World Cheese Culture: France. The influence of microclimates and history created an array of cheeses so spectacular that they required their own course at dinner: The cheese course, a sacred tradition in French cuisine. The cheese course is usually served directly after the main course, but before dessert, or sometimes instead of dessert.
The French consume about 53 pounds of cheese per person annually (second only to Greece, at 68 pounds per capita each year.) I know France and cheese are closely connected, if not synonymous, but why? To find the answer to this question, I needed to examine what makes this country so well-suited for cheese production.
French cooking is incredibly complex and is built upon many years of history. Still most chefs would agree that technique, ingredients, and the dining experience are important components of this cuisine.
The Loire Valley is known for its goat’s milk cheese because warriors from Arabia brought goats with them when they invaded in the 8th century. The influence of microclimates and history created an array of cheeses so spectacular that they required their own course at dinner: The cheese course, a sacred tradition in French cuisine.
Cheese Platter Serving a fruit and cheese board at the end of a meal is a classic French way to finish things off.
Le Dessert (Dessert) Since it is served towards the end of the French dinner, dessert is commonly light and small to prevent guests from feeling too full.
An apéro is a casual social gathering where drinks and snacks are served. Cheese is eaten in moderation in France. It's quality as opposed to quantity. Eating a little high quality cheese after your main meal will allow you to feel more satisfied, resulting in eating less cheese.
The French like cheese au natur, or as it comes.
In Europe, however, the timing of salads are a little different. European-trained chef Karl Guggenmos explains that in France, diners believe that a green salad consumed after a main course can assist with digestion. “Since salads are rich in fiber, they will aid in the digestion of the food eaten before.
The cheese course is not served at the beginning of the meal, it should be served after the entree and before dessert. If inclined, serve the cheese course with a strong, sweet port wine. Just a few sips per person will be perfect! You can serve the cheese with a french boule bread.
Cheese are alkali by nature, which neutralises the acids left by the food we have consumed. Drinks such as Pepsi and sweet foods such as cakes and biscuits, are particularly acidic, so eating cheese after these will be effective. Cheese will essentially help to combat acid erosion in the teeth.
The French would never serve it before a meal, as they believe that the cheese course is a wonderful way to encourage guests to stay around the table a bit longer and is a perfect excuse for another bottle of wine.
It is thought that the Romans introduced the first cheeses into France. It was the French monasteries that began to perfect the delicious tradition of French cheese. These monks were meticulous in creating these cheeses and their experimentation is where we came up with the numerous varieties that we have today.
A cheese course can be as simple as one great cheese for guests to nibble on at their leisure after dinner, or it can be a carefully considered platter of selected cheeses, showcasing a variety of textures and flavors — for instance, a semisoft cheese like Camembert, a hard cheese like aged Dry Monterey Jack, and a ...
Traditionally during a French dinner, cheese is served after the main course and before the dessert. You may notice that restaurants will often offer on the menu a plate of cheese in or just before the dessert section.
The right time to have cheese is right before the dessert The French don't like ending a meal with cheese, so they always follow it with dessert, which could even be just grapes.
There are more than 400 types of cheese in France, so it should not come as a surprise that cheese, in itself, can be a course in a French dinner. In this course, a cheese board is prepared, consisting of cheese of varying textures and flavors.
The French are renowned for their passionate love affair with food. French cuisine is extremely diverse, with a subtle touch of elegance added into even the simplest meal preparations. Those who have never experienced a French dinner should be prepared for a long evening ahead. Not only do French people appreciate each morsel of food slowly, ...
French onion soup is often an appetizer in a French dinner. Terrine is a common French appetizer. In the eastern regions of France, sauerkraut may be served as a side dish during the third course of dinner. French cheese like Roquefort can be served during the cheese course.
Salmon mousse with capers is a popular course in French dinners. Baked hake and vegetables with a rich mornay sauce. Cognac is often served as a digestif at the end of a French dinner. Wine is served throughout a French dinner, and red wine is paired with red meat.
L'Apéritif (Aperitif) An appetizer with cream cheese, tomato, olive, and basil. During the first course in a French dinner, hosts invite guests into their living room and serve them light alcoholic drinks and small appetizers to stimulate their appetites for the meal ahead.
The digestif signals the end of a French dinner. Guests are offered small doses of strong alcoholic beverages such as cognac, brandy, or whisky. The cultural practice of serving digestifs at the end of a meal may have declined due to higher awareness of the dangers of drunk driving.
In addition, the aperitif is a way for everyone to become better acquainted. Waiting for any latecomers becomes more bearable in this relaxed environment.
French cuisine varies according to the season. In summer, salads and fruit dishes are popular because they are refreshing and produce is inexpensive and abundant. Greengrocers prefer to sell their fruits and vegetables at lower prices if needed , rather than see them rot in the heat. At the end of summer, mushrooms become plentiful and appear in stews throughout France. The hunting season begins in September and runs through February. Game of all kinds is eaten, often in elaborate dishes that celebrate the success of the hunt. Shellfish are at their peak when winter turns to spring, and oysters appear in restaurants in large quantities.
French cuisine. For the 2015 film, see French Cuisine (film). French wines are usually made to accompany French cuisine. French cuisine ( French: Cuisine française) consists of the cooking traditions and practices from France . French cuisine developed throughout the centuries influenced by the many surrounding cultures of Spain, Italy, ...
Champagne, Lorraine, and Alsace. Game and ham are popular in Champagne, as well as the special sparkling wine simply known as Champagne. Fine fruit preserves are known from Lorraine as well as the quiche Lorraine. Alsace is influenced by the German cuisine, especially the one from the Palatinate and Baden region.
Paris and Île-de-France. Paris and Île-de-France are central regions where almost anything from the country is available, as all train lines meet in the city. Over 9,000 restaurants exist in Paris and almost any cuisine can be obtained here.
A typical French Christmas dish is turkey with chestnuts. Other common dishes are smoked salmon, oysters, caviar and foie gras. The Yule log is a very French tradition during Christmas. Chocolate and cakes also occupy a prominent place for Christmas in France. This cuisine is normally accompanied by Champagne. Tradition says that thirteen desserts complete the Christmas meal in reference to the twelve apostles and Christ.
In French cuisine, beverages that precede a meal are called apéritifs (literally: "that opens the appetite"), and can be served with amuse-bouches (literally: "mouth amuser"). Those that end it are called digestifs .
Le petit déjeuner (breakfast) is traditionally a quick meal consisting of tartines (slices) of French bread with butter and honey or jam (sometimes brioche ), along with café au lait (also called café crème ), or black coffee, or tea and rarely hot chicory.
French Cuisine is a heavenly amalgamation of culture, tradition, sophistication and, perhaps above all, a love for food. The French look beyond the ingredients and techniques that go into creating a rich blend of flavors. It has to also be considered as a way of life.
1. Baguette. Baguettes. A baguette is a classic long and thin loaf of French bread. Even though it existed beforehand, the term baguette only became part of popular culture from 1920 onwards. The baguette is made of very simple ingredients namely flour, water, salt and yeast.
The macaron is a staple of French cuisine and has a smooth and crisp shell with a chewy and moist interior which melts in the mouth.
Foie Gras is made from the liver of the duck or goose which has been fattened specifically for preparation of this delicacy. The fattening process is called gavage. Ducks account for over 90% of the foie gras production as its taste is described as more “rustic” than goose.
Bisque gets its flavors from roasted shells. The aroma and flavor of bisque is often what sets some restaurants apart from the rest. An important technical aspect of preparing bisque is to not wash any utensils or dishes used while preparation to preserve and maximize the flavor.
They are usually eaten as sandwiches cut in half and also for breakfast. A thicker baguette is called "pain" whereas a thinner version is called "ficelle". Like most breads, they are best when fresh and stale rapidly as time passes. Bilal Aftab Usman April 25 2017 in Society. Home.
It has to also be considered as a way of life. French cooking is sophisticated and requires patience and practice to master every aspect of it. French cuisine has been incredibly influential, particularly in the realm of western cuisine.