WARNING! This blog may cause severe hunger and a desire to visit France ASAP. What better way to experience a culture than by eating it? The feeling is mutual. That's why we decided to write a short guide on how to Eat Your Way Through France With These 15 Delicious Dishes. Bon Appétit!
1) Soupe à l'oignon
A classic French dish that takes comfort to another level. This thick, golden onion soup will keep you warmer than your favorite sweater. Don't forget a fresh baguette so you can clean your bowl - Trust us you won't want to leave any of this soup behind.
2) Escargots
Escargots which is snails for English is the French's gift to the world. Before you say gross, you cannot visit France without trying them. These delicious little snails will win you over and have you saying "more please" in no time.
3) Ratatouille
Order this as a side or main dish but whichever you choose; ratatouille will have your heart singing. Pan seared vegetables which come together to bake in the oven will send you straight to heaven. Who said vegetables can't be divine?
4) Salade Niçoise
This salad originates from Nice, explaining why it's so nice ha! With many different variations, a salade nicoise is best known for its fresh fish and olives. Salad isn't always boring, definitely not this one.
5) Moules-Frites
Forget burgers and fries, mussels and fries are way better. Don't mistake this for fish and chips, these saucy mussels take the prize for a french fry's best companion.
6) Raclette
Attention cheese lovers - You're going to want to sit down for this next dish. Raclette is hands down the best thing since sliced bread. Think hot, melted, creamy cheese poured onto anything you wish; meats, vegetables, potatoes, bread or just straight into your mouth (we're not judging).
7) Coq au Vin
It would be surprising if you've never heard of this dish since Julia Child helped put it on the map! Coq au Vin is a decadent dish where chicken bathes in a buttery, wine flavored broth amongst brown buttered onions and mushrooms. Did I forget to mention butter?
8) Boeuf Bourguignon
Another famous dish thanks to Julia Child, Beef bourguignon is similar to coq au vin except it includes more vegetables. Once known as a peasant dish has now become a part of fine cuisine. The key to this dish is to slowly simmer the pieces of beef so it tenderizes and really absorbs all the flavors.
9) Cassoulet
Some swear that a good cassoulet is the best French comfort dish one can enjoy. Another peasant-based dish, cassoulet involves oven roasting duck with white beans. If you're not a fan of duck, other meats such as beef and chicken are also a popular choice.
10) Confit de Canard
What's better than cassoulet? Confit de canard (in our opinion). This dish consists of duck cooking in its own fat, YUM. Duck confit is one of France's fine specialties and once you try it, you'll know why!
11) Crêpes
Sweet or savory? Why not both! Crêpes are quintessential to the French experience. They're perfect for a simple lunch like a buckwheat crêpe stuffed with salmon and rocket - and an excellent dessert featuring berries and Nutella. We know you can't just have one and really, what's the fun in that?
12) Clafoutis
A flan-like dessert, clafoutis is a traditional and fluffy French cake which consists of black cherries and butter (duh!).
13) Tarte Tatin
Tarte tatin is the perfect (and delicious!) example of why making a mistake is not always a bad thing. The story goes that in 1898, Stephanie Tartin was making an apple pie. After leaving the caramelizing fruits for too long, she placed the pastry base on top of the burning apples in an attempt to save her dessert. Once finished baking, she flipped over the cake and served her unconventional apple pie which turned out to be a hit.
14) Croissants
Did you think we would leave croissants off the list!? A popular choice for breakfast with a coffee or chocolat chaud, these buttery flaky pastries are the country's national gem. Our personal favorite is a croissant aux amandes.
15) Crème Brûlée
You know how they say, save the best for last? Well, crème brûlée is the last on this list and my favorite French dessert. Translating to burnt cream, this dish traditionally consists of a vanilla flavored cream that is then caramelized with a broiler or torch. Nothing beats the first crack your spoon will make when it hits the cream.
