Paris’ Best Native Foods
home to great cuisine, one might not know what to settle for. Just like the whole of France which has been known for its superb gastronomy, the city is a spot for foodies around the world; almost like a wonderland so vast with tasty treats that some could be gifted as food souvenirs.
Baguette
Of course topping the list of these native delicacies must be the baguette. Nothing could be more French as far as the country’s gastronomy is concerned than having a bite of french baguette. However, emphasis must be laid here about the differences between a machine-made baguette and a handmade one. For a more native touch, always go for the handmade, which is most notable for its pointed ends, deep brown crust exterior and a hollow interior different from the machine made ones with round ends, almost light brown crust and always well laid inner structure.
It is almost a fact, that the best of all baguettes can only be gotten in the beautiful metropolis where the best of all boulangers often come together to compete in order to emerge as the best baguette maker, Meilleure Baguette de Paris as the competition is popularly called.
You can best enjoy it by breaking the bread with your hands and biting deep into its inner crust the way a Parisian would do or you could slice them up and spread some butter on the slices to make the food more fluffy and tasty. You might even consider toasting it with any vegetable or fruit as well as the meat of your choice. Just consider baguette as just another type of bread and enjoy it anyway you know is best.
Vinaigrette
To enjoy the best native salad, you just have to add the vinaigrette to dress it up to bring out the traditional taste in the food. It is not really something eatable just alone but rather a dressing for any type of salad where mayonnaise or cream is not desirable or where a distinct taste is required. Making vinaigrette is basically instinctive as there is almost no particular way of combining the ingredients although there are basic essential ingredients.
The essential ingredients used in its cooking are basically shallots, Dijon mustards, vinegar, olive oil, black pepper, and salt to taste and like the natives would say Voila! You have your vinaigrette ready and if well prepared, would last for two weeks. Don’t forget salad are best accompanied with nice French wines.
Blanquette de Veau
This is a traditional food that has its very root deep in the sand of time, making it one of the most prominent native delicacies. You certainly must have a taste of this stew while you travel in the Métropole, whenever you find it in a restaurant's menu. Blanquette de veau is basically a white stew that is traditionally prepared using veal breast and other well-seasoned aromatic vegetables. To thicken the stew, flour might be added as well as egg yolks and cream so as to retain the traditional white appearance. This signature dish is best accompanied with white rice, boiled potatoes, or pasta.
Blanquette de veau goes best with certain kind of drinks so as to balance the taste and bring out the natural flavors trapped in the traditional ingredients used. Sau Champigny, Macon and other forms of very light red grape nectar have proven to be the best to accompany this delicacy with. You might also consider going on drink tours to ascertain what kind that is best accompanied by the blanquette de veau.
Soupe à l’oignon
You think you’ve eaten all the kinds of onion soup there is, wait until you walk into your favorite restaurant and you get served with the French onion soup traditionally called soupe à l’oignon. This is prepared using essentially onions and meat stocks after which the soup is served, topping it with large piece of bread, croutons or cheese.
Don’t be surprised when next you go to an event in one of your favorite bistro in town and then you get presented with a wonderfully made native onion soup with lots of creamy topping. Wine makes this soup taste even better.
Duck Confit
You want to eat duck but you are scared you wouldn’t enjoy it that much, why not try the duck confit? This meal which was originally designed to preserve duck by making them last longer is made by purely steaming and frying duck in its own fat until it is very crisp and brown on the outside but very tender in the inside, making the flesh superbly juicy such that every slice creates an exquisite taste that leaves you craving for more.
Chefs get to create their own signature delicacy from the traditional duck confit recipes. However, restaurants still keep the taste highly organic and very aromatic. This delicacy is best accompanied with sides such as very garlicky potatoes stir-fried in duck fat, pancetta, haricot beans with marinated sausage or the signature pommes sarladaises, making it one of the favorite choices of the people. It's easy to take it back home too, since this type of meat is canned, and you can recreate easily your own version of the recipe, like a chef.
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