The French art of living has its website Live in France like the French

STORY

PICTO GOURMAND Created with Sketch.

When cooking becomes an art

Classified in 2010 as the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, French gastronomy has a long history dating back, at least, to the Middle Ages. This culinary art, consisting mainly of regional know-how (national or international), traditions that vary from time to time and a demand for the quality of the ingredients, now occupies a central place in the French heritage.
 

Much more than just a dish tasting

Produced by a rich and complex history, French cuisine has been nourished by various cultural and geographical influences. Living art is constantly renewed, it has been influenced by centuries of tradition, innovation and passion.

Let's go back to the big pages of his story:
 

  • Early Middle Ages: influenced by Roman and Germanic heritage, recipes created between the 5th and 15th centuries include a lot of spices and aromatic herbs. Mainly made up of fruit and meat, the dishes then generously use honey as a preservative and flavor enhancer.
     
  • In the Renaissance, under the political, economic and cultural influence of the Kings, the history of French gastronomy takes a major turn: cooking techniques become more sophisticated, recipes are enriched with new ingredients such as chocolate or oriental spices and dishes are increasingly refined.

The discovery of a new dish is more for the happiness
of mankind than the discoveries of a star.

Brillat-Savarin épicurien et gastronome français (1755-1826)
  • In the 17th century it was the church that enriched the history of this intangible heritage: the convent and monasteries became in fact culinary laboratories where the nuns perfected the techniques of food preparation and invented the marmalade, pastry and confectionery. By incorporating in their recipes new and exotic ingredients (such as sugar, which has become affordable thanks to trade), they also create sauces, a future essential component of French gastronomy.
     
  • This is where many regional recipes emerge or rather assert themselves: from often ancestral recipes, each region radiates its local products, thus developing the flavors and, by extension, the palace of gourmets. These can thus enjoy such different specialities as the Mediterranean bouillabaisse, the Burgundy wine coq, the Alsatian choucroute or the Languedoc cassoulet.

The 1st Superstar Chief

The last stage of this gourmet lineage: French gastronomy really gains its gallons in the 19th century under the impulse of Auguste Escoffier. With him, it is structured by codifying a set of standards: cooking methods, rules of presentation, flavour associations... The inventor of Pêche Melba or Suzette crêpe was able to respect the traditions while innovating and, from the creation of the menu of the day to the optimized organization of the cooking brigades, his principles laid the foundations of classical French cuisine as we know it today.

Tradition and innovation, varied influences, permanent enrichment and - crucial ingredient of this recipe - the French's taste for the good and the pleasure of sharing a meal (the arts of the table are also, by the way, listed in the UNESCO World Heritage): high-ranking gastronomy could only be born in the country of the Eiffel Tower, this other heritage making France radiate throughout the world.

To enjoy the dynamic French gastronomic scene, make an appointment on the ground. Markets rich in local flavors, authentic bistroes, prestigious addresses where the new stars of the ovens practice or simple family meals following a recipe passed from generation to generation: it is everywhere and all the time that France makes this beautiful heritage live.


Valérie from Comme des Français


----


Complete your knowledge of French gastronomy with these articles