What do you think ?

FranDub · 13-05-2015 10:57am #1

Hey folks !

I was just wondering,
What do you think about French food and what comes to your mind when you think about it !?

Haha. Let me know .

The Hill Billy · 13-05-2015 11:11am

What type of French food do you mean? Classical haute cuisine, rustic/traditional/modern/regional foods?

Maybe if you gave us a better idea of what you are really looking for it would help.

FranDub · 13-05-2015 11:18am

Hey The Hill Billy,

It's a very wide topic, I know.. but for some reasons, some people will link french food with snails and some others will like it with frogs or mushrooms.

I just would like to know what's the very first thing that comes to mind when you think about French food... It a wide topic, but answers can be very wide as well..

I know it doesn't really help tho.

Joolzie · 13-05-2015 1:49pm

FranDub wrote: »

Hey folks !

I was just wondering,
What do you think about French food and what comes to your mind when you think about it !?

Haha. Let me know .

For me, what first comes to mind is a big heavily topped Croque Monsieur with melting gruyere & bechamel, and mabey a touch of muscade.
The second is Chateaubriand, sauce bearnaise and frites mmh!
'ha ha' & all that.

2xj3hplqgsbkym · 13-05-2015 2:13pm

Cheese and wine

FranDub · 13-05-2015 2:25pm

Thanks a million for your answers !

Wine and Cheese.. Not bad !
Haha, the croc' monsieur just made me want to go to the kitchen and start making one !!

The Hill Billy · 13-05-2015 3:00pm

Cassoulet, horse steak with a fried egg, steaks done blue & a Burgundy, crêpes au chocolat, garlicky snails & a glass of armangac, macarons, fois gras with a crusty baguette & a chilled Alsace Riesling.

FranDub · 13-05-2015 3:02pm

Do you work in a restaurant ?

I feel like I am starving Haha

Joolzie · 13-05-2015 4:28pm

The Hill Billy wrote: »

Cassoulet, horse steak with a fried egg, steaks done blue & a Burgundy, crêpes au chocolat, garlicky snails & a glass of armangac, macarons, fois gras with a crusty baguette & a chilled Alsace Riesling.

Mon dieu Hill Billy! would that be Vendange Tardive or Selection des Grains Nobles?
I nearly passed out reading your post! You have the constitution of an Ox.

FranDub · 13-05-2015 4:34pm

Folks, where are you from ?

Joolzie · 13-05-2015 4:38pm

FranDub wrote: »

Folks, where are you from ?

I am a Dub

FranDub · 13-05-2015 4:41pm

Joolzie wrote: »

I am a Dub

Ah, that's cool !

Mellor · 14-05-2015 2:32am

The first dish I think of is Coq au Vin. Not sure why, I've never ordered, it just pops up first.
But when I think about a whole meal of french cuisine; french onion soup, scallop gratin, steak tartare, a big fruity beaujolais, duck confit (or a l'orange) with potato gallette, tarte tatin, and the croquembouche.

Minder · 14-05-2015 8:34pm

Bouillabaisse, cassoulet, confit of duck, rilettes, baked vacherin mont d'or, Plateau de fruits de mer, ratatouille, French onion soup, tarte tatin, creme brûlée, salad nicoise, souffle.

FranDub · 15-05-2015 10:27am

Minder wrote: »

Bouillabaisse, cassoulet, confit of duck, rilettes, baked vacherin mont d'or, Plateau de fruits de mer, ratatouille, French onion soup, tarte tatin, creme brûlée, salad nicoise, souffle.

Thats sounds like a typical french meal

FranDub · 15-05-2015 10:28am

Mellor wrote: »

The first dish I think of is Coq au Vin. Not sure why, I've never ordered, it just pops up first.
But when I think about a whole meal of french cuisine; french onion soup, scallop gratin, steak tartare, a big fruity beaujolais, duck confit (or a l'orange) with potato gallette, tarte tatin, and the croquembouche.

Coq au vin is really good !
I feel ashamed I dont know what is a Croquenbouche ..

Joolzie · 15-05-2015 11:59am

FranDub wrote: »

Coq au vin is really good !
I feel ashamed I dont know what is a Croquenbouche ..

Une piece montee, (sorry, don't know where the accents are on this keyboard.) is another name for it. you know the cake they have at french weddings. Little choux pastries filled with creme patissiere, used like little building blocks, with fine sugar lacing all around it. Same shape as a parfait.

FranDub · 15-05-2015 4:38pm

Joolzie wrote: »

Une piece montee, (sorry, don't know where the accents are on this keyboard.) is another name for it. you know the cake they have at french weddings. Little choux pastries filled with creme patissiere, used like little building blocks, with fine sugar lacing all around it. Same shape as a parfait.

Are you French ?!

Joolzie · 15-05-2015 6:01pm

FranDub wrote: »

Are you French ?!

It's my turn to say a hearty Ha Ha! You already asked me a couple of posts further back, and I am still a Dub..:)

Faith · 15-05-2015 6:33pm

FranDub, what exactly are you looking for from this thread? You've asked people what comes to mind when they think of French food, but you seem extremely surprised by the answers you're getting. Is this market research of some sort?

Joolzie · 15-05-2015 7:17pm

FranDub wrote: »

Hey The Hill Billy,

It's a very wide topic, I know.. but for some reasons, some people will link french food with snails and some others will like it with frogs or mushrooms.

I just would like to know what's the very first thing that comes to mind when you think about French food... It a wide topic, but answers can be very wide as well..

I know it doesn't really help tho.

I don't assiociate french food with snails, as we don't eat them in Ireland. I associate them with gardening, as I had to spray one the other evening with vinegar, as I wanted to get rid of it from my bedroom window rather than eating it. YAK!

Buona Fortuna · 15-05-2015 7:26pm

I always think of a holiday we took in France in the late 90's. Neither of us spoke French and we stopped at a little place well off the beaten track absolutely starving.

The only thing we could remotely identify on the menu was an egg baguette. What arrived was a baguette filled with lettuce and 3 perfectly fried eggs (just as I like them with crispy skirts). It was fantastic and we still talk about it all these years later.

Maybe it doesn't sound so nice. Lettuce and fried egg is not a combination I'd have thought of but really, really good.;)

Joolzie · 15-05-2015 8:31pm

Faith wrote: »

FranDub, what exactly are you looking for from this thread? You've asked people what comes to mind when they think of French food, but you seem extremely surprised by the answers you're getting. Is this market research of some sort?

Good evening friends!
Just a little something to add in case anything gets deleted from this thread as inappropriate or whatever, but more so, this is very good for research.
I had an english boyfriend a few years ago, and he had a Manor in Honfleur we used to stay at for the odd weekend. One particular weekend we were there, we went to a lovely restaurant for dinner, with another couple who were english. I was given the job of ordering the wine. I knew what wine I was going to order, but for the crack I let on I did n't know anything about it. On the list it said, said wine, reserve. I called over the waiter and asked him, what did reserve mean, he did n't know, nor did anybody in the establishment. I said I was from Barcelona,(Joking) but seemingly so were they.

In Paris, when you ask for une petite cote ,at the bar tabac, and get served it. Ask what grape varieties are in it, they have no idea, and wonder how could you ask such a bizarre question.
In an Irish Restaurant, you can ask about house wine or wines on the list, or an ordered glass, and you will be informed of the country and the grape variety, because people in Ireland are interested in what they are doing, and what they are serving the public, unlike the french, who actually have no idea, & think everyone should already know, unlike them.

FranDub · 19-05-2015 9:16am

Joolzie wrote: »

Une piece montee, (sorry, don't know where the accents are on this keyboard.) is another name for it. you know the cake they have at french weddings. Little choux pastries filled with creme patissiere, used like little building blocks, with fine sugar lacing all around it. Same shape as a parfait.

Ah, alright, I see what is it now.. Thanks for the explanation !

FranDub · 19-05-2015 9:18am

Joolzie wrote: »

I don't assiociate french food with snails, as we don't eat them in Ireland. I associate them with gardening, as I had to spray one the other evening with vinegar, as I wanted to get rid of it from my bedroom window rather than eating it. YAK!

Well, next time you should try to eat it.. I don't mean to eat it raw, but snails are pretty good with a butter cream and some herbs ! YUM :P

FranDub · 19-05-2015 9:20am

Joolzie wrote: »

Good evening friends!
Just a little something to add in case anything gets deleted from this thread as inappropriate or whatever, but more so, this is very good for research.
I had an english boyfriend a few years ago, and he had a Manor in Honfleur we used to stay at for the odd weekend. One particular weekend we were there, we went to a lovely restaurant for dinner, with another couple who were english. I was given the job of ordering the wine. I knew what wine I was going to order, but for the crack I let on I did n't know anything about it. On the list it said, said wine, reserve. I called over the waiter and asked him, what did reserve mean, he did n't know, nor did anybody in the establishment. I said I was from Barcelona,(Joking) but seemingly so were they.

In Paris, when you ask for une petite cote ,at the bar tabac, and get served it. Ask what grape varieties are in it, they have no idea, and wonder how could you ask such a bizarre question.
In an Irish Restaurant, you can ask about house wine or wines on the list, or an ordered glass, and you will be informed of the country and the grape variety, because people in Ireland are interested in what they are doing, and what they are serving the public, unlike the french, who actually have no idea, & think everyone should already know, unlike them.

TOUCHÉ !!

FranDub · 19-05-2015 9:23am

Buona Fortuna wrote: »

I always think of a holiday we took in France in the late 90's. Neither of us spoke French and we stopped at a little place well off the beaten track absolutely starving.

The only thing we could remotely identify on the menu was an egg baguette. What arrived was a baguette filled with lettuce and 3 perfectly fried eggs (just as I like them with crispy skirts). It was fantastic and we still talk about it all these years later.

Maybe it doesn't sound so nice. Lettuce and fried egg is not a combination I'd have thought of but really, really good.;)

Oh that sounds nice ! Sometimes, simple things are the best. If you ever go back to France and are a bit on a rush. Just stop and ask for a Paris-beurre.. Same kind of thing but it's butter, ham and cheese in the baguette.. It's something very popular in the train and bus stations !

Joolzie · 19-05-2015 10:23am

FranDub wrote: »

Well, next time you should try to eat it.. I don't mean to eat it raw, but snails are pretty good with a butter cream and some herbs ! YUM :P

Never ever ever ever, yakady yak khak!!! eeuugghhhhh
Twice in my life, it has been on a fork, and they were offering me money.... money going up up, the second time it happened I put it in my mouth and nearly had a heart attack, spat it out. Never.

Have you ever eaten a whelk?

Buona Fortuna · 19-05-2015 2:09pm

Joolzie wrote: »

Have you ever eaten a whelk?

Love them. Can't get them very often though.

FranDub · 19-05-2015 2:11pm

Joolzie wrote: »

Never ever ever ever, yakady yak khak!!! eeuugghhhhh
Twice in my life, it has been on a fork, and they were offering me money.... money going up up, the second time it happened I put it in my mouth and nearly had a heart attack, spat it out. Never.

Have you ever eaten a whelk?

YES, more than once even.. To be honest it's not something that I really like, but it's ok during summer, eating outisde under the sun with a bit of Mayonnaise .. :P

FranDub · 19-05-2015 2:33pm

Faith wrote: »

FranDub, what exactly are you looking for from this thread? You've asked people what comes to mind when they think of French food, but you seem extremely surprised by the answers you're getting. Is this market research of some sort?

Hello,

First, let me introduce myself : I am French and I live next to Dublin.
According to that, indeed sometimes I am a bit surprised by the answers as there are things that I don't even really know myself or because I had in mind that this or that product was not really known outside the French borders. I have been here for a while now and I was wondering why there are so many Italian and Spanish products in stores while we can not find that much French products. If you want, you can consider it as a survey, but the aim of this topic is just to see what people from Ireland have in mind when they think about french food, just to check if the frog's legs and snails cliche are still alive in a time of globalisation and things like that.

Does that answer your question ?

FranDub · 19-05-2015 2:34pm

Joolzie wrote: »

It's my turn to say a hearty Ha Ha! You already asked me a couple of posts further back, and I am still a Dub..:)

Oh yeah, sorry about that, I got lost in the messages !

Thud · 19-05-2015 3:26pm

I'm thinking Ortolan

first but then steak frites

pwurple · 19-05-2015 5:24pm

Favourite french food? Tough to decide!

Steak frites, boeuf bourguignon, confit de canard.

Crêpes, éclairs, tart tatin.

Lack of french products in shops? I'd be able to rustle up some attempt at french recipes from the local supermarket. Not too hard to find excellent spuds and very good beef in Ireland.

Markcheese · 19-05-2015 5:27pm

Joolzie wrote: »

Une piece montee, (sorry, don't know where the accents are on this keyboard.) is another name for it. you know the cake they have at french weddings. Little choux pastries filled with creme patissiere, used like little building blocks, with fine sugar lacing all around it. Same shape as a parfait.

Croque en Bouche ? Or something like that ? I made a few of them ages ago- always got cream filling from the profiteroles in the caramel that you use to stick them together - annoyed me grr -

The Hill Billy · 19-05-2015 5:42pm

FranDub wrote: »

Hello,

First, let me introduce myself : I am French and I live next to Dublin.
According to that, indeed sometimes I am a bit surprised by the answers as there are things that I don't even really know myself or because I had in mind that this or that product was not really known outside the French borders. I have been here for a while now and I was wondering why there are so many Italian and Spanish products in stores while we can not find that much French products. If you want, you can consider it as a survey, but the aim of this topic is just to see what people from Ireland have in mind when they think about french food, just to check if the frog's legs and snails cliche are still alive in a time of globalisation and things like that.

Does that answer your question ?

What 'French' products do you think that we are missing? Snails & cans of duck fat would probably be hard to come by, but from the foods mentioned in this thread, I'd imagine that most common French dishes could be created from locally available produce.

FranDub · 20-05-2015 9:27am

The Hill Billy wrote: »

What 'French' products do you think that we are missing? Snails & cans of duck fat would probably be hard to come by, but from the foods mentioned in this thread, I'd imagine that most common French dishes could be created from locally available produce.

I totally agree with you and I understand that when it comes to cook a French meal you can use locally grown products as what is French in a French meal is the recipe more than the products.. but I was thinking about products that are not produced in Ireland.. Sorry if I am wrong, but for example I don't think you can find local olive oil, dried prunes or even Espelette pepper..

MissFlitworth · 20-05-2015 10:24am

I don't buy a lot of specifically French ingredients but if you were looking for those in Dublin Fallon & Byrne, the small French shop in Chex Max on Baggot Street, Terroirs in Donnybrook, The Gourmet Shop in Rathgar and Magills on Clarendon Street should have a selection of French ingredients. The Gourmet Shop almost definitely has dried prunes, they have an awesome selection of dried fruit.

Mellor · 20-05-2015 11:30am

FranDub wrote: »

I totally agree with you and I understand that when it comes to cook a French meal you can use locally grown products as what is French in a French meal is the recipe more than the products.. but I was thinking about products that are not produced in Ireland.. Sorry if I am wrong, but for example I don't think you can find local olive oil, dried prunes or even Espelette pepper..

Olive oil and dried prunes are pretty easily.
You may disagree, but you dont need to use french olive oil in a french recioe.

FranDub · 20-05-2015 11:39am

I know you don't have to use a French olive oil when cooking a French meal. As I said the recipe might be French but the products are not / don't have to be French.
It's like cooking an Irish stew, if you cook it with potatoes from Spain (Do they have potatoes there ?) in the end it will always be an Irish stew, isn't it ?

MissFlitworth · 20-05-2015 11:40am

FranDub wrote: »

Sorry if I am wrong, but for example I don't think you can find local olive oil, dried prunes or even Espelette pepper..

Do you mean local as in 'grown in Ireland'?

FranDub · 20-05-2015 11:42am

MissFlitworth wrote: »

Do you mean local as in 'grown in Ireland'?

Yes, like locally grown and locally produced.

MissFlitworth · 20-05-2015 11:45am

Ah, well I'm not a farmer but we don't really have the climate for peppers or olives I think. Or for being a place where you'd have traditionally have had enough sun to dry fruit so, while we have plums, I've never come across Irish prunes

Mellor · 20-05-2015 11:46am

FranDub wrote: »

I know you don't have to use a French olive oil when cooking a French meal. As I said the recipe might be French but the products are not / don't have to be French.
It's like cooking an Irish stew, if you cook it with potatoes from Spain (Do they have potatoes there ?) in the end it will always be an Irish stew, isn't it ?

I just found the Idea that you couldn't get olive oil or dried prunes to be a bit strange. Both very common if have thought.

FranDub · 20-05-2015 11:50am

Mellor wrote: »

I just found the Idea that you couldn't get olive oil or dried prunes to be a bit strange. Both very common if have thought.

i know you can find them .. I was just thinking about locally grown products.. Sorry about that

pwurple · 20-05-2015 11:54am

FranDub wrote: »

i know you can find them .. I was just thinking about locally grown products.. Sorry about that

Yes, Ireland is going to be more like the Breton region. No vineyards or olives, but plenty of dairy, fish and beef.

Joolzie · 20-05-2015 3:04pm

FranDub wrote: »

YES, more than once even.. To be honest it's not something that I really like, but it's ok during summer, eating outisde under the sun with a bit of Mayonnaise .. :P

Yak! I'll only eat them in a seafood Terrine. I had to buy a bag for my friend off the pier in Dun Laoire. I tied the bag tight, and put it on the back shelf behind the back seats in the car. When I was driving home the bag was moving all the time when I was stopped at traffic lights.You could hear it moving:eek::eek: AAGGGGGHHHHHHH!! The guy I bought them off said they go to be exported straightaway to Korea and Japan. The native Irish are n't really fans

Joolzie · 20-05-2015 3:36pm

FranDub wrote: »

I totally agree with you and I understand that when it comes to cook a French meal you can use locally grown products as what is French in a French meal is the recipe more than the products.. but I was thinking about products that are not produced in Ireland.. Sorry if I am wrong, but for example I don't think you can find local olive oil, dried prunes or even Espelette pepper..

There is a huge amount of french Produce available in the Irish shops. I am not going to start advertising names of food etc, but there are french people living here that have french product import companies, and plenty of wines too. Did you know you can buy Pineau des Charentes here?, amongst many other things. PLENTY of wine suppliers. I can't remember if it's Lidl or Aldi do specials on a french bakery: ready made yummy croque monsieurs, from time to time, but it's good you don't know, that means you have been busy engaging in the irish way. Nothing wrong with that:D

asjasia · 20-05-2015 5:20pm

The first thing that comes to my mind would be ratatouille and croissants haha

FranDub · 20-05-2015 5:37pm

Joolzie wrote: »

Yak! I'll only eat them in a seafood Terrine. I had to buy a bag for my friend off the pier in Dun Laoire. I tied the bag tight, and put it on the back shelf behind the back seats in the car. When I was driving home the bag was moving all the time when I was stopped at traffic lights.You could hear it moving:eek::eek: AAGGGGGHHHHHHH!! The guy I bought them off said they go to be exported straightaway to Korea and Japan. The native Irish are n't really fans

Watch out , maybe one of them is living and having fun somewhere in your car !

Shenshen · 28-05-2015 11:42am

My first thought when hearing French Cuisine is usually "Ah well, probably nothing there for me then".
Most of it tends to centre around meat and fish, unfortunately.

That said, I love the varieties of vegetables available there, and overall they are very decent bakers.

What do you think ?

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