Food & Eating Guide
France is famous around the world for its food and wine, with top restaurants around the world featuring famous dishes, often prepared by chefs trained in French cordon bleue cooking schools operating in many countries. With such a good international reputation it would not be surprising to know that the food in France can be very, very good. Unfortunately some restaurants can serve up very ordinary food at high prices, especially in touristy areas, so it’s best to ask around or consult a restaurant guide. Also, prices at similar styles of eateries can vary significantly depending on their location and even whether you are sitting at a table on the sidewalk or standing at the bar.
In France, there are three meals a day. Breakfast, generally served from around 7:00 am to 9:00 am, and consists of a hot drink (coffee, tea, or chocolate), croissants and/or bread, butter and jam. Lunch, between 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm, is typically a real feast, usually consisting of a starter, main course and (often) a dessert. It is usually finished off with an espresso coffee. A snack (around 4:00 pm) is traditionally reserved for children, although some adults take this as an opportunity to enjoy tea and cakes. Finally, dinner starts around 8:00 pm. It usually 1-2 hours, and consists of an appetizer, an entree and a dessert.
France has literally hundreds of speciality dishes and all of the regions have there own unique cuisine which reflects local tastes, produce and wines.
While dining in top gourmet restaurants can be quite expensive, there are many brassieres which serve plain simple food at reasonable prices. Asian food is another favourite of the French, with good Thai and Chinese restaurants with low prices in plentiful supply.
One item on a French menu which international visitors may be surprised or even horrified to see is cheval – horse meat. Its widespread consumption dates back to 1866 and has become firmly entrenched in the national diet as healthier alternative to beef and pork. Normal butchers shops are prohibited from selling horse meat and specialised shops called boucheries chevalines are plentiful.
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