Tourism, gastronomy, history, culture, discover France through all the free articles dedicated to it on this free website.
The truffle, although not cheap, is so fragrant that it takes very little to sublimate a dish. Did you know that truffles have been eaten for thousands of years? French chefs love to use truffles in their cooking, and they can also be found in very simple dishes.
Ah, the English and their affectionate nicknames for the French, eh! They call us “Froggies” (yes, with two “g ”s to make sure we understand). They're not wrong, though, since the top French dishes include... frogs!
Here's a sweet we're particularly fond of during the holidays: candy cane. It's often seen in American TV series, decorating Christmas trees, and you'd think it was an American specialty. In reality, it's a French tradition.
Like many countries around the world, France has its own public holidays. These are days when you don't have to work (although this depends on your profession and the collective agreements that govern it). Originally, these days were public holidays, so that the population would be available to celebrate an event. Today, there are 11 official public holidays in France, and even 13 in some regions, such as Alsace and Moselle. Find out more about national holidays and their history.
July 14th ,the Bastille-day, has been France's national holiday since a law passed in 1880. It doesn't specify why it's July 14th. In fact, the date was decided to celebrate the memory of July 14, 1790. On that day, delegates from all over France gathered on the Champs de Mars in Paris, one year after the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. A moment of concord, then, that the Third Republic celebrated by declaring July 14 France's national holiday. Rediscover this history and our traditions with Monsieur de France.
Waffles: a tasty dessert as old as Northern France, where "walfres" were already being made in 1185 by sliding dough between two hot iron plates, leaving patterns. The word "waffle" appears as such in "le ménagier de Paris" in the 14th century, one of the oldest cookery books in French history. With Monsieur de France, discover an easy waffle recipe to enjoy with the whole family.
There's nothing better than a good homemade jam. But you've got to get started, and make them! So, if you'd like to make your own jam, here are some tips from Mamie Simone, my grandmother. With these tips, it's easy to make jam and please the whole family.
Praline is a hazelnut-based sweet (the best-known is Lyon's pink praline), praline is a kind of crunchy slab made from hazelnuts and sugar, and praline is the delicious paste that flavors chocolates. A delicious culinary invention that we owe to France and whose recipes we give you here.
What a delight French pastries are! You can enjoy them for breakfast, a snack, at the end of a meal, or just for pleasure (yes, we're allowed to indulge!). Find out here which are the best known and what's in them. I'll also tell you where they were born. Here are the top 20 French pastries to try on your trip to France
Foreign tourists are often surprised by mustard as it is consumed in France. It's more pungent and much less sweet than that usually found on tables around the world, particularly in Germany and the United States. Burgundy mustard, Dijon mustard, Meaux mustard... Find out more about French mustards and how to use them in the kitchen.
