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10 dishes that prove French food is amazing

Here are 10 amazing French dishes for your foodie bucket list. - by Rhys McKay
  • 02 Oct 2019
10 dishes that prove French food is amazing

The French take as much pride in their food as they do in their art and language. To French people, the enjoyment of food is a huge part of their cultural philosophy. What makes French cuisine so good that UNESCO actually declared it a “world intangible heritage”?

In this article, we look at all the things that make French food unparalleled and we list down 10 amazing french dishes that should have a place on your bucket list!

RELATED: Traditional French pot roast chicken

3 Reasons French cooking is so amazing

The French believe in sitting down to truly enjoy every meal

If you visit France, don’t be surprised if the locals take two hours to finish their meals. Lunch can consist of three to four courses, while French dinner can contain up to two or three separate meals. The French see food as much more than just something to satisfy hunger – it’s something to be savoured and enjoyed, each and every time it’s eaten. These cultural ideals transfer over to their cuisine, creating a rich and lavish food culture that permeates throughout French society!

The market is an important component of daily life

Shopping for food in France is so much more than just taking a trip to the supermarket. In France, local markets are part and parcel of their food culture and are the best places to score the freshest and most authentic ingredients. Mastering the art of French cooking requires a mastery of their markets!

The French love decadence… and moderation

Butter, wine, cheese – these rich and decadent foods are staples in any French meal. However, no matter how delicious the meal, the French also believe in moderation. Again, slow and steady wins the race here!

A cheese platter with grapes and red winen
Getty

10 French food you have to try

French appetisers

10. Pork Rillettes

This French pate dish is made of pork that’s poached in fat and shredded to bits. It’s spread on toasted baguette bread and topped off with dried apricots.

750grammes View Profile
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Ça sent l'apéro par ici avec ces rillettes de thon au fromage frais ! À tartiner sur du bon pain ou à manger avec des gressins 🙂⁠ ⁠ #rillette #rillettes #rillettesdethon #tartine #thon #apero #aperitifdinatoire #rillettesdepoisson #recettefacile #750g⁠ ⁠ La recette de @paprikasblog et @silviasavoirsetsaveurs 👇⁠ ⁠ Ingrédients :⁠ - 1 boîte de Thon au naturel (280 g)⁠ - 125 g de fromage ail et fines herbes⁠ - 2 piquillos grillés⁠ - 1 citron⁠ - 1 c.à.s. de ciboulette⁠ - 2 c.à.s. de crème fraiche liquide⁠ ⁠ Préparation :⁠ Placez le thon dans un saladier et émiettez-le à l'aide d'une fourchette. Coupez les piquillos en dés. Ajoutez les dés de piquillos au thon. Versez le jus du citron dans la préparation. Mélangez le fromage frais avec la crème fraîche liquide. Ajoutez cette préparation à la préparation au thon. Lavez la ciboulette, ciselez-la et ajoutez-la à la préparation. Mélangez pour obtenir une préparation bien homogène. Assaisonnez de sel et de poivre et mélangez de nouveau. Placez les rillettes dans des ramequins ou des bocaux, placez-les au frais au moins 15 minutes avant de les déguster.⁠

9. Quiche

Quiche is a creamy, tart-like pastry filled with eggs, milk, cheese, and vegetables. Sometimes, quiche contains meat or seafood, but it is typically a vegetarian dish. Outside of France, mini quiche is often served as an hors d'oeuvre.

Fun fact: Did you know that quiche isn’t French? Quiche originated in Germany, where it went by the name “kuchen” or cake.

chezmisa View Profile
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{ Quiche d'automne brocolis, tomates séchées et bleu de brebis }🍂... nouvelle recette sur le blog !! Pour célébrer l'arrivée de l'automne, quoi de mieux qu'une bonne quiche? Aujourd'hui j'ai acheté mes premiers brocolis🥦 après plusieurs mois d'abstinence. J'ai décidé de les twister avec des tomates séchées à l'huile en provenance directe de ma belle Sicile🍅 Production familiale étant donné qu'elles viennent de chez mes parents. Je pense que niveau traçabilité on ne peut pas faire mieux👌🏻 Et toi tu aimes l'automne? Filez découvrir la recette sur le blog, lien dans ma bio👆🏻 Bon appétit 🍃 #ChezMisa #LesRecettesDeMisa . . . #health #healthy #healthyfood #healthylife #foods #foodie #foodstagram #lunch #fit #healthylifestyle #blog #blogueuse #motivation #reequilibragealimentaire #mood #instafood #photofood #instadiet #instaclean #mangerbouger #reequilibrage #eatclean #quiche #autumn #automne #tarte

French desserts and French snacks

8. French crepes

Crepes can either be eaten as a sweet breakfast or dessert (sweet crepes) or a savoury snack (savoury galettes). As a dessert, French pancakes are filled with a variety of fillings, from jams, custard, syrups, Nutella, fruit, and whipped cream. 

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¡Afortunados los que podrán disfrutar de este delicioso #CrepeEuforia el día de hoy! 🤤 Ven por el tuyo o pídelo por @rappimde. . . . . #nurolscrepes #crepes #dulce #comida #food #postre #medellin #domicilios #rappi #creperia #domiciliosmedellin #oreo #helado #postre

7. Opera cake

This French cake is made by layering coffee-soaked almond sponge cake with ganache and coffee buttercream and glazed with chocolate. This decadent coffee cake is lesser known than crème brûlée, macarons, cream puffs, or souffle, but it’s just as irresistible!

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Opera Cake - a rich French dessert, that uses one of the most loved flavor combinations, chocolate and coffee.⁠ ⁠ #operacake #frenchdessert #chocolate #coffee #sweettreats #dessertoftheday #ontheblog⁠ ⁠

French entrees

6. Pot-au-feu

Pot-au-feu translates to “pot on the fire” and is widely considered as the national dish of France. It’s a beef stew containing veggies like celery, carrots, and turnips and is spiced with bouquet garni, black pepper, cloves, and salt. An easy and affordable dish to make, the famous chef Raymond Blanc once called it “the quintessence of French family cuisine” because it “honours the tables of the rich and poor alike”.

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In the mood for this. What's cooking on the back of your stove? 📷 by @smartanson for #thecooksateliercookbook #PotauFeu ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ . . . ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #thecooksatelier #frenchcookingschool #cookbook #beaune #burgundy #france #cookingfromscratch #frenchkitchen #farmersmarketinspo #frenchfood #flashesofdelight #eatlocal #tasteintravel #recipeoftheday #beautifulcuisines #petitejoys #eattheworld #eatseasonal #darlingescapes #visualoflife #marketcooking #cookingwiththeseasons #foodphotography #foodporn #foodstories #tastingtable #thekitchn #onthetable

5. Escargot 

Another classic dish, escargot is a French delicacy of edible land snails served with a butter and garlic sauce. Sometimes, the sauce is made with wine or brandy. Because escargot snails are often cooked with their shells, restaurants offer you a two-pronged fork to help you fish out the meat.

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Escargot were my M&Ms as a kid. Sometimes I miss home and just need a snail or 2 to get me over the hump. #escargot #snails #france #petittrois 📷 @capraphotography

4. Cassoulet

This pork and bean stew is made with spareribs, onions, cloves, thyme, bacon, white wine, tomatoes, and white beans. This hearty dish is typically slow-cooked for hours and eaten on cold winter days. The dish is very similar to similar European recipes, like the Spanish comfort food fabada asturiana.

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Meatball Cassoulet for dinner and oh my was it delish. Packed with vegetables and a delicious combination flavours. - Recipe coming to Slimming Eats in the next few days 😊 - #slimmingworld #weightwatchers #thekitchn #food52 #buzzfeedfood #allrecipes #tasteofhome #cookinglight #huffposttaste #bonappetit #tasty #eatingwell #feedfeed #wholefoods #foodandwine #thefoodfeed #instafood #eatingwell #thefoodfeed #f52grams #allrecipes #foodnetwork #glutenfree #cassoulet

3. Chicken coq au vin

Meaning “rooster in wine” coq a vin is one of France’s most well-known chicken dishes. Just like bourguignon (a traditional French beef stew), coq a vin is made with red wine (usually Burgundy), bacon, onions, and garlic. 

spicemode View Profile
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@halfbakedharvest really knows how to whip up some enticing eats. 🤤 This Instant Pot Coq au Vin has veggies, meats, and sauce galore!⁠ .⁠ .⁠ .⁠ #eatspicemode #spicemode #spices #indianfood #deliciousfood #curry #healthycooking #healthyrecipes #paleo #ilovecooking #foodlove #organicfood #eatclean #allnatural #feedfeed #buzzfeedfood #delish #eeeeeeats #nom #infatuation #eatingfortheinsta #chefmode #droolclub #forkfeed #goodeats #dinnerinspo #dinnerideas #foodiesofig #hungryaf #coqauvin

2. Ratatouille 

If you’re looking for top-notch vegetarian recipes, look no further than ratatouille. The dish that inspired the Disney-Pixar film is a vegetable stew consisting of tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, and a spate of other veggies, herbs, and spices. Since there isn’t one way to make the dish, there are lots of different ratatouille recipes out there! 

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The secret to a perfect last-of-the-summer-produce #ratatouille 🍅🥒 is a sharp knife and some oven-to-table cast iron. Find your weekend zen arranging the veggie rounds dish a la @astrokitty128 and @Chefsteps. Find the recipe on chefsteps.com. #madeinStaub

1. Tartiflette

Remember what we said about the French’s love for decadence? Tartiflette is a prime example of that! This potato and cheese dish is made with cubed potatoes, butter, and reblochon cheese! It’s creamy, rich, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

saycheese.me View Profile
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Put those lovely slices of reblochon cheese with some potatoes in the oven and you'll get a #tartiflette ​ Try to add veal bacon for a richer taste 👌​ . . ضع شرحات جبنة ريبلون الفرنسية مع بعضاً من البطاطا في الفرن وستحصل على طبق تارتيفليت رائع!​ أضف بعض من لحم العجل المقدد لطعم أغنى وألذ للطبق👌​ . . #reblochon #reblochoncheese #Saycheese #CheeseDessert #cheesetasting #Fromage​ #Cheesesofeurope #cheesesofeuropearabia #houseofcheese #frenchcheeses #cheese #CookingTips #Recipe #CheeseRecipe #Saudifoodies #instacheese #cheeselover #food #foodie #foodphotography #foodblogger ​

RELATED: Champagne and french fries are the ultimate pairing according to experts

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