France is a country located in Western Europe. It is known for many things—not only is it one of the world’s leading contributors to art, science, and philosophy, but it is also one of the best countries to go for if you’re a foodie!
That’s because French cuisine is almost like an art style. It relies on using the right cooking techniques to amplify and enhance the flavors of fresh ingredients.
It’s also about the presentation. Many dishes in France are super colorful and plated beautifully. They look just as good as they taste, making eating France dishes even more of a fun experience.
Revel in the beauty of the France dishes below!
1. French Onion Soup
Starting off our list is a classic French appetizer—the French onion soup. In this dish, white onions are caramelized in olive oil and deglazed with beef stock and white wine until they’re sweet and tender. Then, it’s topped with some French bread and a ton of gruyere and parmesan cheese before being baked in the oven.
To eat French onion soup, you need to have a bit of the bread, cheese, and soup all in one bite. The cheese really cuts into the richness of the soup and leaves you wanting more. Indeed, French onion soup is so addicting that you can easily turn this appetizer into a full-blown meal!
2. Coq au Vin
Coq au vin is a traditional French stew that features braised chicken in red wine and brandy sauce. The combination of chicken, mushrooms, onions, and bacon provides a very succulent taste that melts in the mouth. Pair it with creamy mashed potatoes or fluffy rice to soak up all of that gorgeous sauce!
The history of coq au vin is pretty blurry. While it’s clear that people have been braising chicken in wine for centuries, the first actual recipe similar to coq au vin was only discovered in 1864. The dish then became popularized by Julia Child, a cooking teacher who introduced French cuisine to the United States in the 1960s.
Whatever its origins are, coq au vin is definitely something you need to try!
3. Beef Bourguignon
Similar to the coq au vin, beef bourguignon is a dish that has beef braising for a few hours in a red wine sauce. It’s surprisingly a peasant dish—back then, peasants made do with whatever cut of beef they had and didn’t even need a lot of them. The beef was just used to add a meaty flavor to the stew. The bulk of the dish is made of carrots, onions, and mushrooms, and it’s best paired with mashed potatoes and rice as well.
4. Ratatouille
Ratatouille isn’t just a lovable Disney rat with dreams of being a 5-star chef, you know. It’s also a vegetable dish that you also see in the movie. Here, thin slices of numerous vegetables like eggplants, zucchini, and tomatoes are roasted in some flavorful broth. Typically, the sliced vegetables are arranged in rainbow order to create a dish that’s stunningly beautiful and colorful.
Like beef bourguignon, ratatouille is a peasant dish. The ingredients themselves are very affordable, and the dish can be eaten with cheap bread and rice too. It just goes to show that you don’t have to eat meat to have a meal that’s filling and warm in the tummy.
5. Tarte Tatin
Tarte Tatin is a French dessert that’s similar to an apple pie, except that immune system healthy apple filling has been caramelized in butter and sugar first before being baked with the tart in an oven. The result is a deliciously sticky and gooey filling that’s richer than you could possibly imagine! The buttery base of the tart only serves to scoop up that yummy filling.
Tarte Tatin was an accidental invention. It was made in the 1880s by Stephanie and Caroline Tatin, who ran the Hotel Tatin in southern Paris. According to local stories, Stephanie, who had been very overworked that day, accidentally left her apple pie cooking for too long. She decided to salvage what she could of the dish by putting the puff pastry on top of the filling and letting it bake a little longer in the oven. She served the ruined apple pie to her guests anyway and was pleasantly surprised when the guests loved it!
