What do people eat in France?

Food Origins

	Tweet	Pin It

0

by Mya Kagan (whyzz writer) >> more about the author

----Don't miss famous Chef Emeril Lagasse's recipe for Croque Monsiers from his cookbook There's A Chef In My World! Scroll down!----

French cooking is well known in many places around the world for its sophistication and for the influences it has had on the cuisines of many other places! Meals in France, whether basic or elaborate, are usually given great importance and are eaten slowly so that diners may enjoy each other’s company and the foods they are eating.

The evolution of French food over time has been greatly informed by both history and geography. In certain parts of France, nearby neighbors such as Italy and Germany have influenced the foods of those regions. In particular, many sources cite the marriage of Catherine de Medici of Italy to King Henry II of France in 1533 as an important event that changed French food. – When Catherine de Medici came to France, she brought with her many of her cooks and her culinary practices, which came to be incorporated into French cooking and French life!

One of the most essential parts of most meals in France is a baguette, a special type of crusty bread that is long and narrow in shape. Cheese is also a common part of many meals. France is well-known for making hundreds of types of cheeses including Roquefort, camembert, and brie.

Some famous French dishes include the croque-monsieur (a sandwich made with baguette bread, ham, and cheese), bouillabaisse (a fish soup native to the Mediterranean coast of the country), Quiche Lorraine (a savory egg and cream custard usually made with ham or bacon and baked in a pastry shell), and Salade Niçoise (a special salad with tuna and hard boiled egg). – Delicious!

As with other places, people in France enjoy a wide variety of foods. While some of these might be traditionally French, others are foods and customs from other cultures, too!

In French cooking, the presentation of food is often considered to be just as important as its taste!

How do you think a meal is made better when food looks appealing and is presented nicely? Would it make you appreciate your food even more to see that time and care has been put into how it looks and now just how it tastes? If a food were served in an appealing way, do you think it would make you more likely to try something new or different??

Next time you’re helping to prepare some food with your family, try taking a few extra minutes to enhance its presentation before you sit down to enjoy!

CROQUE MONSIEUR (KROHK muhs- YOOR) from Emeril Lagasse's cookbook There's A Chef In My World!

In France, this sandwich is as popular as a simple grilled cheese is in America- but you’ll see that the French really know how to dress things up! This grilled sandwich is kicked way up by the addition of béchamel sauce and grated Gruyère cheese. Then the whole thing is broiled briefly so that it becomes hot, crunchy, and bubbly and- oh, baby, don’t make me talk about it! This is definitely food of love!

DID YOU KNOW…

The French translation of this sandwich is roughly “crunchy sir,” maybe because it comes crispy when broiled. A Croque Madame has a friend egg on top.

YIELD: 4 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¾ cup whole milk

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Pinch of ground nutmeg

8 slices thin white sandwich bread

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 ounces very thinly sliced ham (about 4 thin slices)

2 ounces thinly slices Gruyère cheese

¼ cup grated Gruyère cheese

2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives for garnish (optional)

TOOLS

Measuring cups and spoons ● cutting board ● chef’s knife ● small saucepan with lid ● wooden spoon ● whisk ● butter knife ● large skillet ● metal spatula ● small baking sheet ● spoon ● box grater ● oven mitts or pot holders

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare the béchamel sauce, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute, until bubbly. Do not allow to brown. Add the milk ¼ cup at a time, whisking to combine each addition with the butter mixture. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Season with the salt, white pepper, and nutmeg and set aside, covered, while you prepare the sandwiches.

Caution! Please have an adult help you to use your broiler.

2. Preheat the broiler.

3. Place 4 of the bread slices on a work surface. Spread one side of each slice with ½ teaspoon of the Dijon mustard. Divide the ham and Gruyère slices evenly among the 4 bread slices. Top each sandwich with the remaining 4 slices of bread. Lightly butter the outsides of each sandwich with the remaining tablespoon of butter.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. When hot, add the buttered sandwiches to the skillet and cook until they are golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.

5. Using the metal spatula, transfer the sandwiches to a small baking sheet. Divide the béchamel sauce evenly among the tops of the sandwiches and, using the back of a spoon, spread the sauce so that it covers most of the sandwich tops. Then sprinkle the grated Gruyère evenly over the sauce. Using oven mitts or pot holders, transfer the baking sheet to the oven and broil the sandwiches until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is lightly browned in spots, about 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the sandwiches from the oven and garnish with chives, if desired. Serve immediately.

Emeril Lagasse is a master chef and owner of several of the country's most talked-about restaurants in New Orleans and Las Vegas. He hosts popular TV shows and has become one of the most recognizable chefs of all time!

http://www.emerils.com/

Don't miss other recipes by Chef Emeril Lagasse in the Related whyzz below!