Tourism, gastronomy, history, culture, discover France through all the free articles dedicated to it on this free website.
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.
France is also the land of flowers. Numerous species have been created in the country, and can be found in private homes or in France's famous gardens, from the châteaux of the Loire to Versailles and public parks. But what are France's favorite flowers? Here are 10 of the 15 best-selling flowers in France
It's never better than at the beginning of the season, in spring, but it's just as delicious at the start of summer: rhubarb tart. Here's the secret of my Grandma Simone's rhubarb tart. Enjoy!
It's one of France's favorite desserts: strawberry tart. With good southern or Brittany strawberries, it's a real delicacy, easy to make and delicious with a little whipped cream. Here's the recipe for a good strawberry tart.
Made by fermenting apple juice, cider has long been the 2nd most popular drink in France, and is still very popular in Normandy and Brittany. This is to be expected, given that, along with the Basque region, these are the French regions that produce the most apples. So: corked? brut? off-dry? How do you choose your cider? What to drink it with? Here are Monsieur de France's ideas.
French culture
France
Trou Normand, bourguignon... What is a "trou" at the table?
Jérôme Monsieur de France
The trou normand. A very old custom which consists of drinking a glass of calvados in the middle of a festive meal. And it's also found in other regions of France. It's less and less common, and has been modified over time, but the tradition of the trou normand is still very much alive. There are also other regional 'holes' to discover with Monsieur de France.
Sunday chicken" is the distant heir to the famous poule au pot that King Henri IV wanted for all French people. A traditional, family-style dish, it is still prepared on Sundays in some families, and is carved according to a very precise ritual. How do you make it a success? Here's the recipe
