Here’s why you can be proud to be French and French gastronomy
The French are often criticized for being … French. Yes, other nationalities tease us to be pretentious, to display a feeling of superiority and to be arrogant. The subject is not answering these things today. But when it comes to gastronomy , the French have good reason to get high and feel powerful. There was a time (not so old) when, French cuisine was what all other kitchens aspired to be .
The way our cuisine is thought, what we brought to the pastry and the typical dishes of our regions (as well as our wines) are enough to understand how the world envy us on this point. Here are 17 things you can boast about being French .
1. French gastronomy is classified in Unesco
Flickr – Arnaud 25
The “gastronomic meal of the French” becomes, on November 16, 2010, thanks to the intergovernmental committee of UNESCO gathered in Nairobi in Kenya, intangible cultural heritage of humanity. According to UNESCO, this distinction concerns a “customary social practice designed to celebrate the most important moments in the life of individuals and groups, such as births, marriages, anniversaries, successes and reunions”.
2. France produces Champagne for the whole world
Pixabay – brittaneu
While many countries make sparkling wine, only France can make Champagne. Sparkling wine called Champagne must be made in the Champagne region.
3. In France we eat chocolate breads at breakfast
Flickr – Bryan Ochalla
What other countries love to eat occasionally, we eat it every day: pastries (chocolate breads, croissants, apple turnovers …) and butter spreads with jam … yum!
4. Our lunch is a pleasure that lasts two hours
Flickr – Rachida Dukes
Admittedly, it’s less and less common and in big cities like Paris you just have time to swallow a sandwich on your keyboard in front of Youtube videos . But in the provincial villages, people like to take the time to eat with an appetizer, a dish, a dessert and a coffee.
5. We usually drink a glass of wine at the table
Pixabay – HeikeSchauz
It is not uncommon to drink wine for lunch and dinner in France. This does not mean that every person drinks a bottle, only a glass (or two). The wine enriches and enhances the flavors of the meal.
6. Our wedding cakes look like that
Wikimedia – Eric Baker
A piece mounted with cream puffs, held together by fillet of caramel. How lucky we are!
7. In France 350 to 400 different types of cheese are produced
Flickr – Catriona Savage
That’s a lot of cheese. There would be one for each day of the year. This large number of varieties inspired General de Gaulle with a famous expression: “How do you want to govern a country where there are 246 varieties of cheese? He was far from the point.
8. Despite the rich and abundant food, we eat in moderation
Wikimedia – Canterel
Each dish of a meal is served in reasonable doses (like the famous three-part cheese before dessert).
9. There is a reason for everyone to use French vocabulary for kitchen staff
Wikimedia – Jorge Royan
We invented the fine cuisine, and the names of the positions in the kitchen are in French.
10. We have the mille-feuille
Flickr – Charles Haynes
With that, we do not need to prove that we are the kings of pastry.
11. At the table, butter is more important than water
Flickr – Raphaël Labbé
This is the secret of our gastronomy. Our butter sauces and pastries are envied around the world. One of the best butters in the world is made in France, in Normandy more precisely. The best butter is supposed to be salty.
12. The wine
Flickr – filtran
The history of wine in France dates back to the 6th century BC. We know what we are talking about.
13. Americans have cupcakes, we have macaroons
Flickr – Gergely Csatari
The macaroon is a small cake granular and soft to the rounded shape, specialty of several cities and French regions. The most common flavors are pistachio, coffee, chocolate and vanilla, but they are very creative. We queue to buy in Paris.
14. In France, we have an hour to taste
Flickr – audinou
The English have tea time, we tea time. It’s a snack at four o’clock in the afternoon that almost all kids love (usually with Nutella) but it’s not just for kids. It can hold until dinner.
15. We celebrate the arrival of new wine every year: Beaujolais Nouveau.
Flickr – kobakou
Beaujolais Nouveau is a wine produced in the vineyards of Beaujolais. It is on sale worldwide on the third Thursday of November and special events are organized on this occasion.
16. We regulate our food more strictly than our visas
Wikimedia – Arnaud 25
Since 1411 , has a system of protection of a product of origin called AOC (protected designation of origin). This label guarantees the standard of a product at the highest level of quality. From lavender butter to lentils to honey, you can rest assured that you have the best and most authentic product as long as it has the seal of the AOC.
17. In France, we eat chopsticks
Flickr – Garry Knight
The government has regulated the price of the baguette to ensure that all French people can buy a baguette. A true specialty that has been preparing for centuries.
