French Cuisine, an Intro!

It is with great interest that we English have always studied the French “Cuisine” and it is an invariable point of interest and discussion for us that the local French Cuisine rarely matches up to our considerable expectations.

It is at this point that we have to say to ourselves that ok, there are in fact two principal types of cuisine in France. The more well known, “Haute Cuisine / Cordon Bleu” and the general, day to day, French Cookery. Of course the significant matter of French Cookery is that it primarily consists of easily put together meals designed to maximise the time spent with Family/Friends with as little time as possible “wasted” in the kitchen. To that end, tins of mixed veg plated with a home made fresh Mayonnaise are not unusual and supermarket bought preparations very popular. The inclusion of thinly sliced Saucisson and Charcuterie in general tend to curb the appetite and allow meals to progress at a much slower pace than would normally be acceptable in the UK. Other meal customs have the potential to shock and depending on one’s sensibilities, even appal. I personally find it difficult not to say something when a French guest sits down to my table at the head or the foot, a mistake an English visitor would be highly unlikely to make. These concerns are, of course, more relevant to issues of etiquette than cuisine but given the familial way of eating in France, all combine to form the French dining experience.

So what about the food itself? What do I serve my visitors? The answer is not simple. More often than not, your French guests will be looking for their English friends to give them a taste of England but be warned, a TASTE of England is really all they want. Your main meal of steak and kidney pudding or for some, Chicken Tikka Masala is unlikely to go down well, particularly in the provinces. Rather try for something principally French/Italian and accent with a taste of home. English Style Custard, an English Cheese or two mixed into the cheeseboard/plate often provide a welcome taste of England and a great conversation starter. English wine, in my own experience, generally proves a flop. Derision before the bottle is even opened is to be expected and should you feel it necessary to pursue the matter, decanting the bottle in order to present the label AFTER tasting might be the wisest course of action. Even the most provincial Frenchmen will feel honour bound to turn their noses at a Rosbif’s “incursion” into the French territory of viticulture. Cheeses are generally along the same lines but with less intense feeling. As stated previously, a cheese or two mixed in to a French cheese selection will generally be well accepted. I suggest avoiding Cheddar simply because it is a cheese that the French are already very familiar with and generally don’t consider “truly” English.

The primary difference between the average Frenchman and the average Englishmen in my experience is that you can hand a Frenchman some eggs, mustard, oil and a whisk and within a few minutes you’ll have a passable Dijon Mayonnaise. Many of the basic skills practiced by French school children are still considered the domain of qualified chefs in the UK (or well practiced housewives!)

Back to the point now though, what do you serve a French visitor to your home? The question is, in the final accounting, very easy to answer if you are anything approaching a good host. Establish your guests’ likes and dislikes but remember to take into account the dinner conversation. Cross-lingual dinners can sometimes test the patience with long silences and awkward stares; remember that the meal itself can provide the conversation. A locally sourced trout can lead to a congenial discourse about the lakes from which it was fished or a particularly English ingredient such as Bisto gravy (Shameful – Join the campaign for real gravy!) could prove a point of interest with the French who are generally not accustomed to prepared “just add water” sauces. Birds’ Custard has always gone down a treat in a pinch and tends to set a lot quicker than homemade custards due to the ability to thicken simply by adding more powder. I know the purists will scream but when you find out you’ve got guests coming at six and you look at the clock to realise it’s four pm already, sacrifices have to be made!

A few English quick fixes that have gone down very well with my French guests have included Rowntree’s Fruit Jelly Cubes, Bisto Gravy, Angel Delight, Extra Concentrate Cordials (Particularly for cocktail mixing) and Regal Roll Out Icing.

Of course, the prideful part of me is screaming, "I don’t use these things often" but needs must when times are hard and the kids are screaming for their supper!