France

One of modern France's greatest treasures is its rich cuisine. The French have an ongoing love affair with food, and their reverence for time spent eating is evident in any culinary establishment nationwide.

French children learn at an early age to appreciate food French children learn at an early age to appreciate food. They look forward to meal time as a time to enjoy both food and conversation. In many parts of France, cooks buy food fresh daily, and they spend great care in selecting it. The French usually shop in small specialty shops, rather than large supermarkets

It is also manifested in the traditional family gatherings around the home dinner table, particularly the Sunday mid-day feast which is prepared lovingly over many hours and consumed leisurely through a bevy of appetizers and main courses, usually accompanied by a number of wines and often lively discussion which tends to center on political topics.

Notre Dame Cathedral

It is well-known that the stereotypical French meal is heavy in saturated fats; heavy creams and butter are a staple in many dishes. Despite this fact, the French populace suffers from lower incidences of cardiac disease than many other western nations, including the U.S. Much research and medical opinion seems to credit their consumption of red wines with an overall reduction in cholesterol levels

Louvre

The Mona Lisa is just one of the famous paintings displayed at the Louvre.

Arc de Triomphe A French meal might begin with a hot hors d'oeuvre (or for luncheon, a cold hors d'oeuvre) followed by soup, main course, salad, cheese, and finally dessert. French operate with a strong sense that there is an appropriate beverage for every food and occasion. Wine is drunk with the meal, but rarely without food.

Kidney, brain, sweetbreads, tripe, blood sauces and sausages, sheep's foot, tongue, and intestines are all common in French cooking and hold equal standing with the meat of lamb, beef, pork, poultry, and game.

The normal meal schedule is to take a light breakfast in the morning (consisting of bread and/or cereal possibly coffee and some fruit, perhaps croissants), a lunch at some point between noon and 2PM, and dinner in the evening.

A normal complete meal consists in appetizers (perhaps raw vegetables or salad), a main dish (generally, meat or fish with a side of vegetables, pasta, rice or fries), some cheese and/or dessert (fruit or cake).

crêpe is a thin pancake. It originates from Brittany, a region in the west of France, where it is traditionally served with apple cider.

quiche is a pie made primarily of eggs and cream in a pastry crust quiche is a pie made primarily of eggs and cream in a pastry crust. Other ingredients such as chopped meat or vegetables are often added to the eggs before the quiche is baked.

The Seine River Divides Paris in Half

The City of Lights

Garonne River

Tour de France

France produces 246 different kinds of cheeses The French eat more cheese than any other nation in the world - an amazing total of 20.4 kg (45 lbs.) per person per year. 400 different kinds of cheese are made in France.

“Cheese” Restaurant

Escargot

Wine Storage

Open air markets