Is French Cuisine Really the Best in the World?

The world consists of many amazing cuisines, but one that seems to be in the top ranks is French. To many, France's cuisine is very traditional and has created many meals and desserts that people around the world enjoy. It's also inspired many cuisines to add new flavors and touches to their own meals. However, to discover if this is really the best in the world, there are a few things that need to be noted. This article will dive more into the meals, pastries, and drinks this cuisine offers to find out if in fact it is the best.

What Does "The Best" Mean?

The first thing to consider is what exactly the word "best" means in culinary arts. This term will vary among people due to the variety of different tastes, however, when it comes to meals, there are a few things that are looked at:

Flavor
Creativity
Color
Smell

While many meals around the world include these things, this type goes above and beyond with these. It makes you use all of your senses when you eat it. It also keeps a great blend between traditional and modern ones for all to enjoy, which is unlike many other types which sometimes abandon traditional meals for new ones.

It's Techno-Emotional

While this might be a strange term to use, it's one of the best to define the meals of France. Techno-emotional means that meals have been passed down throughout generations and still are currently used. This is quite evident in the meals here as a traditional dish still shines even in the midst of new modern ones from restaurants. However, these new meals also push culinary boundaries and try to awaken all of your senses like your sight, smell, and taste.

You'll find that many modern meals from restaurants include vibrant colors, a mixture of textures, and strange combinations that surprisingly end up tasting delicious together - all of which come from the imagination of a local chef.

Even though it advances all the time with different techniques, this type still remains rooted in its traditional meals which is just one reason why it is one of the best.

Techniques Used

One reason the meals are so flavorful is because of the unique techniques used. The French have come up with amazing techniques like flambeing, braising, poaching, and sautéing. These add an incredible burst of texture and flavor to meats, vegetables, and other ingredients. This culinary type wants to bring out as much flavor as possible with its meals and isn't afraid to try new things to get it.

Common Meal Components

This food has a wide variety of tastes, but with many meals you'll find that they often use the same ingredients in them. Typically, a meal will include cheese, baguettes, butter, herbs, and olive oil.

Fresh Ingredients

While many might think a diet high in such fats might be unhealthy, it isn't. The French paradox is a well-known way to describe the fact that the French have a low heart disease rate even though they eat pounds of cheese and butter every year. This is due to these fats being produced locally and naturally. The dairy products are produced by grass-fed cows that are fed natural diets and allowed to wander around in open fields. This means that the ingredients are fresh and the cows are hormone-free which makes these natural dairy products very healthy to consume.

Markets

Besides having fresh dairy products, the meals are also created with locally grown and raised fruits, vegetables, and for families so children can travel around them and learn more about how these meals emphasize the importance of local and fresh ingredients.

Bakeries

Bakeries play a large part in these meals. Almost every meal requires a slice of bread alongside it and it can't be just any type of bread, it has to often be a baguette and freshly-made that day. Bread is not only eaten for dinner, but it often used for breakfasts and snacks. Bakers have to keep busy making fresh croissants, baguettes, and brioches daily. You'll often find that a local restaurant often buys bread from them to use with their meals.

Besides bread, bakeries also pay close attention to desserts. Crème brûlée, macaroons, and éclairs are made daily and are a great way to end a meal. Many cuisines today often neglect desserts because they're considered unhealthy, but not this one. Desserts play a huge role and are a vital part of a meal, many which are featured in Paris food tour itineraries.

Cultures It Has Influenced

The world has been greatly inspired by the dishes of this country. You'll find traces of it in America where crêpes, fondue, and roux are made in many kitchens. Cassoulet is also gaining in popularity due to its use of re-using leftover ingredients so they don't go to waste.

In Vietnam, its influence can be widely seen as well. Many meals here include coffee, typical French vegetables (like potatoes and carrots), and baguettes. The chocolate croissant is also very popular.

In Mexico you'll find that this cuisine has inspired a love of wine. In fact, it has become so widespread that this drink is even served at breakfast! This is so popular here that it is known as "la comida afrancescada" or "Frenchified cooking".

While it can sometimes depend on your taste, overall, French cooking can easily be seen as being one of the best cuisines in the world. It's traditional, yet modern and is bold in its culinary experiments. It doesn't waste food, but rather comes up with new recipes to incorporate old ingredients. The meals also focus on using fresh and local products which means there's no hormones and preservatives put into the food. Because of this, it has remained one of the best in the world because it's seen as an art, rather than just something to fulfill one's appetite.

For more information, please refer to the following pages:

More About Our Baguettes Classes

Getting a bit technical during our Baguette Class in Paris

The French baguette, actually probably better known as the Parisian baguette has beome a true symbol of French popular gastronomy. A true icon of French life even - look around and you will see the Parisians strolling back home with their baguettes under their arm. But if you are French why would you learn how to do this? You can buy a baguette at any corner of Paris for about one Euro a piece. But in our Baguette Class in Paris you will learn how do this from scratch. It is somewhat technical, but also full of tips and tricks. But when you leave, it will have not secret left for you. From the original mix to the famous "scarification" through adding water to your oven through baking, you will see and do it all.

Learning more during your Baguette class in Paris: Croque Monsieur Bread and Brioche

This class is like all our other baking or cooking classes: totally hands-on. So you get to practice from beginning to end - and to taste at the end. But not only will you learn how to make Baguette, but you will also learn to make two more types of bread: the French Croque Monsieur bread. The basis for the classic French bistrot appetizer. And in your Baguette class in Paris you will also learn how to make your own Brioche. Probably the most indulgent bread you will find in France - if not the lightest ...

And you might learn some history during your Baguette Class in Paris

While you will learn the techniques to create - and get to taste - three classic types of French breads, you will also learn some of the stories on the origin of the baguette. Just beware it is still being quite hotly debated. What is for sure though is that the Baguette is absolutely part of today Parisian's life. A classic you will be able to take back home with you.

More About Our Wine and Cheese Lunch in Paris

Cheese and Wine in Paris

The pleasures we can derive from French cuisine can seem endless. However two of the best known and loved French gastronomic heroes are French cheese and wine. Whether we talk about a Brie which actually comes from very close to Paris, to a creamy Camembert from Normandy, or a Comté from the Alps, French cheese has a delight for all palates. And of course, French wines are even better known whether from Bordeaux great wines or Burgundy sophisticated whites – all of which enthral wine lovers. Well, at our course on cheese and wine in Paris you will come to appreciate that although each is delicious on its own, properly matched cheese and wine together can make the experience of each even more enjoyable and an absolute delight.

How to pair French cheese and wine

Because not all pairings are actually what people expect, at Le Foodist we have decided to call these experiences 'Daring Pairings'. Maybe because we like to step out of the ordinary to challenge our taste buds, but really all we try to do is give you the perfect match fo cheese and wine in Paris. So not only will you learn how to select the best wine to go with your cheese, but you will also learn what are the big cheese families in France – there are actually only five, and this is one of the keys to great pairing. In discovering all these pairings of cheese with wine you will be convinced that indeed two things together can be better than the sum of their parts.

It is important to have fun with pairing cheese and wine in Paris

Beyond the tastings though, we have found that the best way to help our clients remember and re-use their experience is to vary the way to approach both wine and cheese. That is why during our courses on cheese and wine in Paris we share sensory games and many an anecdote to bring the produce to life in your mind as well as on your palate. Overall we will feature four excellent wines, one Champagne and demonstrate to you how best each combines with cheese, letting your taste guide you along with our teaching.

Understanding cheese and wine pairing while in Paris

While for many top Parisian wine stores and restaurant wine lists can be confusing and even intimidating, we believe that after our lunch learning how to pair cheese and wine in Paris, you will feel much more comfortable navigating all of those. And we sincerely hope your knowledge will help you unlock a door to a whole new world of enjoyment of French wine and cheese pairing. At every step of the way our sommelier will also share unique tips and tricks to understand wines better and how culture and wine are so related in France; hopefully enriching your own experience as well.

And they do not have to do with what you will find in those markets. They have to do with when you can go shopping there. Open Air markets are only open in the morning. Typically from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. And they are not open every day. As a matter of fact for the vast majority they are open either open every other day (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday or Wednesday, Friday, Sunday), or sometimes only twice a week.

This is the case of the Bastille Market (Metro Bastille and Metro Bréguet Sabin )which is open only on Thursday and Sunday morning. We like to send people there because it is a very big market with over one hundred vendors. And it has a nice stand of Crêperie in the middle. Here you get a video of a lady preparing a crêpe there; and you can get that crêpe for only 3 Euros!
There is only one Open Air market open every day of the week, it is called Marché Aligre (Metro Ledru Rollin or Metro Faidherbe Chaligny) which happens on the eponymous street. It is an interesting market because you find all kinds of quality in that market – the good, the bad and the ugly. There is also a nice covered market in the middle of it called Marché Beauveau – sometimes called Marché Beauveau Aligre. On the contrary, Covered Markets are open every day, and not just in the morning, but also in the late afternoon. Typically from 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

We are blessed with two markets close to where Le Foodist is located, so we can walk to a market every morning – sometimes it is the Maubert market, and sometimes it is the Monge market. Both nice with their own specififies. Last but not least, none of these markets is open on Monday. Do not sign-up for a Market Tour on Monday, you might never see that money again …

Choosing Ingredients in Paris

While all markets are different, they also have some things in common. First they work on specific schedules as explained before. But also you will find always at a minimum the following vendors: a Maraîcher – this is the name we give to people selling fruits and vegetables, a butcher, a fishmonger, a cheesemonger and a baker. Normally you will find several of each, with different levels of quality, organic or non-organic, local or not local (but mostly not local unfortunately).
And we explain how to recognize each of those of course during our Market Visits and Cooking Classes in Paris. But choosing ingredients can be daunting at first, because of the variety that is on display. A typical fishmonger will carry 20 different types of fishes, and as many shrimp and shelf fish varieties. A good cheese monger will easily carry up to 100 different types of cheese and obviously you could get over 100 different cuts of meat at a butcher (from the type of meat to the cut itself). And a normal Maraicher will carry between 50 and 100 fruits and vegetables as well.
This is what makes these markets so exciting – the variety of products, the beauty of their display, and the exchange you can have with most of the vendors. We give you tips though on how to make sure that exchange with the vendors go well – a few magic words, and everything will be fine!

Cooking in Paris

Obviously going to markets is nice, but actually knowing that you are going to cook what you find there is even more exciting. It is not uncommon for Parisians to buy a little bit too much food because they get so excited at the idea of cooking it all! But as most of us have hardly any space where we live, that can limit the enthusiasm sometimes. Because of the lack of space, Cooking in Paris can be quite different from cooking in the rest of France. And there are also dishes that are typically associated with regions which the Parisian will not cook at home – but taste when they visit friends or families in the various regions of France. However our kitchen has plenty of space, so we can cook traditional French dishes without a problem – whether they come from Paris or any region. And the most important part for us is to ensure that we share techniques much more than just recipes. As a matter of fact, we love to share a bit of the science behind what we do so people can better remember the “what” by understanding the “why”.

Sharing Stories

In November 2010, some experts from the UN cultural organisation, decided tha France’s multi-course gastronomic meal, with its rites and its presentation, fulfilled the conditions for featuring on the “world intangible list” of the UNESCO.
In this list you can find all kinds of cultural practices, including Mexico Day of the Dead festival for example. Importantly this is not suggesting French cuisine is better than other cuisines (even though we the French tend to believe that …). It is only saying that the gastronomic meal and what it entails is a very vivid cultural practice which people in France partake into on a very regular basis. That is why the same experts indicated that the French gastronomic meal is a “social custom aimed at celebrating the most important moments in the lives of individuals and groups”. And in that social custom, there are many parts: the attention we pay to the way we choose ingredients, how we pair wine with food, how many dishes we will present to our guests, how we lay the table, etc… But one big part of the cultural practice is that commensality (the fact of sharing the food) is always accompanied by sharing stories about …. Well, you would have guessed it, Food of course!
To us it is THE perfect example of how Food and Culture come together – actually we decide to share food is a considered a cultural practice. I would argue that it is true of all countries, regions, etc… As the way we relate to Food is such a big part of anybody’s identity. But as a result and to make sure you have the most genuine experience of French culture, after the a coking class in Paris at Le Foodist, you will share a gastronomic meal at a common table with your Chef and fellow participants to the class.

French Wine and Food Pairing

As mentioned above, one of the big cultural practices in France is choosing how to pair Wine and Food in general and Wine and Cheese in particular. We actually have a class which focuses specifically on this. As it is so important though, we always make sure we share white and red wines during our meals, chosen to pair well in our opinion with the food we cook. And being at the table together is a good opportunity to discuss about wine as well, with concepts such as “terroir” (to simplify, terroir means “what you do depends on where you are”) which are essential to grasp the way the French think about Food.
And all this will always go with a cheering “Santé” – which quite simply means, to your good health!