Do you have any good websites for french food history? for a french project. :-/?!
i have the cookbook mostly covered, but i dont really have much history on french food.
also if you have any recipes for french entrees. :-/
and no. french toast does NOT count
Answers: or any info? i just have to write a 2-3 page paper on french cuisine, and make a cookbook.
i have the cookbook mostly covered, but i dont really have much history on french food.
also if you have any recipes for french entrees. :-/
and no. french toast does NOT count
Hopefully this helps you out with your french project!! Good luck!!
For French citizens, location makes a difference in what cuisine is prepared. Metropolitan dwellers are likely to sample a wide array of regional and national dishes, while older, settled adults in rural areas adhere much closer to their native regional food.
Typical French foods rely heavily on regional products.
Fresh apples, berries, haricot verts, leeks, mushrooms, and various squash and stone fruits are among the most commonly used produce. Poultry, beef, lamb, and veal are easily available year round; game meat is especially popular and abundant during the hunting season that runs from early autumn to February. No matter the location, France has an abundance of artisan cheese and wine.
Southern France features the rich, sophisticated flavors of mushrooms and duck as well as the dramatic herbs, tomatoes, and olives borrowed from neighboring Mediterranean cuisines. Northern France also showcases a remarkable assortment of tastes, focusing heavily on farmhouse-style specialties using apples, dairy, pork, potatoes, sausage, and beer.
A History of French Cuisine :
France hasn’t always been keen on garlic, mushrooms, and truffles. Before the 15th century, seasonings and decorations were used to disguise food that had spoiled. France had what many today consider peasant food, simple fare without extravagant adornment.
In the mid-15th century, Catherine de Medici of Italy moved to France to marry the future King Henri II, bringing with her Florentine-educated cooks and a sense of creative drama and manners. In the coming years, French cuisine turned into a magical art of beautiful presentation and innovative flavors.
The 20th century brought about dramatic changes in French cuisine as well. Traditional haute cuisine (grande cuisine) is the world-renowned food made famous by its intricate preparation and precise presentation. It was the practiced model of French food preparation until food critics challenged it for being too inflexible.
New cuisine (nouvelle cuisine) was a 1970s backlash to the classic heavy French cuisine. It lightened up cream sauces and focused on the pure taste of fewer ingredients. It is evident in today’s general French cooking by flexible preparation methods and more experimentation with non-traditional flavors.
The French eat more cheese - an average of 45 pounds per person – than any other country in the world.
Vichyssoise, a pureed potato soup, was invented in New York City by a French chef.
The croissant, a delicate, flaky French pastry, was invented in Vienna, Austria.
Brazil’s coffee industry originated with an adulterous affair between French Guiana’s First Lady and Lieutenant Colonel Francisco de Melo Palheta. He came to settle a local border dispute, and he left with smuggled coffee seeds she hid in a goodbye gift.
French cuisine is a unique, cultural experience that melds flavorful, nutritious foods with beauty, leisure, and therapeutic preparation. Making and savoring French food is an art that takes a lifetime to master, yet requires that time stand still to appreciate its splendor. Explore French cuisine: an art, a tradition… a way of life.
In 1652, the first French cookbook appeared. "Le Cuisine Fran?ois," was written by a famous French chef, La Varenne, and it showed how French cuisine had become a vital part of cooking and dining in Europe. The book provided many preparation methods, including making a roux (a mix of flour and butter used for thickening soups and sauces). Before roux, the French, and others, had simply put bread in the soup to thicken it. Changes like these would make French cooking the most important type of cooking in Europe, and then the world.
Of course, other European regions have had an influence on French cooking, too. For example, the Alsace region of France borders Germany, and there are many inspirations from Germany in cooking of the region, including sauerkraut, sausage, and this is the area where Quiche Lorraine first developed. Each area of France has something unique to offer to the overall cuisine of the country.
Experts say dining in France is "theater," and that means dining and food preparation has turned into ritual in the country. Eating is to be enjoyed, shared, and most of all, filled with marvelous food. The food must be pleasing to the palate, but pleasant to the eye, too, and so, how food is offered on the plate is very important in French cooking.
Don't Forget the Wine:
Wine is an essential part of French dining, and it is paired to match the food that is served. During an elaborate French meal the wine is paired to each course. A light, bubbly Champagne may improve the first course. A dry white may go with the soup, and a hearty red might pair with the main course. A light, sweet dessert wine might go together with the dessert or cheese plate. The French are masters of combining foods with wine, and it is an essential part of their meals.
Old France:
Until the day the Bastille was stormed in 1789, the majority of French citizens were poor farmers whose diets were based mainly on grains. In the decades that followed, an upper class emerged – one that upheld good food as a mark of social standing. Despite the haute cuisine being served in the private homes of the elite, all was not well in the nation. During this time, seventy percent of French peasants still languished in poverty and malnutrition.
20th Century Cusine:
World War I heralded the beginning of modern French cuisine
Improved transportation during the first half of the 20th century spread the wealth and regional cuisine that had previously been segregated. Tourism came into high demand after World War II and furthered the need for grand cuisine at a fair price. Now anyone could saunter into a tavern or restaurant and have a substantial meal.
Here are some entree's!!
Tourtiere:
Tourtiere is a winter dish traditionally served at Christmas and New Year. While there are recipes with variations on the seasonings and spices, and different mixtures of pork, beef and veal, everyone agrees it is a favorite meat pie.
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground medium-lean pork
2 medium size onions, diced
1 cup water
1 tsp. salt
? tsp. pepper
1 large potato, cooked and mashed
2 prepared pie crusts
Directions:
Combine meat, onions, and water in a pan. Mix well. Stir while bringing the mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Spoon off excess grease. Add mashed potato. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cool. Line pie plate with one crust. Add cooled mixture and cover with second crust as you would a regular pie. Make 3 one-inch openings in top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake at 400o until golden brown. Serve hot. The pie can be refrigerated or frozen for later use.
Gateau de Saumon (salmon Cakes)
1/4 pound of salmon boiled
3 slices of sandwich bread
2 eggs
2 cups of milk
salt and pepper
thyme
1 round oven pan about 9' in diameter
Directions:
Separate the egg yolks and egg whites. Boil the salmon with water & teaspoon of salt. In a small bowl soak the bread slices in milk for a few seconds or until they are saturated. In large bowl mix the bread and the salmon (This will be very mushy). Add the two egg yolks to the bread and salmon mixture. Stir well and add the salt, pepper, and thyme.
In a separate bowl whip the egg whites until firm. Add the egg whites very slowly into the salmon mixture trying not to break them. Now you will need the round oven pan. Try to use a pan about 9 inches in diameterand 3 inches deep. We try to have about 1.5-2 inches of salmon mixture covering the pan. Grease the pan with butter or shortening. Pour the salmon mixture into the pan and smooth it out to the sides. Cook in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes. One can test with a regular knife too by inserting it into the pan. If the knife is relatively clean upon removeal then salmon cake is ready.
Steak Au Poivre
4 1-inch thick strip steaks
2 teaspoons kosher salt
? teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon light olive oil
1/3 cup shallots, chopped
? cup butter, cut into 2 pieces
? cup Cognac
? cup heavy cream
PREPARATION:
Season both sides of each steak with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat, and then sauté the steaks, 2 at a time, for 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer the steaks to a heatproof dish and keep them warm in a 175-degree oven.
Pour any leftover liquid from the skillet and lower the heat to medium. Add the shallots and 1 piece of butter; sauté for 5 minutes, until cooked. Carefully add Cognac (it may flame) and bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir in cream and other piece of butter; heat through, stirring constantly. Serve over steaks immediately.
Pommes de terre
1.3 lb. chicken breast
3 oz roquefort cheese
5 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1. Cut the chicken breasts in thin small strips
2. In a frying pan, pour 2 spoons of olive oil over a medium-high flame and cook the breast slices for 5 to 10 minutes, turning from time to time.
3. Take the chicken out from the pan, but leave the cooking juice in. Keep the chicken in a plate ; the inside must stay slightly pink. In the same pan, medium flame, crush the Roquefort cheese to get it softer and add the sour cream. Keep to simmer and turn with a wooden spoon in order to obtain a homogeneous sauce (reckon 5 minutes).
4. Put the meat back in the sauce and let cook the whole for about 10 minutes on a gentle fire ; you need to turn it every now and then so that it stays homogeneous.
Usually served with potatoes and green beans!!
http://frenchfood.about.com/od/explorefr...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_cuis...
I like to go to Google.com and type in what I'm looking for - I always get lots of sources there. So you would type in "French food history". You could also type in "French recipes".