France

Gigondas French food as we all know too well is supposed to be the cuisine of all cuisines! Well, that can be said, but the fancy food served up in Michelin Star restaurants around the world had to start somewhere and of course it is not all French, nor are the Chef’s to that matter.

But there are traditional French regional dishes that usually we would never see or even hear of unless we travel through France and try these wonderful dishes. I mean how often would you think of making dumplings out of minced pike meat and serving it in a lobster sauce or taking the offal from a pig and making a sausage out of it or stuffing a ducks throat and roasting it. These are some traditional French dishes and over time I will endeavor to cook and share these with you!

I love French food and I love cooking French food, but sometimes a dish can be made a little complicated for the beginner. Take for example my recipes for Coq au vin and Boeuf Bourguignon. They do seem relatively complicated when you look at the stages in cooking these really quite simple dishes. I think that is why Italian cuisine is so popular. It is so simple! Anyway French food is what it is and that is what I love about it, the variations region tzo region, regional specialities and of course the fabulous wines and cheeses and the pairing of food and wine. I always try and get it right for each dish I prepare even down to which salt and butter to use!

I hope you enjoy looking through these recipes and hope you have fun creating them for yourself!

Boeuf Bourguignon

This is a definate French “Classic” from the Burgundy region of France and a winter favourite of mine. I have cooked this dish many times and have tried different recipes with more or less the same result. Some recipes call for mushrooms others don’t…

Chicken Liver Parfait

I have put this recipe under French cuisine purely and simply because Pâté originated in France and although many countries have adapted their own versions and I must admit there are some great versions too…

Coq au Vin

I think this is probably the first name that pops into your head when talking French cuisine! I find this a super easy winter warmer that all the family enjoys and although it may look like a complicated recipe but it is a great meal to cook and prepare…

Moules au Roquefort

The first time I made the road trip from Berlin to the UK, my wife and I did a little detour and stayed in Reims for a few days. I had always wanted to stop in the Champagne capital of France and visit a few Champagne houses and sample some of the famous bubbly…

Moules Marinières

This is one of my all time favourites and probably the easiest recipe I have after boiling an egg! No, I’ll take that back this is easier than boiling an egg! Anyway, I was daunted about cooking this for ages because of having to de-beard the mussels and making sure they were clean etc,…

Moules Normandes

This is another French “Classic” mussel recipe from the Normandy region, this recipe which is a bit different from the other “Classic” moules marinière is a bit more heartier with the use of lardons, mushrooms and cream. It also doesn’t call for the quantity of wine but instead a good slosh of Calvados…

Pommes Dauphinoise

This dish of Pommes Dauphinoise, is a French classic! it is unbelievable,it is just so tasty! Not to be mistaken with a gratin, there is no cheese to be seen! I was watching Rick Stein’s French Odyssey and he stopped off at an Auberge for lunch …

Quiche Lorraine

Growing up this was a dish my stepmother made fairly often, but I don’t ever recall it being called Quiche Lorraine! In England we do have an egg and bacon pie which can be quite similar…