French Cuisine History PDF

International Cuisine: (FRENCH) Influences France has a very good geographic location which caused them to experience many invasions o 125 B.C. the Romans conquered Provence in the South of France from the Gauls, and the Roman rule existed until the late 5th Century A.D o Germans went in from the No...

International Cuisine: (FRENCH) Influences France has a very good geographic location which caused them to experience many invasions o 125 B.C. the Romans conquered Provence in the South of France from the Gauls, and the Roman rule existed until the late 5th Century A.D o Germans went in from the Northeastern areas of Alsace and Lorraine o The Celtics came to Brittany from England o Vikings of Scandinavia landed in Normandy around 1000 A.D, o The Arabs entered the South of France around 720 A.D. Catherine de Medici (1519-1589) She came to France in 1533 from Italy to marry future King, Henry II She brought to France from her Italian heritage the following: o Haute Cuisine – “high cooking”; includes large elaborate meals that consists of numerous courses, rich foods with grand presentation, fine wines, and elegant serving pieces as well as service o Eating or dining should be a formal affair and so table etiquette was strictly enforced o Its cuisines focus on highly flavored ingredients o Simpler and less heavily spiced dishes o French way with food: heavy sauces masked food o Credited for introducing broccoli, peas, artichokes, sauces, fine pastries Pre-French Revolution Monsieur A Parisian tavern keeper who established the Boulanger first known modern restaurant in 1765 He sold soups, which he called restaurants/restoratives; derived from “restaurer” – French word for restore or fortify He was charged by the guilds for violating rules He challenged the rules of the guilds and won, unwittingly changing the course of modern food service French Revolution Aristocracy ruled until the French Revolution in 1789 Most cuisiniers lost their jobs when employers fled the country or lost their heads Napoleon Bonaparte – emperor and conquered most of Europe in 1804 50 restaurants in Paris at the start of the revolution, 10 years after there were 500 MarieAntoine Carême (6/8/17841/12/1833) Georges Auguste Escoffier (10/28/18462/12/1935) Fernand Point (1897 1955) – His book contains the 1st systematic account of cooking principles, recipes, and menu making Known as the 1st celebrity chef Emphasized the importance of procedure & order Known for “Grande Cuisine” - characterized by meals with dozens of courses of elaborately and intricately prepared, presented, garnished, and sauced foods Dishes are cooked a certain way because principles and methods of cooking show that it is the best way to get the desired results Known as the Father of 20th Century Cookery Had 2 major contributions to culinary history o Simplification of classical cuisine and menu o Reorganization of the kitchen (kitchen brigade) Through the course of history there were 2 opposing forces o Simplify – emphasize on plain natural taste of fresh ingredients o Invent – emphasize on highlighting the chef’s creativity His cooking style is French and owned La Pyramide, Vienna France Simplified and lightened classical cuisine Apprentices: Paul Bocuse, Alain Chapel Nouvelle Cuisine (1960s-1970s) Rejecting many traditional principles, it urged more simpler, natural flavors, and preparations with light sauces and seasonings, shorter cooking time to be utilized in cooking o Emphasis placed on artful plating presentations done in the kitchen by the chef rather than by waiters in the dining room o The best achievements of nouvelle cuisine have taken a permanent place in the classical tradition; many of its excesses have been forgotten o The best ideas and the longest-lasting accomplishments come from classically trained chefs with a solid grounding in the basics Paul Bocuse France Topography Today’s Father of All Chefs Lyon, France Trained by Fernand Point French cuisine done with uncomplicated ingredients One of the many chefs who is responsible for the spread of French Cuisine in the US A chef known for Le Roi Des Chefs et le Chef Des Rois (“King of Chefs, and the Chef of Kings) Mountains o Alps Border Switzerland & Italy o Pyrenees border Spain o Voges lie in NE France o Mont Blanc – Europe’s highest peak, lies in the French Alps near Italian and Swiss Border Oceans Mediterranean – hot, dry summers/mild winters o Atlantic – cooler: apples, fruits, vegetables and abundant seafood Rivers o West flowing Seine River o The Loire o The Garonne o South flowing Rhone that drains into the Mediterranean Sea o Rhine that forms the border with Germany They enjoy temperate climate with generally cool winters and mild summers Coastal regions near Mediterranean have mild winters and hot summers o Cuisines Classical – initially for the upper class; marriage of sauce with a dish to achieve gastronomic perfection Regional Cookery – simpler preparations; food of the common man and woman Middle Ages – food was heavily spiced to cover rancidity (generally used to denote unpleasant odors and flavors in foods resulting from deterioration in the fat or oil portion of a food Northeast Central France Regions and Food Strong variations between the cuisines of the different regions Dishes are based on what grows best in each area and what is raised there Topography, climate, and neighboring countries influence the cuisine in each region North/ Northwest Normandy o Coastal & Dairy Lands o Significant use of cream/butter o Calvados, Camembert, Sole, Sheep and lamb, apple desserts Brittany o Heavy, simple foods o Influence from Wales o Shellfish, butter sauces Ile de France (Paris) o Soups are big here o Pates o Brie Cheese o Pomme Frittes French “Soupe a l oignon Onion Soup gratinee” Gratinee Traditional French onion soup directly from Paris Au Pere Louis – a beloved French bistro in Le Quartier Latin that serve a recreation of this classic Pommes Potatoes Anna Anna Created during Napoleon III’s era and named after one of the lovely women at court South/ Southeast Southwest South Central West Butter and Potatoes Classic and Elegant French dish of sliced layered potato gratin Bordering Germany and Belgium which heavily influence by their cuisines o Onion Tart & Choucroute – a dish containing sauerkraut cooked with sausages and meat; accompanied by boiled potatoes o Noodles, dumplings, and spaetzle – german dish which is a cross between a noodle and a dumpling o Pork, sausage, and beer Fish, mustards, game, and mushrooms Wine and cream Pork fat Boeuf Bourguignon Coq au vin Escargot Lyon – gastronomic capital of France o Surrounded by many areas which produce outstanding ingredients Coq Au Vin Rooster in wine Classic French one-pot dish Serve it over mashed potatoes or egg noodles Chicken thighs/Drumsticks Braised in wine (red/white) Dutch oven/Cast-Iron braising dish Riviera Olive Trees Olive Oil (instead of butter Grapes Provence Tomatoes Olives Garlic Peppers Herbs Chevre Perigold Truffles Cheeses Mushrooms Walnuts Red Wine Cognac Basque Seafood Pork Tomatoes Peppers (Hot & Mild) Languedoc o Oysters and other shellfish Confit Method of cooking goose or duck in its own fat Foie Gras Highly prized goose liver Cassoulet One pot dish containing various meats Roquefort Made from sheep’s milk from a Cheese town with the same name Loire Valley o Fruits & Vegetables o Goat Cheese Dining Patterns Le petit déjeuner (Breakfast) Le déjeuner (Lunch) Le diner (Dinner) Drinks Dining Out A quick meal that consists of the following o Tartines – slices of buttered French bread o Croissants/Pain au Chocolat – a chocolate filled pastry o Coffee/Tea Children often drink hot chocolate in bowls along with their breakfast It is always served in cafés opening early in that day It was a 2 hour mid-day meal but recent has a trend toward 1 hour lunch break (2 hour may still be customary in smaller towns) Sunday Lunches – often longer, taken with family Restaurants – normally open for lunch at 12NN and close at 2:30PM. Many are close on Sat and Mon during Lunch Consists of 3 courses o Hors d’oeuvre / Entrée – introductory course, often soup o Plat Principal – main course o Cheese Course/Dessert – it also comes with a salad before the cheese or dessert Profiteroles o Cream puffs or chou a la crème o French choux pastry o Chef Antoine Careme o Croquembouche – tower of profiteroles Traditionally, France has been a culture of wine consumption Beer – popular with young people Pastis – an aniseed flavored beverage, usually drunk diluted with cold water Restaurant Bistro Brasserie Café Bar Estaminet