If you decide, then you will have to get used to new formats of eating. Firstly, what the French eat is very different from what Russians are used to eating, and sometimes very contrasting. Secondly, in France they often, a lot and willingly talk about food, and if in Russia they often hastily put a sandwich in their mouth, thinking about their favorite work, then in France the opposite is true - work will wait if the Frenchman is going to slowly chew his favorite baguette with a piece cheese. Thus, there is a difference not only in favorite dishes, but also in the culture of consumption. And if you decide live in France for permanent residence then all this will be for you important point. However, getting used to the new format and the new attitude to food in France is not difficult at all, just like new dishes. After all, most dishes in France are very tasty, and even if it’s not so easy for you to switch to them at first, then later on you will surely be happy to eat exactly what France offers you, and dishes from other countries, including dishes from your own country, to which you are accustomed initially, will no longer seem so tasty to you.

Apart from the taste, almost every French dish is healthy. And the French themselves often discuss the usefulness different food and see to it that in this respect they lead healthy lifestyle life. So - it is not only tasty, but also useful.

What do the French love?

Here sample list those dishes and drinks that the French are crazy about.

1) Coffee. The first place is really worth giving coffee, because this drink is the most popular in this country. The French drink coffee several times a day, literally at every opportunity. Morning for a Frenchman is unthinkable without coffee, but even at lunchtime, a Frenchman will definitely miss another cup, and in the evening he will not refuse.

At the same time, the French like to drink black espresso coffee, without milk, despite the fact that it is bad for the stomach. For lovers gourmet coffee Italy is more suitable with all sorts of cappuccinos, in France they drink quite "hard" coffee - but in large quantities. If you come, you will have to get used to coffee as well, because this is the kind of drink that the French drink all the time.

2) Cheese. Cheese is rightfully included in the list of the most favorite foods and dishes for the French. Yes, sometimes cheese can be an independent dish, in many cafes and restaurants you will be served the so-called " cheese plate with pieces of cheese different varieties. In France, there is simply an unthinkable number of different varieties of cheese, in fact, this is the cheese capital of the world. Arriving, you will learn about such varieties of cheese as Camembert, Roquefort (however, it is just well known abroad), Chevre. Cheese is added to salads and even soups, so you will find it in almost every French dish. To fall in love with cheese for someone who came to France is the number one task.

3) Vegetables. The French eat a lot of vegetables because they are good for health. Almost every week the French go to the market for fresh vegetables. At the same time, vegetables on the market are more expensive than in stores, but a conscious Frenchman is ready to pay more in order to end up with proven quality. Many French people are personally acquainted with the farmers from whom they buy products, there are certain attachments and predilections for the products of this or that supplier farmer.

Many of the vegetables that the French love take some getting used to. For example, when cooking, a very large amount of greens is often used, which is very useful, but not everyone likes it. Eggplant, zucchini, potatoes and tomatoes - this is what is familiar to the Russian and dear to his heart. French fries, by the way, is a very common dish that is often cooked in France. And a very tasty meal.

4) Meat dishes. Meat in France is also eaten often and a lot. Patés and steaks are popular. Dishes such as bloody steak with a fried crust, vegetable stew with meat are common. Most often in France, poultry and beef are used.

5) Seafood. The French here differ from most representatives of other nations, both in terms of love for products of this kind and their diversity. But on the French table you can often see oysters and shrimps, scallops and other seafood. Also, the French, as you know, love frogs, which, however, do not belong to seafood, but they are not far from them. Frogs, however, are a delicacy, and indeed are designed for a narrow circle of lovers, and if you come to France, then do not be afraid that you will be served frogs on the first day. By the way, French frogs in their taste do not differ much from the same oysters, while they are grown specifically for meat in ecologically favorable conditions in special ponds, and the legs of such frogs are mainly used for meat. If you love seafood, then there is a good chance that you will like frogs too.

6) Wine. Regarding this noble drink, then France is also his homeland. It is here that most of the vineyards supply the material for the production of the best varietal wines in the world. However, even the cheapest wine in France is very tasty, you can buy a bottle for only 1-2 euros - and already enjoy the full taste and aroma. This is explained by the fact that in France, without exception, all wine is of natural origin. If you are coming live in France for permanent residence, you can be sure that you will not only not be poisoned by local alcoholic products, but also get extraordinary pleasure from drinking it. France is a country of winemakers, and almost every self-respecting Frenchman understands wine at one level or another. You can also have a vineyard, if you so desire, and produce your own wine.

For all that, the French usually do not drink much, their goal is not to make themselves drunk, namely to enjoy wine. For this reason, they most often drink it in small sips throughout the evening and rarely drink more than one glass during this time. And it's very French. A Frenchman can drink alone, going out with a glass of wine on the veranda and savoring it in small sips, while looking at the people passing by and thinking about his own. Such enjoyment of life, coupled with wine, is very characteristic of the French, who can generally be called one of the most cheerful nations on the planet.

7) Sauces. Sauces from the arsenal french cuisine also cannot be excluded. Sauces are served with almost any dish, especially meat. But you can also see interesting and unusual sauces, which are served with vegetable dishes. In fact, almost every dish in France has its own sauce. Which, without a doubt, makes French cuisine much more interesting and varied.

8) Soups. In general, soups in French cuisine do not occupy such a privileged place as in Russian cuisine. However, the French still love soups, however, mashed soups are the most popular here. An interesting fact is that almost every soup is added, again, cheese (in grated form) and small crackers. This makes the French soup exquisite and unique in its appearance. The French eat their soup, just like all other dishes, exquisitely and gracefully - slowly and enjoying every drop.

9) Baguettes. In general, baking is loved in France, and despite this, the French are one of the most slender nations in the world. Baguettes were invented by bakers, according to one of the legends, during the war years, and the advantage of baguettes is that they bake very quickly. But even to this day, baguettes are very loved in France. They are made, as a rule, without any additives - only flour, yeast and water. If you feel like getting up early in the morning to go to the bakery for a fresh, hot, crunchy baguette and eat it with a cup of coffee for breakfast, you should know that you are already half French.

conclusions

If you were invited to visit France (it's easier in a cafe, as you can order your usual dishes there), then get ready for a lot of new things. The French rarely put a lot of food on the table, but for sure you will be treated to good wine, vegetables and a sweet dessert. French hosts won't force you to eat everything they have - eat and drink little and keep the conversation going, praise what you like and you won't have to try what you don't want.

What the French don't like

Now let's talk about what dishes the French do not like and what you are likely to say goodbye to when you come to live in France for permanent residence. These dishes should not be offered to the French - they fundamentally do not accept some of these dishes, and some simply do not understand. The sad thing is that almost all traditional Russian dishes are on this list.

1) Tea. This drink is drunk on the other side of the English Channel - in Britain. As for the French, they simply do not like tea. You will almost never find it in a Frenchman's apartment, although in a cafe, most likely, tea will be on the menu. But even then, for the most part, for foreigners. The French are so unaccustomed to tea that some of them almost never even tried it. In addition, tea would undermine the "monopoly of coffee", which rules here almost without limit. In short, do not offer tea to the French, but rather make a cup of coffee for them!

2) Fatty salads. That salad that Russians call Olivier and are proud of its supposedly French origin is actually a nightmare for any Frenchman! Because the composition of such a salad includes everything that contains a lot of calories - eggs, sausage, mayonnaise. For a Frenchman, such a salad is simply unacceptable. As well as herring under a fur coat, which among the French, who know about such a salad, is considered a very harmful dish, and at the same time not very tasty. If you want to make a salad for the French, chop up any vegetables and sprinkle them with more greens - your French friends will certainly not refuse.

3) Okroshka. Such a dish seems normal only for Russians. After all, kvass (already an unusual product for foreigners), in which vegetables, eggs and sausage float, looks intimidating and unappetizing. If you offer okroshka to a Frenchman, for the first time, divide it into salad and kvass in a glass. However, the dry component of okroshka is too reminiscent of Olivier, and therefore it is highly doubtful that the Frenchman will eat it.

4) Russian soups. Yes, and rich Russian soups are also not liked by the French. Firstly, they are accustomed to mashed soups, and in Russian soups everything that was cut into it can be seen at a glance. Secondly, the French believe that cabbage soup with sour cream or mayonnaise is literally too fat. If you want to surprise a Frenchman with soup, then just grind all the ingredients with a blender, and the Frenchman will be satisfied.

5) Mayonnaise. Despite French names Russian mayonnaise, this sauce (and this is a sauce) seems to the French too fat and artless, while they have dozens of other sauces in their national culture - more tasty and healthy, in their opinion.

6) Buckwheat. It would seem that this is not a dish, but just a food product. At the same time, buckwheat has many proven useful properties. But the French simply do not grow it and do not know it. You will practically not find buckwheat in a French store, moreover, you will need to explain for a long time what it is all about. If you love buckwheat, bring it to France with you or look for specialized stores for those whose soul yearned for the national Russian flavor.

7) Dairy dishes. Milk and in general all products and dishes based on it are not very popular in France. Except, of course, cheese, but that's another story. Semolina, milk vermicelli and many other dishes that seem international are also unknown in France or simply have not taken root. Despite the fact that the same semolina or oatmeal is much more healthy breakfast than what a Frenchman usually eats for breakfast - cheese with a baguette and coffee. By the way, oatmeal the French also do not eat on the water, unlike the same British.

8) Jelly. One of the brightest Russian dishes is, again, incomprehensible to the French. It looks at first glance unusual and intimidating, and it has a peculiar taste. Despite the fact that the French, in principle, love all such dishes that have a liquid-solid consistency, such as puddings and jelly, but their soul usually does not accept jelly.

conclusions

Thus, if you receive French guests, then try to cook not what you are used to eating, but what they are used to eating, so as not to end up as heroes of a fairy tale about a crane and a fox. The perfect set dishes to meet French guests is vegetable salad, plate with big amount cheese, good wine and any meat dishes. This will allow both you and your guests to have a good time at the meal and conversation.

None National cuisine, cannot surpass the French in originality and sophistication. What is eaten in France is different from the food in other countries. French cooking is an art. Each dish is prepared own recipe, adding even zest to well-known recipes.

French Cuisine

The French brought in everyday cuisine real luxury. High towers are built from sweet dishes. Meat, oysters, fish are stacked on "pedestals". Compared to other European countries, French chefs use less dairy products. The exception is french cheeses. More than three thousand sauces are used in French dishes Oh. All French dishes are prepared exclusively from fresh products, the quality of the products is preserved after heat treatment. French cuisine is multifaceted, in different areas countries may have disagreements regarding the recipes of certain dishes. However, regardless of areas, French cuisine is replete with vegetables and root crops.

About the cuisine of Provence

Indispensable in Provencal cuisine are vegetables, garlic, spices: tarragon, marjoram, oregano, basil, dill, parsley, rosemary. Vegetables are used in hot and cold dishes. vegetable dishes they are very satisfying, so sometimes they replace the main ones.

Cod, pike, halibut, carp, sardines adorn most Provencal dishes. Bouillabaisse is especially popular in France with small varieties of fish, seafood, vegetables, wine, and spices. Mussels and oysters are in demand.

Meat in Provence is used with restraint. There are several dishes: beef stew, lamb stew, suckling pig, Parma ham, which are on the tables of the French.

Dessert in Provence is in great demand. There is always chocolate, nuts, nougat, dried fruits, cookies on the table. One of my favorite pies is clafoutis with apple-cherry-apricot filling. In any pastry shop there are always cakes, buns, cakes, marmalade, sweets, creme brulee.

About the cuisine of Burgundy

Burgundy cuisine uses wine in many dishes. Wine is added to sauces, gravies. Meat and snails are marinated in wine. Snails are served without shells, adding parsley and onions.

About the cuisine of Normandy

Dairy products are valued in Normandy: cream, butter, Camembert cheese. In Normandy, meat and fish are always cooked with cream. And such dishes as Normandy beef side with cream and mushrooms and Rouen-style duck can be cooked so deliciously only in Normandy.

About the cuisine of Lorraine

Lorraine is famous for its open pies with slices of smoked lard or ham with melted cheese. The national dish is braised cabbage Alsatian style with pork and smoked breast.

About the cuisine of Lyon

Lyon cuisine is famous for its unusually delicious Lyon gratin onion soup. Traditional christmas dish- fried capon with chestnuts. Capons (young males) are grown in cages, which makes their meat juicy, incomparable in taste.

French dishes

Every dish cooked in France can be remembered for a lifetime. Most famous dish, cooked French chefs – frog legs. France is also famous for its cheeses, they produce more than 500 different varieties: hard, soft, young, aged, with a crust, with mold. Also known are the "snail in Burgundy", eggs "cocote" with extragone. National dishes such as ratatouille, julienne, baguette, croissants are known not only in France. Often they are also on the tables of Russians.

French national drink is wine, the most famous are Bordeaux and Burgundy. Wine is served with almost every dish, and sometimes included in the cost of set meals. French champagne, cognac, Calvados are no less famous in the world.

The food system in France is directly opposite to the sensational rule: eat breakfast yourself, share lunch with a friend, and give dinner to the enemy.

The French breakfast is very modest and is called a small breakfast for a reason. (le petit dejeuner). Most often, it is limited to a cup of coffee and a small bun, bagel or sandwich. It is interesting to note that the French prefer sweet sandwiches at breakfast - often bread with butter and jam/jam.

Lunch (in French terminology "breakfast", le dejeuner) starts at 12 noon. It usually consists of appetizers, green salad, meat or fish dishes, cheese and coffee.

Evening meal, at 6-7 p.m., is called lunch (le dîner) and also provides several dishes: an aperitif, green salad, a hot dish (meat with a side dish), a cheese plate (several types of cheese cut into small pieces and laid out on a specially provided plate) and coffee with sweets (often with chocolates, cookies).

The culinary traditions of the French have been preserved not only in good restaurants but also in ordinary families. At festive family dinners, and especially at dinners with guests, you can perfectly see the main features of French cuisine.

Before the start of dinner, guests are offered an "aperitif" - spirits with nuts, almonds or dry biscuits - to stimulate the appetite. The lunch proper, as in the 16th century, begins with an “introduction”: vegetables, meat or fish snacks. Soup is rarely eaten now, more often in the village. The basis of the festive city dinner is fish, meat or poultry with the corresponding white or red wines.

Abroad, the French are considered lovers of frogs, and it is not at all accidental, because the French really willingly eat the tender white meat of the hind legs of a frog, reminiscent of chicken meat in taste. However, for a family dinner, this is a rather expensive pleasure, so frog legs are not eaten every day.

In an ordinary French family, they most often eat steak with fried potatoes, stew with vegetables, rabbit stew or. Along with beef steak, horse meat steaks are prepared, which is sold in special butcher shops.

Of the dishes that are exotic for a Russian person, the French love shells and snails. Some shells are eaten raw - they resemble oysters. Others are specially prepared - their meat is similar to the meat of crabs or crayfish. Very tasty dish comes from large grape snails"escargot": they are baked in oil with parsley and garlic and served directly in the sink.

Main family celebration- Christmas - in the old days they cooked a roasted boar. Then it was replaced by a pig, now more and more often a turkey. The Christmas table is usually decorated with a dish of oysters and a special, oblong-shaped cake - "Christmas log" . Final part holiday dinner consists of green lettuce, cheese, fruits, sweets and coffee. After coffee, guests are offered cognacs or liqueurs; they are collectively called "digestif" - facilitating digestion. If the aperitif opens the procedure of a festive dinner, then the digestif completes it.

These are the simple traditions of the usual French table! Don't forget to check out our French recipes page. This is a selection of fairly simple and easily implemented recipes for which you do not have to spend a lot of money on unique seasonings and ingredients. You can easily cook everything yourself!

In preparing the article, materials from the book by V.P. Smirnov "France: traditions, people, impressions"

Liked the article? to always be up to date.

The French are an incredibly proud nation. They are proud of their language, free education, health insurance, democracy. But, above all, the French are proud of their cuisine. Here, eating is no longer a culture, but a cult. No wonder the cuisine of this particular country has been included in the list of the World Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO for eight years now. The first and only of the world's gastronomy.

For the French, lunch or dinner is not just a meal, but a significant part of social life: an occasion to get together with friends or colleagues, chat with family, and have a good time. Therefore, this process is strictly regulated, and any deviation from it is perceived as an insult.

So, the French do not welcome snacks, but have lunch and dinner at a strictly defined time. Lunch - from 12 to 15, later - it is impossible. If you want to have lunch after three in the afternoon, you will hardly find a decent restaurant open. You will have to wait for dinner, which starts around seven in the evening, or look for a simpler cafe, say, a brasserie. Or, excuse me, McDonald's.

Aperitif always, digestif everywhere

Lunch and dinner follow approximately the same scenario, the difference can only be in the amount of alcohol (in the evening, of course, more). First of all, an aperitif. Twenty minutes before a meal, every self-respecting Frenchman will drink a glass of wine, port or liquor, whichever you prefer. Some prefer stronger drinks like gin or rum, but in society it is customary to leave them for a digestif (a drink after a meal for better digestion). Alsatian white wine with the unpronounceable name Gewurztraminer (the German neighbors make themselves felt) enjoys special respect as an aperitif. anise tinctures(for example, Pastis and Ricard), muscat sweet wines, and in the summer - Breton and Normandy cider.

By the way, if we are not talking about a lunch break on a normal weekday, but about dinner with friends or a traditional Sunday family dinner‘le répas dominical’, then the aperitif can stretch for an hour. And if you heard somewhere that Russians drink and drink, and Europeans have a drinking culture, then I can assure you: the French still know how to drink an aperitif on an empty stomach. Therefore, it is important to move from an aperitif to an entre in time.

What about first?

Antre, that is, the first course or snack, there are three types: soup, salad or, in fact, an appetizer. In France, as, indeed, throughout Europe, soup is not in honor: you can’t find whole pieces of meat in it, like in borscht, they don’t put sour cream in it, and, of course, it will not replace the main dish.

The most popular is the famous onion soup. Lots and lots of onions fried and stewed in butter, the fattest broth, and on top - croutons covered with melted cheese. Beware, very high in calories and super nutritious! More diet option- Just vegetable soup, analogue Italian Minestrone. Thin broth with potato pieces, peas, onions, beans and other vegetables at the discretion of the chef. If desired, you can find fish soup, and tomato, but these dishes are less common.

Of the salads, the most famous are goat cheese salad ( goat cheese, lettuce, croutons), Nicoise salad (tuna, green beans, tomatoes, egg) and Russian salad (our familiar Olivier). Russian salad is located in the same place as the menu in Russian - in a very tourist places. By the way, if the waiter helpfully asks whether to add a salad to your main course - do not flatter yourself, in the French sense, a salad is just lettuce leaves, more complex dishes have their own names.

The rest of the options, which we modestly labeled as "snacks", include all the most interesting: snails in burgundy sauce (that is, in garlic sauce), boiled mussels, fatty liver of goose foie gras, oysters, beef tartare or tuna tartare and ... egg with mayonnaise. Yes, the French love eggs with mayonnaise on the entrée, and in front of my eyes, one representative of this glorious nation, choosing from snails, mussels and foie gras, settled on it.

From appetizers onwards, food is washed down with wine or beer, and what they drank for an aperitif is no longer drunk! If they drank wine for an aperitif, then they drink another wine with food, do not offend the French, follow the rules. And be careful with the baguette, which is served in in large numbers, because the main dish and dessert are still ahead!

And for the second?

The main dish is usually meat and a side dish. Fish - cod or salmon - are also found, but if this is not the coast, then you should not expect much from it. With meat, the choice is much richer and more varied. The most famous is, of course, Burgundy meat: stewed pieces beef with potatoes. Thanks to long languishing, the meat becomes tender, and a little red wine gives it a refined aroma. Or ramp steak medium rare with Roquefort sauce. Or a veal blanket à l'ancienne, rabbit in mustard sauce, lamb leg stewed with rosemary…

Or, here, duck confit - a leg that languished for hours in its own fat over low heat. Or duck magret - fillet with skin, baked for a long time in the oven, which is served sliced ​​into thin pieces with something sweet like a pear or an orange. Another must-try poultry dish is rooster in wine (may sound familiar in French - “kokovan” or ‘coq au vin’). He, like duck, cooks slowly, and therefore just melts in your mouth. By the way, the French replace the long phrase “cook for a long time on low heat” with one word - ‘mijoter’, which betrays their love for slowness and thoroughness in kitchen matters.

France, despite its modest size compared to Russia (just don’t tell the French this, they have the largest country in the European Union), seems huge due to regional features and differences, including gastronomic ones.

So, the already mentioned Alsace is famous for its chowder: pieces of pork, bacon, sausages and sausages, potatoes with sauerkraut for garnish. From Lorraine to the whole world became famous quiche lauren: open pie stuffed with eggs, cheese, smoked brisket(This classic recipe, of which there are hundreds of variations). And the dish of the Alpine shepherds is fondue, melted cheese in a pot, in which pieces of baguette on thin skewers are dipped. Or raclette - the brother of fondue, here slices of potatoes, gherkins or olives are dipped in cheese. From the French south, cassoulet has become famous throughout the country: thick bean soup with meat: pork, poultry or lamb.

Voila, now dessert

Creme brulee, fondant, profiteroles, tiramisu, chocolate mousse, ice cream or cheese. Yes, the French serve cheese as a dessert, do not be surprised. Therefore, if there is still a baguette and strength, you can take a piece of Camembert or Roquefort for dessert. If not, fruit salad helps. Just don't skip dessert - don't discourage the French. Order coffee, enjoy the aftertaste in detail and do not forget the digestif: a stack of strong will help you survive this feast.

This order of serving dishes is preserved even in the case of a home feast, and this is a huge difference from the Russian table we are used to. The proximity of salads to main courses shocks the average Frenchman, and if he sees sliced ​​\u200b\u200bfruits (read - dessert) on the same table, then he nervous system will never recover. Another French nightmare at the Russian table is that no one pauses between an aperitif and the meal itself, no one! Everyone eats and drinks at once, without changing the drink for an aperitif to a drink for an entre. So, while the Frenchman finishes his aperitif, the Russians have been dancing for a long time.

Once again I will say about the hours of eating: they must not be violated! If a Frenchman sees his child eating yogurt at the wrong time, a scandal cannot be avoided. Because, ate yogurt - interrupted appetite - did not finish dinner - duck confit flew into the trash - apoplexy.

Are you sure you haven't missed anything?

And in conclusion, breaking the laws of logic, let's say a word about breakfast. There is no breakfast in France. Forget what mom and grandma said, this is not the main meal here. It's hard to believe, but the average Frenchman really has coffee with a croissant for breakfast, which is optionally replaced with a bun with chocolate or jam, toast with jam, a bagel with raisins, or something similar. In general, only simple, only carbohydrates. In cafes and restaurants, you should look for a normal breakfast by the word "American" or "English". However, the French are not too worried that after their modest breakfast, after two hours they feel hungry, after all, lunch starts at 12, and the regime cannot be broken, and it's time to warm up a little with an aperitif.

France is known for its beautiful language, cozy cities, gorgeous beaches and delicious food. Food in France is a cult thing. It is believed that there are 2 great cuisines in the world: classic French and Chinese. Whether you agree with this statement or not is up to you. And in this article we will look at the features of French cuisine, what any tourist should definitely try, 10 interesting and tasty dishes and 12 useful tips so as not to hit the plate with your face.

• Average cost of a meal in a French restaurant– 16 euros.
• Full meal for one person with a glass of wine– 35 – 45 euros.

French breakfast - le petit déjeuner

© ralphandjenny / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0

The traditional breakfast in France is not intricate. The French eat a baguette with butter and jam/cheese/pâté, a croissant or bagel, or cereal for breakfast. Dessert is fruit. As you can see, the dishes on the morning menu are not too varied. From drinks - Orange juice, tea, coffee or hot chocolate.

French lunch - le déjeuner

In many places in France, lunch is served from 11:30 to 13:00. As a rule, travelers dine later and sometimes face the fact that they are refused to be served. Like, the guys came late, they ate everything. If you are late with lunch, then head to a self-service restaurant, where you have a better chance of eating.

Traditional french lunch comprises:

• starter: salad, soup or puree soup, pate and cold appetizers;
• main course: meat or fish with potatoes, rice, pasta or vegetables for garnish;
• cheese plate and/or dessert.

Often the dessert is not listed on the menu and you have to listen to the suggestions of the waiter. For dessert at French restaurants they serve fruits, jams, ice cream, rarely pastries, you can press everything on top of coffee.

Dinner in French - le diner

The French have dinner between 19:30 and 20:45. TV channels adjust the start of their main evening TV shows to start at 20:45 - 21, when everyone has dinner.

For dinner in France, they eat lighter dishes - vegetables, soups, etc.

1. The simplest and most important advice, which I give to everyone, regardless of which country a person goes to - eat where the locals eat. Usually, in France, they have lunch from 12 to 13 hours, and dinner from 20 to 21. I understand that you are on vacation and do not want to be tied to a strict schedule, but you will find the largest selection of dishes in restaurants at this time. Tourist establishments make concessions, but I do not recommend tourist restaurants to anyone - they are always more expensive and often less tasty.
2. Grab a business lunch. In case you don't know, this is a fixed lunch menu. You are given a choice of several sets of dishes. Each set usually includes 2 courses and a dessert. In France they are called "le Menu du jour". Business lunches are a great way to get acquainted with French cuisine without overpaying.
3. If you want to dine like a real Frenchman, then you are supposed to drink an aperitif first, usually wine or a Kir cocktail (white dry wine and blackcurrant liqueur).
4. Bread- an integral part of the French table. The French won't start eating without a good fresh baguette.
5. But you will not find on the table paper napkins. The French use exclusively fabric. They pick them up under the tablecloth. Napkins are important too!
6. The more it stinks cheese- the better it is.
7. The French use knives while eating, not only to cut off a piece of steak, but also to push the food from the plate onto the fork. So a knife is a must, as is the bread, as is the cheese sandwich at the end of the meal.
8. Butter slightly salted in France.
9. In France, a slightly different understanding of the word "dessert" than in the rest of the world. Don't expect to be served éclair au chocolat, choux à la crème, or Paris-Brest after dinner. Most often, fruits, yogurt or jam are meant.
10. In France, you are practically you won't find vegans, probably, they all emigrated a long time ago away from the temptations of French cuisine.
11. In France, it is customary to add salt and pepper to dishes to taste. It is easy to distinguish a salt shaker from a pepper shaker, the salt shaker has several holes, the pepper shaker has one.

© kotomi-jewelry / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0

Do you need to tip in French restaurants?

In French restaurants, tipping is considered the norm. There is no fixed price here, so it's hard to tell how much to tip. All by feeling. The normal amount of a tip to a waiter for good service in a restaurant is 10% of the check amount. In cafes or self-service restaurants, they usually leave 1-2 euros as an expression of gratitude.

French food every traveler should try

1. Les cuisses de grenouille s - frog legs

You can't come to France and not try frog meat. It tastes like chicken with a slight touch of seafood. The French cook frog legs with herbs, it turns out very tasty. Don't give up until you try.

1. Foie gras - foie gras

What you should definitely try in France is foie gras - the liver of a specially fattened duck. It is best eaten fried, but if that thought scares you, you can order a foie gras pâté and spread it on a baguette.

1. Escargots - snails

Another popular French dish that makes many people shudder at the mere thought is snails. Delicious snails fried with garlic, butter and parsley. Snails are taken out of the shell with a special fork. With experience, it even turns out not to splash into a neighbor opposite.

© stoic1 / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0

1. Boeuf tartare - beef tartare

Tartar is a dish of raw chilled beef, egg yolk, spices, onions, capers, gherkins and heaps of variations of additives. If you take it for the first time, then first take one dish for the company, for some the taste may be too unusual - these are the features of French cuisine. But for many, tartare is a real delicacy.

1. Cheval or taureau - horse or bull

Or a horse and a bull. Do not rush to turn up your nose at this dish. generously flavored with wine and orange sauce you will remember it for a long time.

1. Any cheese that you don't like at first sight

Too smelly? Too soft? Too thick mold? Spread it on a fresh baguette with butter, and you will sing in a completely different way.

5 proven French dishes that everyone loves

1. Croissant

Buy a croissant. Necessarily. Fresh, still warm, delicious... Buy it and bring it to me!

1. Macarons

Small fragrant delicacies with a huge assortment of flavors. Especially wonderful with salty creamy caramel but the rest of the flavors are fine. Many manufacturers have their own signature flavors.

© omarsc / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0

1. french mussels

Steamed mussels with potatoes for garnish. You can eat them in classic cooking with onions and white wine, or more interesting options with Roquefort and saffron.

1. Duck

Duck roasted and stewed, chopped and whole, duck liver or cassoulet with sausages and beans - everything is delicious.

1. your favorite cheese

Not only to experiment with smelly varieties. Taste your favorite cheeses in France. Believe me, coming to the market to buy cheese from a person who probably milked the animal that gave milk for this cheese is an amazing experience.

10 Unusual French Cuisine Dishes

In this list all 10 dishes, but they are all unusual. I'm willing to bet that most of them you never knew existed. It's not duck liver or frog legs. You can try these dishes in almost any restaurant in France. Under each dish you will find a list of addresses of restaurants where, according to locals, this dish I'm sure they cook delicious food.

1. Bouillabaisse

© colonnade / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0

French bouillabaisse is a fish soup, i.e. fish soup. It was once considered the food of the poor. Marseille fishermen simply boiled seafood that they could not sell. This means that the main criterion for selecting fish for bouillabaisse is its unattractiveness. Google for interest what a scorpion fish looks like, and you will understand everything. But in our time, bouillabaisse has entered the restaurant menu and is considered an exquisite expensive dish. There are many variations of this soup. I do not advise ordering bouillabaisse cheaper than 30 euros per plate. Often the soup is served in 2 stages - first the broth with croutons and spicy sauce, and then a plate with 5 varieties of fish.

Where to try: obviously in Marseille. Delicious bouillabaisse is served at Le Miramar (official website: lemiramar.fr; £54) and at Chez Fonfon (chez-fonfon.com; £46).

2. Tartiflette

© heatheronhertravels / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0

Tartiflette is another bright representative of French cuisine. This is very hearty meal. It includes potatoes, bacon and onions sprinkled with Reblechon cheese. Legend has it that poor peasants were taxed for their milk. The more milk a cow gives, the more you pay. The cunning people quickly adapted and began to milk the cows only halfway, and after checking, milk them to the end. Reblechon cheese was made from leftover milk. The amount of cheese was as great as the unwillingness to pay taxes. It was necessary to put it somewhere, and in 1980 they came up with the dish of the same name.

Where to try: in the Alps. Tartiflette is delicious at Calèche in Chamonix (restaurant-caleche.com; £16) and Chalet La Pricaz (sav.org/pricaz.html; £15). Detailed addresses can be found on the websites.

3. Cassoulet

© wlappe / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0

The cassoulet dish includes stewed white beans, sausage and pork. The result is a casserole cooked in a special pot. A crispy crust forms on top, but inside the dish is very juicy. All this splendor is sprinkled with herbs and served on the table.

Where to try: in Toulouse at Restaurant Emile (restaurant-emile.com ; £20).

4. Beef bourguignon or beef in Burgundy (Beef bourguignonne)

Authentic national dish of France rich history And rich taste. While the Europeans were fighting for a place in the sun, the Burgundians left the world political arena and, it seems, not in vain. But they came up with a lot of delicious dishes. I strongly advise you not to lean on Burgundy food, otherwise you will have to take apart the restaurant wall to get you out. I'm kidding, of course. But a hot meat dish rich in wine will not joke. Many Burgundians are chubby guys, mind you. Because it's very, very tasty.

Where to try: in Dijon, at the D "Zenvies restaurant (dzenvies.com; £14) and at Beursaudière (beursaudiere.com; £17).

5. Pissaladiere

© alanchan / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0

Pissaladière is a famous fish onion pie. Contains onions, garlic, anchovies, olives and Provencal herbs. To some, it resembles an ordinary onion pie, to someone pizza. Call it what you want. It won't make it any less delicious.

Where to try: in Antibes (lepain-jpv.com).

6. Potjevleesch

© merlejajoonas / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0

One of the most distinctive meat dishes in France. It is based on 4 white meats - veal, pork, rabbit and chicken, all mixed with pieces of vegetables in jelly. Potivlash is served with gherkins, salad and chips.

Where to try: A-l "Potée d" Léandre in Souchez (alpotee.fr; £14.50), Barbue-d" Anvers in Lille (lebarbuedanvers.fr; £16) and T "kasteelhof in Kassel (http://lvermeersch.free.fr/kasteelhof )

7. Auvergne stew with vegetables (Potée auvergnate)

© Jiel Beaumadier / CC BY-SA 4.0

Pork, sausage, bacon and vegetables stewed together. Not haute French cuisine, of course, but this is a simple and very tasty dish. Do you understand now why France is so tight with vegetarians?

Where to try: Auvergne meat is well prepared in Auvergne, which is not surprising. It is advised to go to l "Alambic in Clermont-Ferrand (alambic-restaurant; £14.50).

8. Choucroute

© images_improbables / flickr.com / CC BY 2.0

Alsatian choukrut is no joke to you. While the Latin and Germanic worlds shook the area with conflicts, in which Alsace periodically got to, the locals spat on all this politics and took up the arrangement of the economy. As a result, the Alsatians have spacious houses, flourishing villages and chic national cuisine. Shukrut is a dish made from sauerkraut, sausages and pork, someone cooks it with rice, someone with potatoes. There is an option with fresh cabbage, but in my opinion it is less tasty. Carefully! After properly cooked choukrut, it is very difficult to get out from behind the table without assistance.

try The canonical French Choucroute is available at Chez Yvonne in Strasbourg (restaurant-chez-yvonne.net ; £16) and Maison Kammerzell (maison-kammerzell.com ; £17).

9. Aioli (Grand aioli)

Aioli is famous sauce with garlic. Grand aioli is a dish of salted cod, carrots, potatoes, shellfish, beans, onions, artichokes and, in some variations, beets and other vegetables. All this is seasoned with aioli sauce and washed down with rose wine.

Where to try: restaurants Maurin des Maures (maurin-des-maures.com ; £15), Restaurant Balthazar (bistrotbalthazar.com) and Le Petit Chaudron (restaurantlepetitchaudron.fr) in Avignon.

10. Grilled oysters with champagne and saffron

What is French cuisine without shellfish? The locals love them. Oysters are especially fond of. However, the Britons boldly replace the classic raw clam with a grilled one with herbs and champagne.

Where to try: restaurant Les Ormes in Barnville Carter (hotel-restaurant-les-ormes.fr; £12).