Food spotlight: the French regions


Today, French cuisine is recognized as the gold standard around the world but this wasn’t always the case. In fact, it’s only after Catherine de Medici married the future French king Henry II in the mid-1500s that France’s fledgling culinary culture was born. That’s because Catherine found French food not to her liking and imported her progressive cooks from Florence and elsewhere in Italy. They introduced ingredients like garlic, truffles, and mushrooms, completely reinventing French menus.

Still, Catherine may have been a little hard on her new subjects. Throughout France’s regions, a treasure of gastronomic delights, passed down through the centuries, still remain for us to enjoy. Here are a few of our favorites:

Blanquette de veau: This classic northern veal ragout combines white meat with onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, cream, and rice and is often served with a Chardonnay or Pinot Gris.

Choucroute: The Alsace-Lorraine region of France borders Germany so it’s not surprising that many of its dishes are influenced by its Teutonic neighbor. Choucroute’s ingredients vary but often include hot sauerkraut, potatoes, and meat ranging from sausage to salted pork, back bacon, fish, or goose. The cabbage is usually heated with a glass of Riesling and goose or pork fat.

Ratatouille: Perhaps the most well-known regional French dish outside France, this stew originated around Nice and the Provencal region and can be enjoyed hot or cold. Key ingredients include zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, and aromatic herbs. Variations can be found throughout the Mediterranean from Catalonia and Majorca to Sicily, Greece, Turkey and Morocco.

Galette Bretonne: Most of us are familiar with traditional French crepes but these savory buckwheat ones from Brittany are another level of mouthwatering deliciousness. Usually stuffed with ham, cheese and a fried egg, this delicacy is also called “crepe sarrasin” (the French word for buckwheat) or “galette complète” because it’s considered complete from a nutrition standpoint. Nutritious or not, in our opinion, it’s a perfect meal – for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

What French dishes have you tried and which are your favorites? Share your culinary experiences with the Shop Talk blog community forum.

Did you know? Foie Gras

Though it’s preparation has become controversial in recent years, there’s no question this luxury delicacy, made of duck or goose liver, is divinely delicious.

39 thoughts on “Food spotlight: the French regions

  1. Foie Gras is incredibly inhumane. Do your research. The poor creatures are force-fed with a feeding tube until they become sick. “Foie Gras” means fat liver. There are much more ethical ways to eat delicious food without creating unnecessary suffering. Seriously, look up the process. It’s sickening. This site should be ashamed of itself for promoting this barbaric dish. Think before you act.

  2. I like different kind food and I do like seafood all kinds
    I will anything once

  3. These dishes sounds wonderful. I would love to give all of them a try. Sumptuous

  4. The first time I had French cooking, it was love at first bite. It was Chicken Crepe Suzette. The most delicious food I ever tasted.
    Rich, delicate and a delight on one’s palate.
    France is indeed one of the most favored destinations for any serious foody.

  5. I am a chef . I love this kind of notes. If you want I can write some articles on Latin Food.
    Or the ingredients that were taken from America to Europe, like for instance tomato and corn which made Italians best recipies

  6. The Ratatouille dish sounds great that you can eat either hot or cold! The zucchini and eggplant in it sounds interesting! I like that it is made with bell peppers and tomatoes! The aromatic herbs sounds the best! Best regards, Darlene.

Comments are closed.