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The seafood platter is one of France's favourite dishes (it even topped the list of France's favourite dishes in 2015). We like to enjoy one on New Year's Eve, for example, or in summer, by the seaside for example. What to put in it? How do you prepare seafood? Discover the list and advice from Monsieur de France.
Some date its creation back to the 17th century, and it's even said that Madame de Sévigné knew this recipe, which I'm sharing with you and which my grandmother made every Christmas.
It's perhaps one of the best sauces ever invented in French cuisine: béarnaise sauce. Delicious with meat, it was born of a delicious culinary error in the 19th century. Here's its history and my advice on how to make a good béarnaise.
Gingerbread is one of our favorite Christmas treats. Gingerbread has a long history, dating back to the Middle Ages. One of the earliest references to it dates back to 1372 in France. It was a way of preserving expensive spices by mixing them with flour and, above all, honey. You can make it yourself in cake form, thanks to a simple recipe that Monsieur de France has found for you.
It's THE family dish par excellence: shepherd's pie (hâchis parmentier in french). A good purée and minced meat, plus a few extra ingredients, make it a delight to enjoy with friends and family. The shepherd's pie can also be made with duck or chicken, and allows you to recycle leftovers into a really tasty dish. Discover Monsieur de France's recipe.
Invented by a Frenchman from Savoie, chocolate truffles can be enjoyed all year round, but the best time is during the festive season. Discover our recipe for chocolate truffles.
Quinces are a little-known fruit today, but our grandmothers loved them. They used to make delicious quince jelly in autumn. Here's the recipe from Monsieur de France.
Quince is an autumn fruit that can be used in many recipes, including the famous quince paste, the recipe for which is given below.
French expressions
France
what does "à vos souhaits" (to your wishes) mean in French?
Jérôme de France
"A vos souhaits!" (to your wishes" is what we say in France to someone who sneezes in our presence. It's an old expression from the Middle Ages, and Monsieur de France tells the story.
French expressions
France
What does "on n'est pas sortis de l'auberge" mean in French?
Jérôme de France
Overwhelmed with work, or not seeing the end of a problem for a long time to come, French people sometimes say "on n'est pas sortis de l'auberge" We didn't get out of the inn to say "we're not out of the woods". The expression has a long history, dating back to the 15th century. And the inn is not at all, but not at all, a hostelry. In fact, it's a prison.
