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| Contents: Canada/BC: Student's Country: Language 101: Photo Page!
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A DAILY FRENCH CULINARY HABIT When you think of French cuisine, what comes to your mind first? Is it the endless varieties of fine wine, the rich cream-based sauces, or the infinite number of cheeses available? Did you know: In my country, you can eat more than one different type of cheese a day during the whole year! Indeed, France produces over four hundred different types of cheese! Actually, the French are also well known for the order and manner in which they dine. The French typically eat three meals a day.
2 - Mid-day meal, named “déjeuner”, is enjoyed between the hours of noon and two o'clock. French usually go to a brasserie or a coffee bar to have their lunch served. This consists of a frugal lunch composed of a salad and a piece of cooked meat or fish. Then, French end their meal with a strong coffee, called “espresso”, so they won’t be sleepy for the rest of the day. 3 – The final meal. Sacred one, the final meal of the day is reserved for family. Never earlier than 8:00 pm, this is a privileged moment for talking about “how was your day” or any kind of issues we want to tackle together.
Then, the main course, called the “plat”, is served. If you are visiting the northeast of France, don’t be astonished by the quantity of delicatessen you will see. And for sure, try the “choucroute”, a mix of delicatessen and cooked cabbage. Ideal for wintertime! If you are going to the opposite way, in the west side of France, have a huge seafood tray for two people. You won’t regret it at all!
Obviously, every course – exept desserts - is accompanied by “baguette” (french bread) and water. When traveling to France and dinning in a typical french family or in a restaurant, let me give you the following advices. Never add ice to wine; wine will be served at the temperature at which it should be drank. Avoid adding “ketchup” to enhance food; instead, it is more acceptable to try a variety of mustard. Do not ask for a "doggy bag", by all means. They don't exist in France. Just enjoy your after-meal alcoholic drink to help with digestion: an espresso enhanced by a shot of Cognac! by Lulu, from France |
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1 - Breakfast, named “petit-déjeuner”, usually consists of two slices of our french bread, called the “baguette” (with butter and marmelade on each slice – Try orange marmelade and salted butter, it tastes just delicious!), or hot croissants accompanied by a strong coffee or hot chocolate, and a fresh fruit juice. 
However, a French dinner can last a very long time! It begins with an alcoholic drink, called an “apéritif”. This includes such drinks as a “kir” (white wine with cassis, a sweet black currant liquor), a pastis (a liquorice liquor made with star anise and diluted with water - a must in Provence - South of France), a glass of wine (white or red). The next course is called the “entrée”. Depending on which part of France you live in, you can eat either the refined “foie gras de canard” (south-west of France “pate” cooked with duck’s liver) accompanied by a glass of fine white wine or a salad composed of tomatoes and mozarella (type of Italian cheese) with olive oil and basil (south-east of France). 
If you are still hungry, you can have a plate of different pieces of cheeses with green salad and also a dessert like homemade tarts or a “mousse au chocolat”. 