We felt that it was about time that we looked at France as a whole instead of visiting specific regions or discussing specific products, so today we’ll breeze through this beautiful country so that we decide which regions we’ll visit in future. France has always been known for it’s extravagance and it’s expensive ingredients, it’s haute cuisine and it’s extraordinary chefs – men who developed methodologies and techniques that would, in time, teach millions of chefs how to cook. To this day these techniques are used even though the

nouvelle cuisine of people like Paul Bocuse who innovated, rejecting many old principals but still utilising the basics as chefs all over the world still do. The first human in France wasn’t of our species, homo erectus lived here around 950,000 BC but by the Ice Age, homo sapiens had arrived on the scene and started settling down here in more permanent agricultural settlements. Not happy to leave the early Gauls alone, the Celts came from Central Europe and took over, settling here around 2500 BC where they pretty much dominated Gaul until 125 BC when the Roman Empire began its reign in southern France. It was Julius Caesar who invaded Gaul & thrashed the locals during the Gallic Wars and when Augustus became emperor, it resulted in about 200 years of relative peace and prosperity (the Pax Romana) & by 200 AD they also brought Christianity to France.  By 400 AD the Franks, the Vandals and the Visigoths had made their mark and life wasn’t the same again until Clovis, King of the Franks, became a Christian and the land became stable enough for a cuisine of sorts to develop –

and develop it certainly did. Always remember that foie gras and soufflés weren’t always found on the French tables and that it took some time and some history for a cuisine as special as the French cuisine to develop. The storming of the Bastille in 1789 was one of the best things that could have happened to French cuisine because, until that time it was pretty much in the hands of the uber-wealthy who ate what the European chefs of the day provided and that was, mostly, imported food and the cuisine of the fashionable country of the day. The majority of the French were poor farmers whose diets were based mainly on grains, if they were lucky.  In the decades that followed the revolution, an upper class was born – who considered food a something by which their social standing was measured. Sadly, however, 70% of the French people were still suffering from extreme malnutrition while the ruling classes suffering from obesity, – much like it is in the world today. The First World War brought with it the beginning of modern French cuisine because improved transport systems had brought with it new jobs, new opportunities, more money and food as well as the ingredients became a tradable commodity.

Good food became available at lower prices and the middle classes began to enjoy upper class food at more reasonable prices – because the small taverns and bistros were opened, creating new jobs and a new middle class and French cuisine exploded into the arena and the world was never the same again. As in most countries, the food of France is regional and the differences between the regions, pronounced. Restaurants serve both local dishes but also those specific to the town or village in which they are situated! The world already knows about Normandy butter, Dijon mustard and Grenoble walnuts (sold in big bags with pumpkins in the image above) and we all know that the reason for this is the terrain, the weather and the climate of the specific region but do we know why? The French pick their fruit and their vegetables when they are at their absolute best and pre-packed, cold-room ripened products certainly won’t do. Over and above that, the French were the first to start protecting the traditional ingredients and recipes and AOC* system helped to keep specialities protected and simultaneously ensure that no short cuts or perversions could ever take place.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Ingredients

• 5 onions, peeled
• 2 or 3 glasses of red wine (I’d go for a merlot here)
• 750 ml freshly made beef or chicken stock
• 300 g Gruyère cheese, grated
• 8 thick slices of stale baguette
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 medium lemon, grated zest only
• 1 large dried bay leaf
• 1 large sprig fresh thyme
• 4 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar
• 2 shots of brandy
• 1 shot of good  medium port
• 30g butter
• Sea salt and freshly grated black pepper
• 10 g Italian parsley, chopped

Method

• Slice the onions and the garlic thinly and sauté in the butter until the onions are brown – just don’t burn them.
• Stir well before adding the red wine, the stock, the vinegar, the lemon zest and the brandy and then bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes – check and correct the seasoning and then stir in the port (if you’re not going to use good port here, omit).
• Toast the bread and top each slice with the grated cheese before placing under the grill until the cheese has melted.
• Pour the soup into a heat resistant soup tureen, place the bread on top of the soup, sprinkle with more cheese and grill again until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
• Cover with freshly chopped parsley and serve right out of the tureen (or the pot) at the table.

NORTH OF FRANCE

• Paris is France’s culinary heart and is a city of markets, restaurants and patisseries (every street has a restaurant and markets are held regularly on almost every piazza) – it is also home to the baguette. Restaurants sprang up in Paris after the French revolution when the chefs of the wealthy were out of work and had to do something to earn a living.
• Brittany is world renowned for seafood (their oysters are legendary), early fruits, vegetables, buckwheat galettes and, importantly, it is the home of the sel de guerande that most French people take for granted and use almost ever day in their homes.
• Normandy provides France with some of it’s classical cheeses like Camembert, Pont l’evêque and Livarot as well as crème fraîche and butter. We find the salt marshes that raise the pré-salé lambs. Because apples thrive here,  calvados and cider comes from this region too.

CHICKEN CHASSEUR

Ingredients

• 1.5kg chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 200 g button mushrooms
• 150g shallots, thickly sliced
• 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 175ml white wine
• 120g butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 350ml chicken stock
• 50g plain flour
• 40g caster sugar
• 2 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Season the chicken pieces well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and rub it into the chicken with your hands.
• Put the flour in a Ziploc (or any strong bag) and place the chicken in the bag, shake it and remove – the chicken will be well coated with flour – if you don’t have a bag, simply dredge the chicken in the flour to coat each piece.
• Heat a large, deep heavy bottomed frying pan over a medium heat, add the oil, 40 g  butter and heat until the butter is foaming.
• Add the chicken pieces and fry skin-side down until they are golden-brown, turn the chicken pieces around and fry on the other side until the other side is also golden brown, set aside for a minute.
• Add 40 g butter to another pan and as soon as it’s foaming, add the button mushrooms and fry them, stirring them every now and then, until they are golden-brown all over and then add them to the first pan of chicken.
• Put the last of the butter into the pan that you used to fry the mushrooms and now add the add the shallots and the caster sugar and fry until the shallots are golden-brown and caramelised.
• Pour in the wine and bring to the boil, scraping the base of the pan with a spoon(preferably wooden here) to remove any brown pieces.
• Pour the shallots and wine mixture over the chicken, add the stock, tomato purée and tarragon and bring to the boil and then reduce the heat to simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has reduced slightly.
• Add the tomatoes, the Italian parsley and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper, simmer for a further two minutes.
• Serve hot.

• The Loire Valley is famous for goats milk cheese, the famous blue ch wild mushrooms (grown in the Samur caves) and some of the best oysters in all of France (found in the in the region of Marennes).  This valley is also home to Cognac, tarte tatin and rillettes and the most famous goats milk cheese manufactured here is the Crottin de Chavignol. The Charentais melons are well known throughout France.
• Nord –Pas-de-Calais along the coast includes Boulogne-sur-mer, Frances’ biggest fishing port and further inland one can buy the washed-rindMaroilles cheese, andouillettes and the Flemish beers that are often used for cooking dishes like carbonnade àla flamande. Picardie is the region that is famous for vegetables, fruit and also the pré-salé lambs.
• Champagne-Adennes is a rural region with Champagne famous not just for it’s wine but also for cheeses like Brie and Chaource. Int the ruged north the game forests of the Ardennes have created a tradition of charcuterie. Jambon and pâtés d’Ardenne are world famous.
• Alsace-Lorraine borders on Germany and it’s charcuterie are used in the quiche lorrainne, choucroute garnie, tarte flambée and baeckenoffe (a stew). A la Lorraine dishes will always be served with red cabbage cooked in wine and here, believe it or not, pretzels, rye and kugelhopf are well beloved.

CENTRAL FRANCE

This region consists  of Auvergne and Limousin where the winters are freezing and hearty meals the order of the day. Potatoes and cabbages provide warmth and energy and are used with abandon in dishes like aligot and potée auvergnate, delicious and hearty pork and cabbage stews. Limousin is well renowned for it’s meat and Auvergne for it’s game and the Puy lentils. Cantal, Fourme d’Ambert, Bleu d’Auvergne and Saint Nectaire cheese are made here and this is the home of Vichy water. Burgundy makes wine, especially in and around Beaune,  and few of us are unaware of this but they also gave the world boeuf bourguignon and coq  au vin. Bresse chicken that is cooked with wild morels and loads of cream and snails lathered with garlic butter and herbs are typical of the region and of course, we may never forget Dijon with it’s mustard, it’s spicy ginger bread (pain d’épices) and kir.  Lyon is the city that Paul Bocuse chose for his restaurant and many cafés and brasseries are also found here in this charcuterie centre of France. Andouillettes, salade lyonnaise, cervelle de canut, poulet au vinaigre and the potato gratins are only a few of the exquisite dishes found in and around the city. To wash all this down, the local Beaujolais or Côtes du Rhône would satisfy even the pickiest of epicures.

CHICKEN LIVER PATE

Ingredients

• 500 g chicken livers, trimmed and cut in half
• 60 ml double cream
• 220g  butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp freshly chopped thyme
• 60 ml brandy
• 20 ml port
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Melt 110g of the butter in a pan over a medium heat, then add the onion and fry until softened, but not coloured.
• Add the garlic and chicken livers and fry the livers until golden-brown all over and cooked through. Add the brandy  and the port and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Place the liver mixture and the cream into a food processor and blend until smooth, season to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Transfer the pâté into a serving ramekin or small dish and allow to cool.
• Melt the remaining butter in a clean pan, skim off the froth and pour the butter over the pâté. Transfer to the fridge to chill, then serve from the ramekin when ready.

EASTERN FRANCE

This region consists of three very important areas: Franche-Comté in the north, Savoie and Dauphiné in the south and all of these mountainous parts make glorious cheeses. In summer the cheeses like Reblochon are still made only from the milk of animals that have grazed high up in the fields and the Tomme de Savoie, Beaufort and Comté are amongst the cheeses tailor made for the raclette and the Fondue that whilst typically Swiss is as at home here as it is in Switzerland and it makes sense then that potatoes are grown in the centre and the eastern part of this region. Dauphiné has given it’s name to the world famous gratin dauphinois.

SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST FRANCE

Bordeaux is known for it’s superlative wines and the grands crus of Médoc and Saint Emillion are well known internationally – as are the sweeter wines of Sauternes. The dishes made with red wines in this region can be recognised by the à la bordelaise suffix (like entrecote à la bordelaise). Oysters are harvested from the beds at Arcachon and also here, we find the pré-salé lambs from Pauillac. Goose, duck confit and foie gras are bought to the table in the Dordogne and Lot and the walnuts and black truffles come from Périgord. If you ever get a chance to buy the walnut oils from this region, do it and make a salade aux nois, you’ll never regret it. Agen is home to prunes. Cascony is mainly a rural region where we find Armagnac and outstanding foie gras and terrines. If you are looking for somewhere to eat, try only the local fermes auberges (little eateries) because they usually offer only the local specialties and do go there hungry. Southwest Basque is home to the local Bayonne ham, the tuna and it is here where the gâteau Basque is baked – they’re outstanding bakers.

Provence is typically Mediterranean and olives, olive oil, garlic, courgettes, aubergines and tomatoes are richly spiced with herbes de provence and the meals are lighter and healthier. Strawberries, peaches and melons are provided by Cavaillon and aioli, anchoïade, tapenade and pistou are provided from the Côte d’ Azur so close to the Italian border that one can taste the influence. The classic and world famous bouillabaisse, the red rice from the Carmague and loads of honey and candied fruit sweeten the menu and ensure the next visit to this glorious part of France.

BRANDADE DE MORUE

Ingredients

• 750 g piece of salted cod
• 310 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 300 ml single cream
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method

• Put the salted cod in a shallow bowl and cover it with cold water, refrigerate for 2 days, changing the water every 8 hours. (Obviously you don’t have to get up at night, just do it before you go to bed)
• Drain and rinse the cod after 2 days and put in a large pot, covering it with 2 litres of fresh water.
• Bring to a simmer and cook fro 10 minutes – don’t boil it otherwise it will become very tough), drain and rinse it again and set aside to cool.
• Remove the skin and the bones and use a fork to flake everything into small pieces. Make very sure that there aren’t any bones left and then finely chop in a food processor (don’t do it for such a long time that it becomes a puree – it must still have a fibrous texture).
• Heat 60 ml of the oil in a heavy based saucepan and cook the garlic for about 3 minutes, making sure that it doesn’t colour.
• Add the cod and stir in another spoonful of the remaining oil, beat in a spoonful of cream and carry on like that, alternating oil and cream – beating constantly until it has the consistency of fluffy mashed potatoes.
• Add the lemon juice and the pepper at the end (beware not to add salt).
• Serve warm or cold with either fresh bread or toast.
• It can keep in the fridge for about 3 days – just warm through with a little extra cream before serving.

• Languedoc-Rouissillon is the home of Roquefort blue cheese that is aged in the local caves. The bourride is Languedoc’s answer to bouillabaisseand further in we find the life changing cassoulet and the pink garlic harvested in Tarn.
• Corsica, last but not least, provides more Italian dishes and they bring Stufato and polenta to the table.