French Cuisine

Classes of French Cooking Haute Cuisine Characterized by elaborate preparations, fancy garnishes, and rich sauces. Nouvelle Cuisine Emphasizes lightness and natural taste in foods. Provincial Cuisine Locally grown foods are enhanced by simple cooking methods.

French Sauces Roux Béchamel Sauce Velouté Sauce Demi-glace Mixture of butter and flour, used to thicken sauces. Béchamel Sauce Milk added to a roux. Velouté Sauce Chicken, veal, or fish stalk added to a roux. Demi-glace Classic brown sauce.

More French Sauces Hollandaise Vinaigrettes Butter Sauces Contains egg yolk, lemon juice and butter. Vinaigrettes Oil and Vinegar sauces. Butter Sauces Flavored, white or brown butter sauces.

French Seasonings Fines Herbs A mixture of chives, parsley tarragon, and chervil.

Nature Of French Cuisine French cuisine is regional in nature. A visitor can travel throughout the country and never eat the same dish prepared in the same way twice.

French Meals Le petit dejeuner (Breakfast) Le dejeuner (Midday Meal) Usually light Le dejeuner (Midday Meal) Traditionally the main meal. Hot or cold hors d oeuvres Soup A main dish with vegetable If the main dish contained vegetables, the separate vegetable would usually be eliminated. Bread and butter. Green Salad Cheese & Fresh Fruit. Dessert &Wine.

French Meals Continued The traditional evening meal is light. Served later than in the USA.