characteristic
delights of this city. Although are the great restaurants
of haute cuisine that grant their fame to Lyon, the certain
thing is that the best way to taste its typical plates
is to make a stop in one of its bouchons, typical city
taverns.
The glasses are always full in France. In spite of the
recognized spiritual drinks like armagnac, cointreau,
the cider or the calvados, the king is the wine. The French
are authentic lovers of good wines and its country is
seeded from corner to corner of vineyards. The great producing
regions are Bourgogne, Bordeaux and Champagne, although
we can also found good wines in the valley of the Loire
and of the Rhone and in Provence.
|
|
|
