French cuisine

French cuisine is characterized by its extreme diversity. French cuisine is considered to be one of the world's most refined and elegant styles of cooking, and is renowned for both its classical ("haute cuisine") and provincial styles. Many of the world's greatest chefs, such as Auguste Escoffier, were masters of French cuisine. Additionally, French cooking techniques have been a major influence on virtually all Western cuisines, and almost all culinary schools use French cuisine as the basis for all other forms of Western cooking.

Notable dishes

Famous French dishes

• French breads
• Blanquette de veau
• Coq au Vin (hen simmered in wine)
• Cheeses
• Oysters are generally eaten raw; cooking oysters are uncommon.
• Pot-au-feu, a kind of beef stew.

Quick food

The following dishes can generally be ordered in brasseries:

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• Steak frites (steak with fries; fries can often be replaced by haricots verts — string beans);
• Poulet frites (chicken with fries)

Generally speaking, frites (French fries) are a common side order for lower-end French-style restaurants. The French generally believe that fries are of Belgian origin; a typically Belgian dish is steamed mussels with a side of fries.

Related Topics:
French fries - Belgian

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A typical simple, cheap, quick meal consists of pasta (often spaghetti) with tomato sauce.

Related Topics:
Pasta - Spaghetti - Tomato sauce

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Common canned food

• Cassoulet
• Raviolis (Italian specialty)
• Paella (Spanish specialty)
• Couscous (Northern African specialty)
• Choucroute garnie

Common salty pies

• Quiche
• Pizza (from Italy)
• Tarte flambée

Famous but untypical dishes

The following dishes are considered typical of French cuisine in some foreign countries, but are actually quite untypical:

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• Cuisses de grenouilles (Frogs' legs)
• Escargots (edible snails)

Desserts

• Crème brûlée
• Crêpes (a speciality of Brittany)
• Chocolate Mousse (Mousse au chocolat)
• Pastries
• Mille-feuilles
• Tarts