Find traditional and classic French food that is easy to make. But working full time, with small children, I am focusing on easy dinner ideas for the full family. So here are the quick recipes and meal ideas I found from the French side of my family.
If you are not sure where to start, I recommend starting here:
Bon appétit!
You can't go wrong with the cheesy goodness of au gratin potatoes. It is an easy recipe to put together that even your pickiest eaters will enjoy. Originating in the Dauphine region of France (in the Alps), the dish was…
In the Old Country, you often couldn't afford your ideal cut of beef. Young and succulent was rare. The solution? Slow cooking your meat in juices and wine to release the flavor in a beef stew, as we do for…
Legend has it that the Coq au Vin dates back to the time when Julius Caesar and the Romans had invaded France. An old rooster that is slow-cooked in a chicken stew with wine sauce to tenderize it and bring…
Do French kids eat everything? My toddlers would lose their citizenship if this was the case. It is a given, children all over the world hate what they don't know. The trick for French parents is how to push those…
A savory yet delicate seafood starter? The Coquilles St Jacques is perfect. Known as scallops in English, (but it just sounds better in French, doesn't it?) they will add a touch of refinement to any meal. A recipe that is…
You are not going to run into royalty when you visit France (the French have chopped off all their heads), but if you're planning to eat during your trip, you should probably brush up on some French Dining etiquette. It…
If you are looking for the perfect summertime appetizer, you have come to the right place. I'm not sure if Melon au Porto comes from the South of France, or if I just happen to think that because I usually…
It is as French as the croissant. It was not de riguer when Napoleon was around, but if it were, I'm sure he would have drunk gallons of it for "Honneur et Patrie de la France"! Ok, maybe not but…
France is renowned for its gastronomy. But nearly as important, is how French people eat a typical meal. A traditional French dinner, even if it is at the end of a busy day, will pull out all the stops. And…
Living in France for so long, there is always a bit of a culture shock every time I return "home". There are just those small little things that are not like what I'm now used to in France, and make…
French dining is a lot like eating with your parents. The waiters (aka your grumpy parents) will frown at you as if you were a child, and get very annoyed. "Yes, you have to eat everything, no substitutions, and no…
If you are looking for classic French food, you have to munch or croque into a Croque Monsieur! Or Madame. Both are basically glorified ham and cheese sandwiches, perfectly unhealthy and laden with cheese. A French national treasure. Forewarned, if you are following…
Picture the scene, my first day at a new job in a new country. I had the usual first day butterflies, but nothing I thought of as too unusual. Until lunchtime that is, when I came across what us North…
The French take their food very seriously. They also take Christmas very seriously, so as you can imagine French Christmas traditions are quite the affair! In North America, we tend to cook a big meal, spread the whole thing out…
“Mmmm Bacon!”, in the words of Homer Simpson. Not exactly good for you, and definitely not to be eaten in large quantities. Given all commentary about French people never becoming fat, you might be surprised to know that bacon lardons, small thin strips of pork…
When I got married, a lovely French friend offered me an elegant set of cloth table napkins. I'm sure I looked at her oddly, but she let it slide. Weren’t cloth napkins just for restaurants? I put my observation skills to…
I am not really a fan of tomatoes, but I had to change my mind after eating this dish at my mother-in-law’s place. Provencal Tomatoes, or tomates à la provençale in French, originates in the Provence region of France, where…