What is French Cuisine?

An Introduction to French Cuisine

French cooking is all about fresh, locally available ingredients and cultural traditions. That’s why French dishes are so varied and diverse—the style of cooking and favorite flavors vary depending on where the food is being made. Regional specialties are heavily influenced by the availability of local ingredients and by the culture of the countries closest to that part of France. Paris is like a melting pot for all these different types of French cuisine, so you’ll be able to experience a wide range of traditional French dishes. 

French cuisine is generally broken up into different categories:

Cuisine Bourgeoise
This phrase is used to refer to traditional, classically French cuisine and includes almost all of the dishes that we typically associate with “French cooking”. These dishes are usually very rich and cream-based and served in large portions.

Haute Cuisine
“Haute” cuisine is what we would refer to as gourmet. These dishes are often derived from classic French cuisine, involve a heavy amount of cream and butter, but are served in small portions with an emphasis on presentation. The finest, freshest ingredients are used. These meals are generally expensive!

Cuisine Nouvelle
This more modern style of cooking produces dishes that are lighter and simpler than the classic French cuisine. Portions are smaller and the heavy amounts of butter and cream is avoided.

Cuisine du Terroir
This refers to the regional specialties that were mentioned earlier. The “Cuisine du Terroir” will change dramatically depending on what region of France you are currently in. Take your taste buds on an adventure by exploring other regions of France during your weekends!

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